PAMANAYAN: Hanunuo Mangyan Community & Traditional Livelihood Development Through a Mutualistic Architecture

BS Architecture

John Patrick Cunanan is a BS Architecture graduate from the University of Nueva Caceres, where he excelled as a scholar and researcher with a strong advocacy for Filipino traditional architecture and cultural heritage. His undergraduate thesis, Project PAMANAYAN, earned him Top 1 Best Thesis in his program. He also achieved Top 1 in the University Research Summit and Top 1 in the Bicol Regional Research Summit, and was shortlisted in the Architecture Design Anthology. Professionally, he is practicing as a Junior Architect at GPAD Studio and has been serving as the Senior Head Photographer of Lumina Pixel since 2019, where he merges his skills in architecture and visual storytelling. With his combined experience in design, research, and creative practice, he continues to advance his commitment to heritage preservation, sustainable development, and nation-building through architecture.

Thesis Adviser

Ar. John Paul B. Arellano has spent nearly a decade in the academe at the University of Nueva Caceres, teaching community and civic architecture, space planning, and sustainability while mentoring students as a thesis adviser. A certified BERDE Professional and member of the Philippine Green Building Council, he actively champions sustainable design practices. He also leads ARIZE Design Group, his architectural and design practice of five years, while pursuing a Master’s in Sustainable Architecture at Mapúa University. In 2025, he became President of the United Architects of the Philippines – Camarines Chapter and continues to advance his vision for a local green building code in towns and provinces.

The Hanunuo Mangyan of Panaytayan, Mansalay, remain resilient amid cultural erosion, economic vulnerability, and limited opportunities, holding firmly to their traditions while striving for a stronger future. Project PAMANAYAN, a community and traditional livelihood center meaning Pamana ng Pamayanan ng Mangyan is envisioned to preserve heritage, strengthen identity, and foster socio-economic resilience through a four-phase immersion and six-month co-design process that actively engaged weavers, artisans, youth, farmers, faith healers, chieftains, and elders. Beyond empowering the community from within, the project also builds external partnerships that uphold ethical practices, cultural sensitivity, and the protection of indigenous knowledge, enabling the Hanunuo Mangyan to thrive in a modernizing world while safeguarding their traditions.