Gathering community support for an industrial heritage trail : the Negros Island sugar heritage trail in the Philippines

The idea to create a Negros Island Sugar Heritage Trail was a result of a proposal to nominate the Sugar Centrals of Negros Island for potential World Heritage inscription. There are many intact sugar centrals around Negros Island. Initially, this serial nomination was to be called Centrales Azucareras of Negros Island to include historic sugar centrals in Bais City, Negros Oriental, and Bago City, Victorias City, Silay City, and Sagay City in Negros Occidental. But the name was later modified to the Sugar Cultural Landscape of Negros Island, which was more appropriate given that the potential nomination could also include the historic center of Silay City, a town that was built by sugar fortunes, several sugar plantations and historic residences, and other related properties. Together with this initiative, the Negros Sugar Heritage Trail was proposed to include other sugar heritage properties of national or local significance. As part of gathering community support for this initiative, the National Committee of Monuments and Sites of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, together with the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental conducted a massive inventory of the province's sugar heritage and organized meetings and seminars with community stakeholders. This is an ongoing case study as Negros Occidental works on this program mainly built on people's participation.