Fort San Pedro fixed already

CEBU, Philippines - With restoration of the 277-year-old Fort San Pedro completed already, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines yesterday turned over the historic fort back to the Cebu City government.

After the fort was damaged by the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that shook the Visayas on October 15, 2013, NHCP proceeded to repair the Spanish-era structure.

The city government, represented by Mayor Michael Rama and Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, expressed its gratitude to NHCP for shouldering the restoration of the facility, which is considered as one of the treasures of the city.

Labella, chairman of the city’s Cultural and Historical Affairs Commission, said restoration of the fort is “fitting and proper” since Cebu City is a heritage city, it having the oldest street, oldest Catholic school, the first Spanish settlement, and site of the baptism of the first Filipina Christian, among others.

“I’m a native Cebuano. And the importance of this edifice for me cannot be overemphasized,” he said.

NHCP Chairwoman Maria Serena Diokno said the turnover was very important because it signaled that the commission has completed the project.

“We will also provide the city a list of maintenance requirements that city to follow to keep the condition of the facility,” she said.

Diokno, who said the commission spent over P21.9 million for the project, revealed restoration of Fort San Pedro was a priority for them after the 40 45 percent of it was damaged by the quake.

In particular, NHCP restored the bastion, museum, walls, and other structures inside the fort.

Diokno said it took over five months to complete the whole project, including additional “requests” made by the city government that she did not mention.

“We used back the old stones. We didn’t introduce foreign materials. So kung ano yung nahulog, we collected it…and we put it back,” she said, adding that they documented the whole process.

Diokno said they completed repairs on the main structure in August in time for the technical visit of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation delegates.

She said the commission also rehabilitated and improved the courtyard, which used to get flooded, and built several amenities for visitors and tourists.

Rama said the completion of the project was a testament of cooperation, that success will be achieved if agencies work together.

Prior to the Fort San Pedro turnover, Diokno and other NHCP officials also formally opened that day the repaired Magellan Shrine in Lapu-Lapu.

“The Basilica (Basílica del Santo Niño de Cebu) will be the third. By next year, by third or last quarter of the year, we’ll have Bohol,” she said.

Diokno said the commission would try to finish the restoration of the Basílica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu belfry in January 2016.

“Ideally, before the International Eucharistic Congress, before the Sinulog. I was told earlier that by December, the bulk of the work will be completed,” she said, adding that finishing touches would done by January next year. – (FREEMAN)