The Handumanan Project is a response to the need to protect structures of heritage value in the UPV Iloilo City campus. The Old High School Building, originally called the Home Economics (HE) Building and the Women’s Club are iconic buildings that reflect postwar architecture – American Tsalet – that was prevalent in Iloilo during the reconstruction period. The one-story buildings are an amalgamation of Filipino and colonial architecture. These structures are part of the larger history of the city on the one hand, and the internal history of the university on the other.

On June 5, 2023, a groundbreaking event was held to initiate the renovation of two buildings. The ceremony was attended by former Senate President Franklin Drilon and retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza, both who played key roles in the renovation efforts.

The renovation funding was sourced from the General Appropriations Act (GAA) 2022, which Sen. Drilon prioritized during his final term in the Senate. Additionally, funds for the assessment were gathered from Justice Jardeleza, the UPIC HS class of 1965, and the GAA 2021, which supported the development of UPV’s Land Use Development and Infrastructure Plan (LUDIP), managed by the OVCPD.

On September 26, 2024 the iconic heritage structures were finally turned over.