The Guinness World Records officially recognized the “Manok ni Cano Gwapo” in Talisay City, Negros Occidental as the largest building in the shape of a chicken on Saturday, October 19.
The building, owned and operated by former Bacolod City councilor Ricardo “Cano” Tan, was located at Campuestohan Highland Resort in Talisay City which measures 34.941 meters (114 feet 7 inches) in height, 12.127 meters (39 feet 9 inches) in width and 28.172 meters (92 feet 5 inches) in length.
In a video presentation on Saturday, Mai McMillan, an official adjudicator from Guinness World Records, said their purpose in the Guinness World Record is to make the work a more interesting fun, and positive place by recognizing and recording incredible achievements from around the world.
She said last year, approximately 5,000 records were approved out of more than 55,000 applications submitted.
She added these statistics show that it is not an easy task to achieve a Guinness World Records title.
In order to achieve this record, the minimum requirements were 30 meters in height, 20 meters in length, and 10 meters in width. The building must be a permanent structure that is completed and a qualified surveyor has to measure the building in the presence of two independent witnesses and then submit a report.
“After careful review of the evidence, I am pleased to announce that Ricardo ‘Cano Guapo’ Tan has achieved a Guinness World Records title for the largest building in the shape of a chicken as verified on September 8, 2024. Congratulations on your achievement, you are officially amazing, ” McMillan said.
For his part, Tan said the prestigious Guinness World Records had already certified “Manok ni Cano Gwapo” as the largest and the only building shape as a chicken in the whole world last September 8, 2024, in time for the birthday of Mama Mary.
“The once lonely and sleepy sitio Campuestohan is not only a tourist landmark of the Philippines but is also now the home to the only world record holder of the largest building in the shape of a chicken. We are now a world record holder, the first in the Philippines and the first all over the world,” he said.
Tan noted that the road to getting a world record and to be certified by Guinness World Records is no joke.
“We sacrificed a lot of our time, effort and patience. The paper works and loads of paper works were done, emails fly almost day and night,” Tan said.
He said this all started from his dream leaving the biggest legacy in this mortal world. A legacy for the people of Negros to be proud of and a legacy that would bring honor to the country.
He added that this is an icon that also reflects Negros and its famous fighting cock industry.
“This icon will always remind us that we Filipinos and Negrenses in particular can stand proud and face the world with pride and honor. Other record holders are either sponsored or achieved by governments or organizations. But the “Manok ni Cano Gwapo” was done by a private person. This structure was built out of our own sweat and blood,” Tan said.
He said it took them 456 days to finish the structure, which was composed of at least 15 rooms.
“From June 10, 2023, when we first dug a hole for the foundation of this structure up to September 8, 2024, when Guinness World Records finally adjudicated us as the largest in the world,” he added.
Tan explained that he adopted the rooster design because the fighting cock industry is second to the province’s sugar.
“When the sugar industry slumped and threatened our livelihood, it was the fighting cock industry that rose above the challenge. It gave us millions of pesos of revenue, gave millions of pesos of taxes, and employed thousands of people directly and indirectly,” Tan said.
He said feed supply stores mushroomed, corn growers found a new market, and truck haulers are busy transporting corn from the fields to the mills and feed from the mills to the stores.
He added the whole economic chain was running well and it did wonders to fill the need of the people for work.
“At least it is forgotten, it was also the rooster that served as our alarm clock during the Spanish times. The sound of the rooster woke up our farmers for prayers and work,” Tan said.
The event was also attended by Bacolod City Congressman Greg Gasataya, Councilors Jude Thaddeus Sayson, Claudio Puentevella, Jayson Villarosa, and the officials of Talisay City.
Gasataya also lauded the family of Tan for constructing the very hard project which is now recognized by the Guinness World Records.
He said this structure will bring a good help to the economy of Negros Occidental as well as in Bacolod City.
Puentevella, Sayson, and Villarosa also expressed their gratitude to the family of Tan for spearheading the construction of the Rooster Hotel which earned the Guinness World Record as the largest chicken structure in the world.
The City Council earlier approved a resolution congratulating Bacolodnon businessman former councilor Tan. /MAP.
