9 June 2014 - Philippine Ambassador to Singapore Antonio A. Morales joined his colleagues from the diplomatic community in Singapore at Co-located Event – Heritage Discussion Panel and VIP Tour of the Singapore Botanic Gardens last June 4.
The event was jointly organized by the Office of the Deputy Secretary for Asia Pacific and International Organizations of the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Singapore National Heritage Board to draw attention to the value of heritage preservation coinciding with the World Cities Summit (WCS), which was held in Singapore from June 1 to 4.
The early morning activity kicked off with a VIP tour around the iconic Singapore Botanic Gardens for the participating diplomats and participants of the WCS. It was followed by a Discussion Panel on “Challenges in Heritage Preservation and Sustainable Solutions”.
The Singapore Botanic Gardens, which was founded in 1859, is one of the most popular places patronized by Singaporeans and foreign tourists. According to its website, the Gardens initially played an important role in fostering agricultural development in Singapore and the region through collecting, growing, experimenting and distributing potentially useful plants. One of the earliest and most important successes was the introduction, experimentation and promotion of Para Rubber, Hevea brasiliensis, which became a major crop that brought great prosperity to the South East Asian region in the early 20th century.
From 1928, the Gardens spearheaded orchid breeding and started its orchid hybridisation programme, facilitated by new in vitro techniques pioneered in its laboratories. In contemporary times, the Gardens also played a key role in Singapore’s Garden City programme through the continual introduction of plants of horticultural and botanical interest.
The Botanic Gardens forms part of Philippine history as the place was also visited by national hero Dr. Jose Rizal whose travels to Singapore in the late 1800s are celebrated in a marker located near the Singapore River.
The Singapore government has nominated the Botanic Gardens as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. END