UNESCO spearheads workshop for the nomination of new World Heritage Sites

• Source:http://palawan-news.com/unesco-spearheads-workshop-nomination-new-world-heritage-sites/
• Friday, April 15, 2016

By Chris Dela Cruz

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is equipping participants through a workshop on the criteria to qualify a place or structure to become a World Heritage Site.

The Philippine National Commission for UNESCO is currently doing a review of the Philippines’ candidate properties/sites for possible inscription to the UNESCO World Heritage List, also referred to as the Tentative List.

A Tentative List for the Philippines was first submitted in 1993 and a revised/updated list was submitted to the World Heritage Centre in 2005. Since then, none of the 28 properties appearing on the 2005 list has moved in terms of the systematic preparation and submission of nomination dossiers. Hence, the Philippines has gained the reputation at the World Heritage Centre as having the longest Tentative List for World Heritage designation. (http://www.unesco.gov.ph/)

In Palawan, the sites included in the list are: El Nido-Taytay Managed Resource Protected Area, Mount Mantalingahan Protected Landscape and Coron Island Natural Biotic Area and Tabon Cave in the town of Quezon, Palawan.

Palawan has two UNESCO inscribed World Heritage Sites- Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park and Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park.

The workshop is being attended by site managers and staff, UNESCO Philippines Secretary General Dr. Virgina Miralao, UNESCO Vice-Chairman Prof. Eric Zerrudo, Chairman of Cultural Committee Archt. Michael Manalo, and Science Committee Chairman Dr. Rey Vergara.

According to Prof. Eric Zerrudo, many local government units have been aiming to include their areas potential to become a World Heritage Site yet the process is very tedious and may take a longer time to be considered.