Dalaguete church declared as national cultural treasure

CEBU, Philippines — The National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) has formally installed a marker recognizing the San Guillermo De Aquitania Church of Dalaguete, Cebu as a national cultural treasure.

The unveiling ceremony held Friday, February 9, was led by Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma and NMP-Cebu head Audrey Dawn Tomada.

“Hinggil sa natatangi nitong kahalagahan sa pamanang pangkalinangan ng sambayanang Pilipino ang complex ng simbahang San Guillermo de Aquitania, Dalaguete, Cebu ay ipinahahayag bilang Pambansang Yamang Pangkalinangan,” the marker reads.

The declaration of the church as national cultural treasure was done on June 27, 2019 yet but it took several years before the formal turnover and installation of marker because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aside from the church in Dalaguete, several other churches in Cebu were also declared as national cultural treasure by the NMP in 2019. These include the Sta. Catalina de Alejandria, the Nuestra Senora dela Inmaculada Conception in Oslob, Nuestra Señora del Pilar parish in Sibonga, and Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of Saint Michael the Archangel in Argao.

Other cultural treasures in Cebu are the Fort San Pedro and Malacañang Sa Sugbo. The declaration is the highest recognition bestowed by the NMP for cultural properties that are of outstanding cultural and artistic features and significance. — (FREEMAN)