World's Largest? Giant "Three Wise Monkeys" from Mindoro
Could the garden of a small resort on the Philippine island of Mindoro be home to the world’s largest statue of the “Three Wise Monkeys” (🙈 see no evil, 🙉 hear no evil, 🙊 speak no evil)? All evidence points to yes — though official data is still missing to confirm this beyond any doubt. Below, we gather what is known and what remains a mystery.
Why the Philippines? A brief cultural background
Filipinos like to say their country “spent 300 years in a convent and 50 years in Hollywood” — referring to three centuries of Spanish rule (strong Catholic influence) and roughly half a century under U.S. control (1898–1946), which brought English, cinema, advertising, and mass culture. In this mix of influences, the motif of the Three Wise Monkeys — an icon with a clear and universal meaning — could naturally become a spectacular symbol in public spaces.
Source of the photo / Blog page at: http://firingyourimagination.blogspot.com/
Location and Object
Location: Garden of Benilda Resort (Bancuro, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines).
Form: Three monumental monkey statues placed side by side, each performing one of the classic gestures.
Material: Based on visual analysis — wood imitation (possibly carved wood, concrete, or composite stylized as wood). No official confirmation available.
Accessibility: Outdoor installation within the resort; visible in visitors’ reports.
.
What We Know for Sure
The statues have been standing since at least 2013 (documented in publicly available materials and travel reports from that period).
This is an exceptionally large interpretation of the “Three Wise Monkeys” motif — within the category of free-standing outdoor sculptures, we haven’t found a larger example so far.
Thesis to Verify
All indications suggest that this is probably the largest set of “Three Wise Monkeys” statues ever created by humans.
If larger ones exist, please provide the location and source. We’ll gladly update the article.
What we are still looking for (help us find out!)
We are searching for confirmed information about:
• the exact year the statues were created (provisionally: around 2013),
• the author, creator, and sponsor of the project,
• the reasons for choosing the motif of the Three Wise Monkeys,
• the dimensions of each statue and the entire composition,
• the material and technology used in the creation,
• any other interesting facts or details related to this site.
Why this matters
The motif “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” has a tradition spanning over 380 years and originates in Japan. Its modern, monumental interpretations — such as the statues on Mindoro — show how globally and diversely this symbol functions in today’s public spaces. Mindoro is a unique example of a place where the classic motif has been transformed into an architectural-scale sculpture, becoming the central point of a garden and a local tourist attraction.
How you can help ✅
Do you have your own photos of these statues — from different angles, closer or wider perspectives?
Or maybe you have older photographs from before 2013, scans of press materials, local brochures, or information about the author and sponsor of the project?
Do you know if there are other references to the Three Wise Monkeys motif within the Benilda Resort area — sculptures, graphics, decorations, or symbolic designs 🙈🙉🙊?
Any such information will help us better understand the history of this place.
📧 Write to us: welcome[@]threemonkeys.center
📝 Or use the contact form available in the Contact section on our website.
Your materials will help us uncover the mystery behind these unique sculptures.
We’d be happy to feature your photos, videos, and information in our gallery, with full credit to you as the author.
Together, we can create the world’s largest archive of knowledge about global interpretations of the Three Wise Monkeys symbol.
Final note
This topic remains open.
Despite extensive research, we still do not have official data regarding the exact year of creation, dimensions, material, and authorship of these remarkable statues.
Every verified piece of information — especially those confirmed by the property owner, local institutions, or archival sources — is extremely valuable to us.
If it turns out that there is an even larger group of Three Wise Monkeys statues somewhere in the world, we will gladly document it, compare the findings, and publish them in our knowledge base.
Thank you for supporting our research and helping us create the world’s largest archive on global interpretations of the Three Wise Monkeys symbol.
