Sectors start Bohol museum restoration & reuse program

BOHOLANOS touched by the life of late President Carlos P. Garcia and wishing to perpetuate his memory now face the prospect of losing over to dust the glorious past and historic memorabilia of Bohol's most illustrious son. Pushed with the urgency of conservation, they now take the noble intention in their hands. With the Garcia residence as the repository of the Garcia memoirs which is threatened by leaking roofs, crumbling structure and rainwater damaged windows, heritage workers goaded by Boholano Association of Metro Manila Inc. (BAMMI) along with PCPG Foundation Inc, and well meaning supporters now launch the “Preserve CPG's Heritage: Save the Museum project”.

The project aims to restore and conserve the heritage home of the only Boholano president which has conveniently housed the Bohol Museum . In its heydays, the museum also showcased the history, culture and natural resources of Bohol while at the same time giving a home to president's and his family's personal belongings. Its operations then were aided by a government subsidy until December 2006 when its agreement with the government expired. Now left to find its own resource to keep the home and at the same time battle the effects of time upon the structure, the family owning the Garcia residence donated the property to the BAMMI for its continued maintenance and operations, says BAMMI Finance and Budget Chair Tita Lapez.

The Preserve CPG's Heritage project comes in two phases: Phase I attempts to raise P1M to immediately initiate restoration and year-long operations and maintenance while setting up another mechanism to raise funds. Phase II, on the other hand is set to run as a long term effort seeking to complete the restoration and repair. This caps into finding a creative and adaptive reuse of the structures. Plans are now in place such as putting up a commercial space, café, restaurant and souvenir shop in the complex to help the new museum sustain its presence as a self-sustaining enterprise, says BAMMI project director Joseph Ranola during a press conference last week.

During its initial dinner-for-a-cause to gather pledges, Boholano town organizations in Manila put in P720T in pledges, Lapez bared during a press conference last week. BAMMI, together with the Provincial Government through the Center for Culture and Arts Development (CCAD) put in another pledging session last February 10, set to complete the P1M mark to initiate the first phase, Ranola said. The long term plan is to integrate the Garcia Home into the Bohol tourism circuits, a must for every one taking the Bohol countryside tour for them to get a glimpse of the heritage left by a revered statesman, president and the primus inter pares in patriotism and loyalty for men and country.

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