VINTAR, Dec. 12 -- Three century-old tunnels here have been recognized as important cultural properties.

Municipal tourism operations officer Erwin Suguitan confirmed this on Friday, as his team led efforts to prepare the local cultural inventory for submission to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for inclusion in the Philippine Registry of Cultural Property (PRECUP), a registry of all cultural properties in the country.

PRECUP serves as a repository of the country's dynamic culture, to aid in its development, promotion and dissemination.

"We are thrilled to announce a significant new addition to our local cultural inventory," Suguitan said in a statement.

He said the tunnels were constructed in 1925 during the A...