8 Philippine sites added to UNESCO World Heritage tentative list

MANILA, Philippines — Eight sites were submitted by the Philippine delegation to be included in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s tentative list of World Heritage sites.

The prospective sites are the sugar cultural landscape of Negros and Panay, the historic towns and landscape of Taal volcano and its caldera lake, the colonial urban plan and fortifications of the Walled City of Manila, the Agusan Marsh wildlife sanctuary, the Kitanglad and Kalatungan Mountain Ranges: Sacred Sites of Bukidnon, the Samar Island natural park, the extension of the Cordillera rice terraces and the extension of the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary-Pujada Bay.

According to UNESCO, world heritage sites are “places on Earth that are of outstanding universal value to humanity and as such, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.”

The Philippines sought the inclusion of the potential heritage sites on Feb. 2.

There are 16 more pending Philippine sites included in the list in 2015, 2006 and 1993.

One pending site is the Chocolate Hills Natural Monument, a declared UNESCO geopark, where controversy has arisen due to the construction of cottages and a swimming pool on its foothills.

The others are the Mt. Mantalingahan Protected Landscape, Mayon Volcano natural park, Turtle Islands wildlife sanctuary, Tabon cave complex, Cagayan Valley paleolithic archaeological sites, Butuan archeological sites, extension of the Philippine Baroque churches, Mt. Malindang Range natural park, Mt. Pulag national park, Apo Reef natural park, El-Nido-Taytay managed resource protected area, Coron island natural biotic area, Mt. Iglit-Baco national park, Northern Sierra Madre natural park and Batanes protected landscapes and seascapes.

The Philippines has six properties inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list – the Baroque churches of the Philippines, the historic city of Vigan, the Cordillera rice terraces, the Mt. Hamiguitan Range wildlife sanctuary, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River and the Tubbataha Reefs natural park.

There are 1,199 properties worldwide inscribed in UNESCO’s heritage list.

Walled City

The historic walls and forts of Intramuros in Manila have a chance to be recognized as a World Heritage Site.

The 67-hectare Walled City was erected using primarily volcanic tuff and brick through a plan in 1571 during the term of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the Philippines’ first Spanish governor-general, according to Intramuros’ entry posted on the UNESCO World Heritage Convention website.

The area within the walls of the current Intramuros district was the city of Manila during the Spanish colonial period.