Unesco vows to preserve RP heritage sites

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) has called for continued commitment to preserve heritage sites in the Philippines.

Unesco-Philippines Secretary-General Ambassador Preciosa Soliven said the heritage sites declared in the Philippines are part of the country’s cultural and natural legacy and are considered among the priceless and irreplaceable assets of humanity.

Soliven pointed out the need for sustainable management of heritage sites with the involvement of site managers, local communities and national authorities.

The five declared heritage sites in the country are the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, the rice terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras, the town of Vigan and the baroque churches of the Philippines.

The churches include the San Agustin Church in Intramuros, Manila, La Asuncion de Nuestra Señora, Sta. Maria, in Ilocos Sur, San Agustin Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte and Sto. Tomas de Villanueva in Miag-ao, Iloilo.

The Committee on Culture of the Unesco National Commission of the Philippines led the National Workshop on the Conservation of World Heritage Sites in the Philippines to launch the commitment for the preservation, protection and promotion of heritage sites.

The workshop was organized to gather all the administrators of World Heritage Sites in the country to discuss conservation issues and concerns as well as identify effective strategies and share best practices on management and preservation efforts.

In her "Tubbataha Reef Marine Park" presentation, Puerto Princesa City Park manager Angelique Songco warned the country stands to lose its coral reefs unless funding is sustained.

"We stand to lose the ground, or the coral reef, we regained unless funding is sustained," Songco said.

"The modest measure of success achieved in the management of the Tubbataha Reef World Heritage Site will be jeopardized if funds for its long-term financing (are) not secured," she said.

Even as project-based grants are a welcome relief, Songco stressed such grants only provide short-term financing.

In particular, Tubbataha lies in the region of highest global marine biological diversity and its protection serves to conserve and protect the important diversity, Songco said.

She said oceanographic studies have shown that current patterns in the Sulu Sea perpetuate the distribution of fish and invertebrate larvae to the east coast of Palawan and neighboring islands.

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park special operation officer II James Albert Mendoza, for his part, described the park as one of the most important biodiversity conservation areas of the Philippines.

Mendoza pointed out the park contains a complete mountain-to-sea ecosystem and protects the most significant forest within the Palawan Biogeographic Province. Approximately 70 percent of the park is forested, he claimed.

In spite of efforts to protect the park, Mendoza said there remain several threats to the core zone from activities from the buffer zone.

He pointed out mounting threats against biodiversity conservation in the park still continue.

Mendoza said habitat loss, conversion, unregulated resource use,

illegal trade of flora and fauna, and excessive fishing have been the primary cause of biodiversity loss in the park.

Unresolved jurisdictional mandates, weak coordination, different approaches on conservation and inflexibility of policies also limit the ability of management to effectively carry out their functions, he said.

Mendoza stressed conservation measures against destructive practices and unsustainable methods have proven to be a huge challenge due to existing conditions.

Mendoza encouraged more support from the public and cooperation in conserving the natural features of the park, without compromising the need to provide basic services or prohibiting development of the park’s natural features.

Ifugao local officials led by Vice Gov. Glenn Prudenciano claimed there was an alarming increase in the deterioration of the famous rice terraces.

Prudenciano said among the causes of the deterioration were unregulated hunting and indiscriminate use of new technology in farm labor. He claimed the terraces also suffered from soil erosion and siltation.

Prudenciano said there was an apparent loss of interest from the indigenous people in Ifugao over the problems besetting the rice terraces and its preservation.

He said there is massive land-use conversion and abandonment of some portions because of damage, insufficient irrigation water supply, limited income from rice farming, shift in values and priorities of the people, unregulated land use and physical planning.

Prudenciano proposed community empowerment through various capability building activities.

The proposals include intensified advocacy and promotion activities, development of the eco-tourism potential of the province, strengthening of cultural foundation, strengthening of indigenous knowledge systems, improved delivery of social services and

infrastructure support, environmental management and local government unit capability building.

On the other hand, Vigan Mayor Ferdinand Medina said the local government is sustaining the preservation and promotion of the historic town through brochures, electronic books and video films.

He said projects were also launched to depict the colorful history of Vigan and its churches.

The conservation of the baroque churches in the country is being encouraged by the National Commission for Culture & the Arts.