2. Heritage is anything that is considered important enough to be
passed on to the future generations. Heritage is broadly
categorized into two main divisions:-
HERITAGE
NATURAL
HERITAGE
CULTURAL
HERITAGE
3. Natural heritage refers to natural features, geological
and physiographical formations and delineated areas
that constitute the habitat of threatened species of
animals and plants and natural sites of value from the
point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty.
It includes private and publically protected natural areas,
zoos, aquaria and botanical gardens, natural habitat,
marine ecosystems, sanctuaries, reservoirs etc.
4. Cultural Heritage refers to the cultural aspects like
heritage sites, monuments, folklore, traditional activities
and practices, language etc. that are considered vital to
be preserved for the future generations.
It gives people a connection to certain social values,
beliefs, religions, and customs. It allows them to identify
with others of similar mindsets and backgrounds.
Cultural heritage can provide an automatic sense of
unity and belonging within a group and allows us to
better understand previous generations and the history
of where we come from.
6. TANGIBLE
Tangible Heritage refers to those significant places
that advocate the country’s history and culture. For
example: monuments, mosques, shrines, monasteries
etc.
INTANGIBLE HERITAGE
Intangible Heritage refers to those aspects of a
country that cannot be touched or seen. For example:
traditional music, folklore, language etc.
7. UNDERSTANDING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF
CULTURAL HERITAGE
There are 4 main aspects to understand the significance of
cultural heritage sites. These aspects help to determine the
management policies and procedure pursuant to a
particular site. Thus, it is very important to understand and
determine the significances before embarking on a
heritage project.
8. THE FOUR MAIN ASPECTS ARE:
Historical Significances
The age or relationship to historical era, person or event.
Historical significance is a relatively easy and overbearing
trait in heritage management.
Social Significances
Social Significance is hard to ascertain. It refers to the social,
spiritual and other community- oriented values attributed to
a place. This maybe because the place has existed to serve a
certain important role in the society for a period of time.
9. Aesthetic Significance: refers to this special sense
of Importance of a place. This could be in terms of
architecture, scale or even the designs seen on the
place.
Scientific Significance: refers to the scope or
possibility of scientific findings from a site,
monument or place. Here the importance lies more
in the information that may yield out of
understanding and researching the place or site.
This can mostly be attributed to archaeological
sites or ancient monuments.
11. Banaue Rice
Terraces
Topping the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Philippines is the Cordillera Rice Terraces. It is an
outstanding example of an evolved, living cultural
landscape that can be traced as far back as 2,000 years
ago.
While it was built a thousand years ago, the traditional
farming technique is still practiced to this day. That’s
why the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras are
an important part of the Philippine culture and identity.
It is also a living testament to the sophistication of pre-
colonial Filipinos because the Cordilleras were hardly
affected by colonization.
Its beauty continues to draw attention, even the
international film industry has noticed, making it a
setting for the blockbuster Marvel film Avengers:
Infinity War.
Among the world heritage sites in the Philippines, the
Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras have such a
powerful presence that makes them one of the most
outstanding places in the country. It also shows the
harmony between humankind and the environment.
12. TUBBATAHA
REEF
One of the most remarkable
heritage sites in the Philippines
is the Tubbataha Reefs Natural
Park. Most people consider this
as every diver’s dream as it
covers 130,028 hectares,
including the North and South
Reefs.
Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park is
one of the Philippines’ best
diving spots where you can see
over 350 species of coral and
almost 500 species of fish. The
reserve also protects one of the
few remaining colonies of
breeding seabirds in the region.
13. RIVER Puerto Princesa Subterranean
River National Park is one of the
world’s most impressive cave
systems. What makes it to the
UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Philippines is its uniquely and
impressive features of
spectacular limestone karst
landscapes, pristine natural
beauty, and intact old-growth
forests and distinctive wildlife.
With an underground river
measuring to up to 8.2
kilometers, it is said to be
among the longest in the world.
The highlight of Puerto Princesa
Subterranean River National
Park is that it flows directly into
the sea, with its brackish lower
half subjected to tidal
influence, distinguishing it as a
significant natural global
phenomenon.
14. City of Vigan
Established in the 16th century, Vigan is the best-
preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial
town in Asia according to UNESCO. One of the reasons
for its inclusions in the cultural heritage sites in the
Philippines is that its architecture reflects the coming
together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the
Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in
a culture and townscape that have no parallel
anywhere in East and Southeast Asia.
Next to Manila and Cebu, Vigan was the third most
important city during the height of the Spanish
colonial era in the 18th and 19th centuries. Vigan was
the center of Spanish colonial power in northern
Luzon. The range of structures along the plazas and
streets reveals the story of the town. The large
buildings evoke political or religious power; grand
homes speak of wealth, while others show of more
modest means; and cobblestones streets speak of
history. This town is a living testament to the Spanish
colonial era that exerts a strong cultural influence to
the modern Philippine nation.
15. SAN AGUSTIN CHURH
Like the other baroque
churches that are cultural
heritage sites in the
Philippines, San Agustin Church
in Intramuros, Manila exhibits
its remarkable features such as
retablos (altars) of high
Baroque style and wall
buttresses separating cripto
collateral chapels. What makes
it unique is its ceiling paintings
in the tromp l’oeil style.
The San Agustin Church, built
between 1587 and 1606, is
considered the oldest and
longest standing church in the
country. The church was the
only structure left intact in
Intramuros during World War II.
16. Paoay Church (Church of San
Agustin)
Church of San Agustin or Paoay Church is known for
its extravagant coral-block buttresses and ornate
stone finials. Its construction began in 1604 and
was completed in 1710. Its coral stone bell tower,
standing at some distance from the church, was
finished in the second half of the 18th century. For
your information, Philippine bell towers were
constructed at a distance from the main church
structure to avoid its falling on the church during
earthquakes.
This is one of the most notable “earthquake
baroque” structures in the country where the
primary concern was to design the church for
earthquake protection.
Paoay Church’s bell tower was said to have been
used as a Filipino watchtower during the 1898
uprising against the Spaniards.
Being one of UNESCO world heritage sites in the
Philippines, Paoay Church has become a top tourist
destination in the region.
17. Church of Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion – Santa
Maria, Ilocos Sur
Another baroque church that’s recognized as
one of the UNESCO Heritage Sites in the
Philippines is the Church of Nuestra Señora
de la Asuncion in Ilocos Sur.
Built in 1765, the church of Nuestra Señora
de la Asuncion exhibits a monumental brick
facade and reinforced walls to protect it
against earthquakes. Its appearance evokes a
Mediterranean hill town, the only example of
such in the Philippines.
Its key features include an 85-step stairway
that leads to a carving of the Virgin Mary atop
a tree, and a bell tower which was added in
1810. The power and simplicity of its
geometric forms, and its location, make this
an outstanding example of Peripheral
Baroque architecture.
18. One of the UNESCO Heritage Sites in the
Philippines is the church of Santo Tomas de
Villanueva in Miag-ao. It is among the best
examples of the “fortress baroque” style in
the country. Built of local yellow-orange
sandstone, the church stands on the highest
elevation of the town and was completed in
1797. The church withstood typhoons and
earthquakes and was burned twice: first was
during the revolution against Spain in 1898
and the second was during the Philippine-
American War.
Filipino master carvers incised the church’s
entire surface. The church of Santo Tomas de
Villanueva is one of the best examples of the
fusion of the western Baroque style
embellished with Filipino folk motifs.
Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva –
Miag-ao, Iloilo
19. Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife
Sanctuary
This mountain in Davao Oriental is home to
1,380 threatened and endemic species of
animals and plants. One exciting thing about
visiting Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife
Sanctuary is the sightings of rare animals
such as the Philippine eagle, the flying fox,
tarsier, and civet.
Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary
is an important environmental treasure and
the only heritage site in the region.
According to UNESCO, among the top reasons
for Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife
Sanctuary’s inclusion in the list of heritage
sites in the Philippines is because it
represents a complete, substantially intact
and highly diverse mountain ecosystem, in a
significant biogeographic region of the
Philippines.
