The Negros Occidental provincial government is showcasing the “Sugar Cultural Landscape of Negros” in the ongoing 29th Panaad sa Negros Festival, putting a spotlight on its bid for inclusion in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) World Heritage List.
Running until March 30, the exhibit at the Balay Kalamay or the Provincial Tourism Pavilion in the Panaad Park and Stadium in Bacolod City features “the rich heritage of the sugar industry, which drove the industrialization of sugar production in the late 18th century.”
The seven historical sites included in the Unesco Tentative List are the Historic Center of Silay and Hawaiian-Philippine Company in Silay City; Victorias Milling Company in Victorias City; Hacienda Sta. Rosalia in Manapla; Balay ni Tana Dicang and the Aniceto Lacson Mansion in Talisay City; and Yulo’s Park in Bacolod City.
In an interview yesterday, Provincial Tourism Officer Cheryl Decena said that since the “Sugar Cultural Landscape of Negros” was placed on the tentative list of Unesco World Heritage Sites, they continue to promote the initiative to raise awareness about its importance in Negrense culture and heritage.
“It is already a big honor being in the tentative list. We still have a long way to go to become a Unesco World Heritage Site, so we are drumming up the information campaign in the tourism circles. The Panaad Festival is a good venue for such,” she said.
According to the province’s World Heritage bid, “the Sugar Cultural Landscape of Negros reflects the social and economic dynamics of the late Spanish colonial and American colonial eras.”
“The growth of the sugar industry paved the way for the rise of town centers, where homes blending local culture and foreign influences were built. Sugar production was the lifeblood of the province, and sugar mills became symbols of Negrenses’ strength and resilience.”
Negros Occidental launched the World Heritage Bid for the Sugar Cultural Landscape for Negros and Panay Islands in August last year in the presence of Unesco Philippine National Commission Secretary General Ivan Henares.
Its bid aims to highlight the significance of the sugar industry and its impact in shaping the cultural and historical landscape of the province. (PNA)