Iloilo City Nominated as UNESCO World Heritage Site

This southern metropolis has been nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Mayor Jerry Treñas announced yesterday the inclusion of the city’s historic street, Calle Real, in the tentative list of nominees for the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. Calle Real, the momentous street located in the downtown area, is known for its well-preserved colonial-era buildings, which date back to the Spanish and American colonial periods.

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Published on 14/03/2024 by puertoparrot
Categories: Culture, History, Leisure, Travel
Tags: Iloilo, Spanish, UNESCO, colonial, heritage

Philippines Launches Website on South China Sea Arbitration Win

The Philippines on Wednesday launched a website containing "official information" about Manila's arbitration victory against Beijing in their South China Sea territorial dispute. Marking the seventh anniversary of the July 12, 2016, ruling that voided China's sweeping claims over the contested waterway, the site's launch represents the latest effort by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration to firm up Manila's position in the dispute.

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Published on 11/07/2023 by puertoparrot
Categories: History, Politics
Tags: China, Chinese, Manila, Marcos

The Invisible Plant Technology of the Prehistoric Philippines

Prehistoric communities likely made extensive use of plant materials for textiles and cordages, taking advantage of the flexibility and resistance of plant fibers just like modern communities do. However, plant-based materials like baskets and ropes are rarely preserved in the archaeological record, especially in the tropics, so prehistoric plant technology is often rendered invisible to modern science. In Southeast Asia, the oldest artifacts made of plant fibers are around 8,000 years old.

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Published on 01/07/2023 by puertoparrot
Categories: History
Tags: History, ancient, technology

General Douglas MacArthur’s Personal Airplane Flies Again

When president Harry S. Truman fired General Douglas MacArthur, then commander of the United Nations Command forces fighting during the Korean War, on April 11, 1951, for “failing to respect the authority of the President” the famed Army leader flew home from Japan aboard his personal airplane, a Lockheed Constellation he dubbed “Bataan”.

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Published on 30/06/2023 by puertoparrot
Categories: History, Stories
Tags: Bataan, MacArthur, President, flight

Bill Aims to Find and Preserve Marawi’s Lost Cultural Artifacts

COTABATO CITY, Maguindanao del Norte, Philippines — Inside a glass case displayed at the Bangsamoro Museum here, copies of the Holy Qur’an, some of its pages torn and mangled, easily catch visitors’ eyes.

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Published on 29/06/2023 by puertoparrot
Categories: Culture, History, Religion
Tags: Marawi, artifacts

World's Deepest Shipwrecks Mapped

Here lies the Titanic, at depths more than twice as great as the Grand Canyon (6,000ft) and five times the height of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa (2,217ft). But you may be surprised to know the Titanic is by no means the deepest wreck in the world - with the record held by a liner much further into the deep blue.

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Published on 23/06/2023 by puertoparrot
Categories: History
Tags: shipwreck

A Trip Through Philippine History: Museo De Intramuros and Casa Manila Museum

Fully understanding our Philippine history and culture entails exploring every piece of it. You can’t play favorites, even against moments you’d rather do without. While the Spanish Colonization wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, this remains central to what makes us Filipinos. It’s part of our history after all – and that includes all the good and the bad that come with it.

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Published on 11/06/2023 by puertoparrot
Categories: Arts, History

Inferno Tears Through Manila’s Historic Central Post Office

A massive fire broke out at the historic Manila Central Post Office in the Philippine capital late Sunday, with teams of fire fighters battling for more than seven hours through the night before it was finally brought under control. The fire started around 11:45 p.m. local time and the situation was raised to the highest fire alarm level just before 6 a.m on Monday before it was brought under control about an hour later, according to the Bureau of Fire Protection.

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Published on 21/05/2023 by puertoparrot
Categories: Culture, History
Tags: Manila, Postal Office

Cebu City Heritage District Proposed

To preserve the rich cultural and historical heritage of Cebu City, Vice Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia has proposed to the council the creation of a Cebu City Heritage District. The proposed ordinance also aims to enact policies that safeguard existing cultural assets of the city and “encourage a harmonious blend of old and modern elements.”

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Published on 04/05/2023 by puertoparrot
Categories: Arts, Culture, History
Tags: Cebu, Cebu City, heritage

Marcos Says PH Bases Could Be 'useful' if Taiwan Attacked

Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said on Thursday that granting U.S. access to Philippine military bases was a defensive step that would be “useful” if China attacked Taiwan. “Now there’s an additional aspect to it,” he said. “And that is … tensions across the Taiwan Straits seem to be continuing to increase. Then the safety of our Filipino nationals in Taiwan becomes of primordial importance.”

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Published on 05/05/2023 by puertoparrot
Categories: History, News and Events, Politics
Tags: China, Defense, Marcos, President, Taiwan

WWII Sex Slave Survivors Reject Compensation Move

Two of some 10 victims forced into sexual slavery by Japanese soldiers during World War II and still alive in the Philippines have dismissed a proposed compensation package saying money is useless at their age. “What can I do with so much money at my age? I can only keep them for my grandchildren,” Narcisa Claveria, 92, told UCA News.

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Published on 13/03/2023 by puertoparrot
Categories: History, Legal, News and Events
Tags: Japanese, Rights, country, government, women

A Prelude to War

While the Biden administration’s weakness and decline in military readiness concerning China goes unreported or under-reported in the United States, those nations most vulnerable to Chinese aggression and intimidation are aware of the rising risk of war. When nations assess their national security status, they analyze all alliances and associations, including military, economic, etc.

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Published on 10/03/2023 by puertoparrot
Categories: History, Politics
Tags: China, Defense, Pacific, Taiwan

Modern Jeepney to Retain Iconic Look

A local company that has been building jeepneys for 76 years is taking the "King of the Road" to the modern age with its iconic look intact. From diesel-fueled jeepneys, Francisco Motor Corp. (FMC) plans to shift to assembling public utility vehicles (PUVs) with electric motors that retain the jeepney's traditional design.

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Published on 06/03/2023 by puertoparrot
Categories: Culture, History, Technology
Tags: Jeepney, transport

For Most Filipinos, 'People Power' Revolt Now Just a Distant Memory

Thirty-three years is a long time to keep a legacy alive. In the case of the popular "People Power" revolt in 1986 that ousted a brutal regime in the Philippines, the interlude has made it a cause for disappointment and a reminder of everything that has gone wrong in the country since then.

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Published on 08/01/2023 by puertoparrot
Categories: History, Politics
Tags: EDSA, Marcos, Power

'History at Your Fingertip' Pasig LGU Launches Talking Walls Project

Pasig City’s history and heritage has been made more accessible thanks to the local government and the Kabataang Tambuli ng Pasig (KTP)’s Talking Walls Project, an initiative that utilizes “Quick Response” (QR) code technology to access information about the city’s cultural landmarks.

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Published on 31/12/2022 by puertoparrot
Categories: Arts, Culture, History
Tags: Pasig, Project, Tourism