Culion Leprosy Archives officially inscribed as UNESCO documentary heritage in Asia-Pacific

June 3, 2018

The Philippines' Culion Leprosy Archives is officially inscribed to the UNESCO Memory of the World Asia-Pacific (Mowcap) 2017-2018.

Mowcap, on its Facebook page, congratulated those involved in the "successful inscriptions" of the 10 documentary heritage in the region, including Culion Leprosy Archives in Culion, Palawan.

The other new batch of documentary heritage that made it to Mowcap register are the following:

-Agreements with Native Governments (1893-1916), Tuvalu -The Anandacandra Stone Inscription, Republic of the Union of Myanmar -The Archives of Nanyang Volunteer Drivers and Mechanics, People’s Republic of China -The Envoyship Journeys to China, Socialist Republic of Vietnam -The Four Treatises of Tibetan Medicine, People’s Republic of China -Maninso: Ten Thousand People’s Petitions, Republic of Korea -The Emerald Jungle (Mya Ga Naing), Republic of the Union of Myanmar -Name Boards and Verse Plaques on Royal Architecture of the Joseon Dynasty, Republic of Korea. -World War Two Records – British Solomon Islands Protectorate (BSIP), Solomon Island

Mowcap aims to assist with preservation of and universal access to documentary heritage of the Asia/Pacific region, and also to increase awareness of the existence and significance of the heritage.

According to UNESCO-Philippine National Commission, the Culion Leprosy Archives' inscription was made possible after the nomination made by Culion Sanitarium and General Hospital Chief Dr. Arturo Cunanan. The National Historical Commission strongly supported its nomination.

The Culion Museum and Archives was launched in May 2006 as part of the Culion Centennial Celebration.

Culion island was designated as the country's leprosy colony in 1906.

The other documentary heritage from the Philippines that were already listed on Mowcap register are the following: Philippine Paleographs (Hanunoo, Buid, Tagbanua and Pala’wan) (1999); Radio Broadcast of the Philippine People Power Revolution (2003); José Maceda Collection (2007); and Presidential Papers of Manuel L. Quezon (2011). Celerina Monte/DMS