The Philippines reinforced its commitment to safeguarding national heritage at the 47th World Heritage Committee session in Paris, securing support for the Baroque Churches and Intramuros.
PARIS, 21 July 2025 — The Philippines advanced its cultural heritage protection efforts at the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee, held at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris from 6 to 16 July 2025.
The meeting, chaired by Professor Nikolay Nenov of Bulgaria with Vice Chairs from Belgium, Mexico, Qatar, the Republic of Korea and Zambia, and Rapporteur Ms Joelle Bucyana of Rwanda, brought together UNESCO Member States to review global heritage matters. The Philippines attended as an observer, reaffirming its ongoing commitment to the World Heritage Convention.
On 9 July, the Philippines’ Status of Conservation (SOC) report on the Baroque Churches of the Philippines received positive evaluation by the Committee and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). NCCA Executive Director Mr Eric Zerrudo confirmed that interagency discussions are underway to address concerns related to the Pasig River Expressway Project, ensuring heritage protection is prioritised.
The Committee also acknowledged the Philippines’ Upstream Process request, alongside those from Zimbabwe and Brazil, with a progress report on support measures to be presented at the next session in Busan, Republic of Korea, in July 2026.
UNESCO National Commission Secretary-General Ivan Anthony Henares expressed gratitude for the World Heritage Centre’s assistance regarding the Fortifications of the Walled City of Manila. He underlined that this support is crucial to preserving Intramuros amid development pressures and stressed the need for strengthened capacity-building for cultural agencies and professionals in the Philippines.
Source: Republic of The Philippines, Department of Foreign Affairs
