Heritage protectors question Escuela de Niños restoration

HERITAGE may yet be another irritant. This as the Provincial Government tinkers with centuries old Spanish building which has become a prominent heritage structure just right under the noses of Capitol officials. A supposedly adaptive use for the centuries-old Escuela de Niños at the right side of the 17th century Capitol Building has raised eyebrows suspecting its neither restoration or conservation but plain cashing in on another lucrative business while in government.

The “restoration” of the majestic heritage structure of the Escuela, then a library and now eyed to house the Bohol Museum has become an irritating move as “restorers” and construction workers are not technically familiar with the restoration, noted a heritage expert who refused to be named.

Heritage workers who met here for the First International Conference on Heritage Houses and Vernacular Architecture May 16-17 ironically co-sponsored by the Provincial Government have aired concern over the desecration of a historic building right in the heart of Tagbilaran. Asked for his comment on the move, Provincial Administrator and lawyer Tomas Abapo Friday said he is going to ask the General Services Officer, Engr. Edwin Vallejos about the questioned restoration. He also refused to add any more comment when asked. It was also Engr. Vallejos who reportedly ordered the pruning of the shade trees within Plaza Rizal reasoning that the place has become the lair of gangs and criminal elements. A similar building, which used to flank the left side of the old-Capitol building has long been leveled to the ground. Such is to pave way to the Philippine National Bank in front of the Plaza del Principe, now Plaza Rizal where a Carlos P. Garcia monument is erected.

The Bohol Museum , which used to be housed at the city residence of former President Garcia is set for transfer. The family of the late President is set to end a contract it has entered into with the Provincial Government for the museum. Because of this, the Capitol floated to convert the old Escuela de Niños into the new house of the Bohol Museum . By this, it also floated to restore the building to lend credence to the repository of Bohol historic artifacts. The “restoration” however is ill advised. “Restorers” apparently do not have the slightest idea that almost every thing they do is destroying the structure, experts noted.

Picked as faulty by experts was the apparent neglect on observed conservation and restoration practices, which is highly regarded in reference to the organic architecture of the place where the building is erected. Instead of initially studying the restoration to allow consideration of history on the coral stone building, the architects while “restoring” the building adopted the modern stile-roof. Considering the old clay or brick tiles which was formerly crowning the building or seeking for organic building materials would do the building some good, an architect restorer consultant pointed. Brick or clay tiles over the stone building would give colder interiors and may allow doing away with an artificial air-conditioning, says another restoration expert and is consulting restorations in the country. This as Governor Erico Aumentado is reportedly mulling signing an executive order putting a protective pall over what is considered heritage structures in the province.

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