Bamboo statue of Catholic saint in Philippines is world's tallest

May 13 (UPI) -- A statue of a Catholic saint was measured at 164 feet, 9 inches, earning the Guinness World Record for the tallest bamboo sculpture.

The record-keeping organization said the statue of St. Vincent Ferrer in Bayambang's St. Vincent Ferrer Prayer Park was officially measured and found to be the tallest bamboo sculpture (supported) in the world.

The statue, sponsored by Kasama Kita Sa Barangay Foundation and The People of Bayambang, took a year and a half to assemble from 22,626 bamboo panels -- 60 tons of bamboo.

The statue of the city's patron saint was finished as part of celebrations for St. Vincent Ferrer parish's 400th anniversary.