Bohol's earthquake-damaged heritage churches and historical landmarks have been included in an initial P650-million national allocation, which is now up for release to start their rehabilitation and restoration. A national commitment for this year, the amount is also intended to help begin the recovery works on destroyed churches in Cebu and Guiuan in Eastern Samar, the latter battered by super typhoon Yolanda. Chief Operating Officer Mark Lapid of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Authority (PIEZA) informed Gov. Edgar Chatto, who was in Manila these past days, of a memorandum of agreement being finalized for the projects to proceed. He confirmed to the governor the P650 million fund as already allocated by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). Among national agencies, the signatories to the agreement include the Department of Tourism (DOT), National Museum (NM), National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

Lapid wrote Sec. Arsenio Balisacan of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) of the current coordination as the latter would like the DOT to update its rehabilitation program for Bohol in cadence with the serious effort of the provincial government and church leaders. Chatto had himself updated Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III of the massive recovery effort on his fourth Bohol visit on February 24 since the worst tremor of 7.2 magnitude hit the island-province past eight in the morning last October 15. Lapid further informed Chatto of the TIEZA Board Committee on Infrastructure approval of certain other rehabilitation/restoration projects en route to their final nod by the Board of Directors. These are repair works on the multi-purpose building and refurbishing of the bungalow-type building at the Philippine Tarsier sanctuary in Canapnapan, Corella, P500,000, and repair of tourist/public restrooms and rehabilitation of the jetty port and terminal in Loboc,P20.1 million.

The epic disaster emanating from deep ground perfectly toppled the Our Lady of Light Church in Loon and Holy Cross Church – St. Vincent Ferrer Shrine in Maribojoc while largely ruining the St. Peter the Apostle Church in Loboc, all heritage churches and icons of Boholano faith. It extensively damaged the Most Holy Trinity Church in Loay, Our Lady of Assumption Church in Dauis, Santo Niño Church in Cortes and Immaculate Concepcion Church in Baclayon, the country's oldest stone church. The Loon, Maribojoc, Loboc, Loay, Dauis and Baclayon churches are declared as both national cultural treasures (NCT) and national historical landmarks (NHL). The Cortes church is an NCT. Fr. Milan Ted Torralba said in an e-mail to this writer that they in the religious sector did confirm from the government the fund committed for this year. So far, the NHCP and NM have proposed to utilize P72 million to begin the rehabilitation of the heritage churches in Bohol, the priest said. Torralba is the chairman of the Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church of the Diocese of Tagbilaran. According to him, from the amount are also to be taken the allocations committed to restore the watchtowers in Pamilacan island off Baclayon, Punta Cruz in Maribojoc, Balilihan and Loay, all declared NCTs. The damaged provincial capitol, another historical landmark, will likewise be restored as it has been declared an important cultural property (ICP). The whole Bohol rehabilitation plan presented by Chatto to the president for funding and other support thru concerned national agencies includes the St. Joseph Cathedral in Tagbilaran City among the partially-destroyed structures of faith. The NCCA Bohol Heritage Task Force assessed the Dimiao, Alburquerque and Panglao churches as well as the Loay and Panglao watch towers to have incurred moderate to serious damages.

STAGES OF RECOVERY

The church recovery involves three stages, namely, the pre-restoration, restoration plan formulation and actual restoration work phases, according to Torralba. The first phase engages quick response and rapid assessment, preliminary structural survey, retrieval, salvaging or recovery operation, clearing, documentation of retrieved cultural materials, safekeeping, detailed engineering studies (DES), structural survey, installation of preventive shoring and supports, and crafting of a master plan for each damaged heritage church. According to the church official, the said phase has a budget of P72,175,049.00 and runs from right after the earthquake until this May. At the present, except for Loay church, the retrieval, clearing, documentation and safekeeping of the cultural materials at the sites, have almost been completed. Once the memorandum of agreement is sealed by the NCCA, NHCP, NM and DOT, the balance of the aforesaid amount will then be ready for release by the DBM to continue phase one. By then, Torralba said, works will encompass the conduct of the DES, installation of preventive shoring and supports, and establishment of the master plans. The second phase involves the articulation of actual restoration plans for respective churches prepared by way of consultative meetings with pastoral constituents in concerned parishes and competent ecclesiastical authorities, especially the Bishop of Tagbilaran. The actual restoration phase is projected to take three years or more, depending on the gravity of the damage and the availability of funds, personnel and equipment. It is expected to commence on October 15, 2014, exactly a year after the great earthquake, with the rehabilitation of each church estimated at between P100 million and P200 million, Torralba said. The rehabilitation and reconstruction of the declared national cultural treasures and historical landmarks here are excitingly transforming Bohol into a learning center for heritage restoration and preservation, according to the governor. The “general decision” of the Diocese of Tagbilaran insofar as the heritage churches are concerned is “to restore as much as can be restored and reconstruct as much as can be reconstructed.”

OTHER SOURCES OF SUPPORT

While the heritage churches are getting national government funding for rehabilitation, such is only partial, Torralba admitted. Funding have been and continue to be raised from local parishes, Boholanos outside Bohol and abroad, international non-government organizations, private corporations and other legitimate sources as counterparts for the continuity of the entire project and its “glorious” conclusion. In practical term, once the restoration master plan and its budgetary estimate are done, the plan will then be presented to prospective donors for their support. Non-declared heritage churches and non-heritage churches do not qualify for government funding, Torralba said, and funds are, thus, raised from their respective parishes through solicitations, direct donation, pledges, and some other legitimate means. (Ven rebo Arigo)