Clyde Jagoon, Leee Anthony Neri and Dr. Erlinda M. Burton at the Huluga settlement site on August 5, 2003. Burton and the late Dr. Robert Fox emphasize the need for Philippine archaeologists to follow a code of ethics.

When news about the destruction of the Huluga Open Site came out in June 2003, many archaeologists in the Philippines were exchanging information about it, expressing alarm, shock, and even anger. "Huluga" became a buzzword, and members of the Heritage Conservation Advocates (HCA) were invited to speak in several gatherings. Students, travel guides, teachers, architects, journalists, historians, senators, and taxi drivers were asking about Huluga. The counter of the HCA website also made a steep rise, as people from different countries read the pages.

This exchange of information led to calls for Cagayan de Oro former mayor Vicente Y. Emano -- the person responsible for the damage on Huluga -- to stop the destruction. The Archaeological Studies Program (ASP) of the University of the Philippines issued a manifesto that partly said, “we … strongly support the call of the Heritage Conservation Advocates (HCA) and all concerned sectors in Cagayan de Oro City to stop further destruction of the Huluga Open Site …”. The manifesto also asked government agencies “to stop the construction of the bridge …”

In similar manner, The Katipunan Arkaeologist ng Pilipinas, Inc. (KAPI) wrote an open letter to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, appealing for “her intercession in behalf of the Filipino people and the Cagayanons in particular for the preservation of our cultural heritage.” The National Museum also sent archaeologists Leee Anthony Neri and Clyde Jagoon to Huluga to assess the damage, and National Museum lawyer Trixie Angeles met with HCA members and expressed interest to file a case against Emano. She even suggested that the 4th Infantry Division be asked to guard Huluga.

This apparent unity of archaeologists and other concerned people in the Philippines continued until October 2003, when KAPI asked HCA president and archaeologist Dr. Erlinda M. Burton to give a presentation about Huluga during its 4th annual conference in Manila. In that meeting, which I attended, National Museum director Cora Alvina responded to Burton’s presentation by expressing her support for HCA. “We are with you,” Alvina said twice during her speech, looking at Burton. Alvina also said the National Museum was preparing a case against Emano.1