TERESITA R. IGNACIO
Records Management and Archives Office (RMAO)
(The National Archives of the Philippines)
Brief History
characterized by transfer from one government department to another resulting in the virtual physical odyssey from one place to another
assumed various names during its existence
originally named the Division of Archives during the Spanish colonial government
renamed Office of Archives during the American regime
assimilated by the Executive Bureau in July 1901
renamed Bureau of Archives under the Dept. of Public Instruction in October 1901
reduced as a mere division under the Executive Bureau in November 1915
Philippine Library and Museum consolidated the Division of Archives and the Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks in 1916
Philippine Library and Museum (now under the Dept. of Interior) was renamed as the National Library, with the Archives as a component division
National Library was placed under the control of the Speaker of the National Assembly in 1935, shortly after being transferred to the Dept. of Public Instruction
National Library was transformed into the Bureau of Public Libraries under the Dept. of Education with the Archives remaining as one of its division in 1947
Division of Archives was transferred to the newly created Bureau of Records Management under the Department of General Services in 1958
Bureau of Records Management was renamed Records Management and Archives Office (RMAO) under the General Administrative Administration in 1972
it became classified as a cultural agency attached to the Department of Education, Culture and Sports as per Executive Order No. 285 in 1987
Executive Order No. 80 transferred RMAO to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in 1999
acquired no permanent building of its own until in 1997, when work began for the restoration of the historic Intendencia in Intramuros to become the home of the National Archives
Organization
headed by a Director IV and assisted by a Director III
operates through 5 divisions, namely Archives Division, Training and Information Division, Records Center Division, Current Records Division and Administrative Division
has field offices in Cebu and Davao
Holdings
about 60,000,000 archival documents with Spanish Collection comprising an estimated 13,000,000 manuscripts from the 16th to 19th Century with 400 titles on various aspects of Philippine history under Spanish rule:
royal decrees of Spanish monarchs, reports of Spanish governors-general, documents on Filipino uprisings, records of different provinces and pueblos, royal titles on lands and landed estates
pastoral letters of the clergy, papers on churches and convents
maps and architectural plans of buildings and houses
civil records like birth, marriages and death
American and Japanese Occupation Records
Philippine National Guard records, civil service rosters, war trials
Recent Records
notarial documents, registers, civil service records
1,000 cu.m. of inactive records of national/local governments, those of abolished, transferred or merged offices included
Services
Research Library
researchers are required to fill up application form, attach passport size photo and submit 2 letters of reference
pay annual fee of P 100.00 or walk-in fee of P 50.00
pay reproduction fees when applicable: P 1.50 per page for hard copy and P 575.00 per microfilm reel plus P100.00 photo privilege fee per request
Technical Assistance and Training
provided by the Current Records Division and the Training and Information Division on all aspects of records management and archives administration
provided by the Archives Division on management of archival records and Records Center Division on inactive records of the government
Other services
answers public inquiries, requests and other correspondence about its holdings
issues certified true copies of civil records with P40.00 fee per document; P20.00 per certification of non-availability of document; certified true copies of other documents at P 10.00 per document plus P2.00 photoprivilege fee per page plus P1.50 xerox fee per shot
public queries/ requests are received/answered in person, by phone, fax, e-mail or postal mail
requests can be addressed to :
THE DIRECTOR
The National Archives
TM Kalaw St.. Ermita, Manila
Tel. 525-1407 local 106 Fax: 525-0021 E-mail: Phinatarch@hotmail.com
THE FIELD ARCHIVES HEAD
Records Management and Archives Office
3rd floor, Friendship bldg.
Subangdaku, Mandaue City,
THE FIELD ARCHIVES HEAD
Records Management and Archives Office
Doors 6 &7 Ebro-Pelayo Bldg.
Juan Luna St., Davao City
Publications
Cedulario. 1971 (hard/soft bound) P 150.00 / P 100.00
Catalogo de Apellidos. 1973 100.00
Igorot Sampler. 1975 50.00
Records Management Handbook. 1975 20.00 per No.
No.2 Mail Management
No.3 Files Management
No.4 Records Disposition
Finding Aid. Memorias.1990 100.00
Finding Aid. Erecciones de Pueblos.1990 100.00 per No.
No. 1 Abra-Bohol
No. 2 Bulacan-Capiz
No. 3 Cavite-Laguna
No. 4 La Union-Pampanga
No. 5 Pampanga-Zamboanga
| Teresita R. Ignacio is a member of the NCCA Committee on Archives and has Public Administration as a specialization. She is the Chief of the Archives Division, Records Management & Archives Office. | |
