The Senate of the Dominican Republic approved on second reading a bill establishing a legal framework for the protection and acquisition of the nation’s cultural heritage. The initiative, introduced by Senator Santiago José Zorrilla, seeks to preserve cultural assets that reflect the country’s historical, artistic, scientific, and archaeological legacy.
The proposed legislation defines the Dominican Republic’s cultural heritage as encompassing all public and private movable and immovable property, along with tangible and intangible cultural values and symbols linked to archaeology, history, literature, education, art, science, and other elements of significant historical, aesthetic, anthropological, or folkloric importance.
Protection of Historic Monuments
The bill also establishes guidelines for protecting the country’s monumental heritage, including architectural works, monumental sculptures, paintings, and other landmarks considered to have national importance because of their artistic, historical, or cultural value. Monuments officially declared significant under Dominican law would also receive protection under the proposed framework.
Additional Bills Advance
During the extraordinary session, senators also approved on second reading legislation declaring the province of Azua as the “Capital of the Tomato”, an initiative sponsored by Senator Lía Ynocencia Díaz de Díaz.
Lawmakers further approved on first reading a bill creating the National Council for Health Tourism Development (CONDETUSA), introduced by Senator Daniel Rivera, with the goal of strengthening the country’s growing medical tourism sector.
Resolutions on Healthcare, Infrastructure, and Culture
The Senate approved multiple resolutions during Friday’s session, including requests for the construction of a new hospital in the municipality of Tábara Arriba to be included in the 2027 national budget and for government intervention in communities affected by the Aurora ravine in the Santiago municipal district of La Canela.
Additional resolutions called for the installation of a hemodialysis center and blood bank in El Seibo, the creation of a gastroenterology and endoscopy unit at the Taiwan Regional Hospital in Azua, the resurfacing of streets in the municipality of Tenares, and the establishment of a ProConsumidor office in the province of Pedernales.
Senators also approved a series of recognitions honoring individuals for their contributions to Dominican culture and society, including artist Miguel Paulino (Guelo), merengue típico singer Dionisio Mejía (Guandulito), painter Elsa Núñez, writer Reynaldo Paulino Chevalier, and American missionaries Beatriz Barry and Juana Really for more than 25 years of humanitarian service in Hondo Valle and Elías Piña.
The Senate also ratified two diplomatic appointments submitted by the Executive Branch, confirming Reinaldo Rafael Espinal as ambassador to Indonesia and José Julio Gómez Beato as ambassador to Singapore, with residence in the People’s Republic of China.