P100M for church restoration

CEBU, Philippines — The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), the infrastructure arm of the Department of Tourism (DOT), has allocated a ?100,709,704.77 budget to restore and rehabilitate a church in Sibonga town, Cebu.

After sustaining heavy damage due to super typhoon Odette in 2021, the Nuestra Señora del Pilar Parish Church and its convent are set to undergo restoration and rehabilitation works, this was announced in a meeting last Monday at the Capitol.

“We will make everything look good. It’s just a matter of extreme urgency,” said Governor Gwen Garcia in a meeting with Jeoffrey Macalalad, OIC of TIEZA’s project evaluation and planning department, as well as Guillan Castillo of TIEZA’s risk and opportunity register.

Also present during the meeting was Capitol consultant on museum affairs Dr. Jojo Bersales as well as architects from the University of San Carlos.

The restoration of the church serves a significant role as it is noted for its interior artworks, especially its ceiling mural, and has been declared a level 2 historical site by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP).

On December 2, 2010, the church was recognized as a level 2 historical site and the NHCP installed a historical marker.

Historic sites and structures are classified according to the recognition conferred by the NHCP. Level 1 merits the declaration of a site or structure as historic and the installation of a marker. Level 2 sites get a historical marker.

According to Sugbo News, Capitol’s official media arm, the restoration will begin with essential maintenance work, including the removal of biological growth, masonry cleaning, and lime washing. The report said that these steps are crucial for preserving the structure and preventing further.

Rehabilitation of the church’s interior will focus on several key areas including neglected parts of the belfry that will be cleaned and reused to allow for regular maintenance, the sacristy which will get a new ceiling, and old wooden furniture that will be repaired and reused.

In addition, ventanillas will be provided for the windows facing the courtyard. The abandoned rooms will also be rehabilitated while the ceiling boards in the second floor will be replaced with fiber cement boards for durability.

For the exterior, metal sheets will be replaced with Onduline bitumen corrugated sheets, and similarly-colored galvanized iron gutters will be installed to maintain the church’s historic appearance.

The restoration also includes repair of the loose downpipes, and replacement of missing or rusted pieces to ensure proper drainage. All downspouts will be directed to the storm sewer to prevent water damage to the walls.

Additionally, the top surface of the masonry wall will be sloped away from the corner, and a canal will be created to prevent rainwater from being absorbed by the stones that can cause significant damage over the years.

This project will also see to the restoration of the fallen pediment cross, repainting the faded church name on the frieze, as well as replacing and repainting deteriorated wooden grills and breeze blocks at the front façade.

The ceiling paintings at the narthex will also be restored.

Following its status as a national historical site, the renovation or restoration work must be approved by the NHCP to ensure that the project respects the church’s and convent’s historical value.

In 2022, Garcia brought TIEZA chief operating officer Mark Lapid to Sibonga in to assess the damage to the structures. TIEZA committed to funding the restoration, recognizing the church’s historical and tourism significance.

TIEZA is a government-owned and -controlled corporation attached to the DOT. It is responsible for implementing policies and programs pertaining to the development, promotion, and supervision of tourism projects in the country. — (FREEMAN)