PARIS, France (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) today honored the Philippines with another World Heritage Site designation, this time for Torre De Manila. The 46-storey condominium project at Luneta Park in Manila joins Vigan City, in Ilocos Sur in receiving this prestigious designation.

The announcement was made by UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova in ceremonies held at the Place de Fontenoy, the U.N. body’s headquarters in Paris.

UNESCO’s three-fold mission is to build intercultural understanding, pursue scientific cooperation, and protect freedom of expression. It created the idea of World Heritage to protect sites of outstanding universal value.

In her statement, Bokova said:

“Torre De Manila is the best example of urban planning, rising from the hallowed ground just steps away from the burial site of the Philippines’ national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.”

“It has withstood a persistent wave of nationalistic uprising while standing tall and firm amid bureaucratic obstacles and political favors. It is a symbol of the indomitable spirit of the Filipinos, and is a testament to the centuries-long divide between the haves and the have-nots.”

“Torre De Manila fuses the past with the future, ensuring that the next generation of Filipinos will draw inspiration from the heroism and courage of their heroes as well as the tactless perseverance and resiliency of those who built, or who allowed to build, this monumental heritage never before seen anywhere in ancient and modern times.”

Upon hearing the news , Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada declared a non-working holiday for the entire city to allow its citizens to fittingly celebrate this momentous occasion.