Panay and Negros Sugar Heritage Trail Aims for World Heritage Status

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — The sugar heritage trail spanning Panay and Negros Islands is now a step closer to achieving global recognition, following its inclusion on the tentative list for the World Heritage List, as announced by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Philippines. The nomination, titled “The Sugar Cultural Landscape of Negros and Panay Islands,” encompasses seven notable sites and areas that encapsulate the rich history and cultural significance of the sugar industry in the region.

According to Philippines News Agency, this nomination under the cultural category seeks to highlight the profound impact of the sugar industry’s industrialization from the late 18th century. The nominated sites include Calle Real in Iloilo City and several key locations in Negros such as the historic center of Silay City, Hawaiian-Philippine Company, Victorias Milling Company, Hacienda Santa Rosalia, Balay ni Tana Dicang, and Aniceto Lacson Mansion. These sites collectively represent the architectural, economic, and social legacy of the Spanish-colonial and American-colonial periods through their mills, factories, plantations, and grand residences.

Calle Real, recognized as a heritage zone by Iloilo City and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), is celebrated for its historic significance. Similarly, the Historic Center of Silay City, with its array of well-preserved heritage homes, stands as a testament to its past, meriting designation as a National Historical Landmark.

The trail also includes privately owned sites featuring operational sugar mills, residential properties, museums, and structures repurposed by the National Museum of the Philippines. The inclusion on the tentative list is an initial step, requiring the submission of comprehensive documents to establish the “outstanding universal value” of these sites by the deadline of September 14, 2024.

Mayor Jerry P. Treñas of Iloilo City expressed his enthusiasm about the nomination, highlighting the potential for Calle Real to become the first street of its kind listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Department of Tourism Western Visayas initiated a study in 2023 to consider a Western Visayas Sugar Heritage Trail, identifying over a hundred sites linked to the sugar industry, which could significantly enhance heritage tourism in the region.

This initiative underscores the regional effort to preserve and celebrate the sugar industry’s historical and cultural legacy, following the global recognition of Miagao Church in Iloilo, a component of the “Baroque Churches of the Philippines” UNESCO World Heritage Site.