37 old houses, buildings scheduled for restoration

The provincial heritage council has identified at least 37 ancestral houses and old structures that will be restored soon by the council as part of the heritage program of Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

Boysen Philippines has signified its support to the heritage program by donating paints for the project.

The council, through the committee on sites, relics and structures headed by Architect Melva Java, reported that the list includes government, parochial, public heritage, commercial establishments and private structures.

Java, in her recent report to the Provincial Development Council, said that these heritage structures are located in at least six towns in the province - Boljoon, Malabuyoc, Argao, Samboan, Bantayan and Madridejos.

The committee identified 10 in Malabuyoc, which include two Gabaldon school buildings, a convent, the old municipal building, a Spanish watchtower, the Malabuyoc parish church and four ancestral houses that belong to the Kintanar, Manluna, Carcellar and Arañas families.

The list of structures to be submitted to Boysen Philippines for repainting include the central school, public market and seven other commercial structures in Argao; Lourdes Derama's ancestral house in Boljoon; six Gabaldon school buildings, a watch tower, and the church convent in Samboan; the museum at the belfry of the parish and the Lozada ancestral house in Bantayan; and two Gabaldon school buildings in Madridejos.

The governor, upon her assumption to office last year, expressed her desire to have the cultural, historical and heritage sites of Cebu restored as one component of her program to promote the island as a tourist destination.

In line with this program, the governor created the provincial cultural, historical and heritage council to document all the sites. - Fred P. Languido