LOOK: Earthquake-damaged Vigan Cathedral on its way to rehabilitation

VIGAN CITY, Philippines – The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle or the Vigan Cathedral, which almost split in half after a strong earthquake hit Luzon in 2022, is on its way to being rehabilitated.

Vigan Mayor Jose “Bonito” Singson vowed to fully rehabilitate the church with an initial fund of P100 million from various sources.

Starting this year, the Vigan local government has set up huge scaffolding at the front of the Vigan Cathedral. This is to provide immediate reinforcement of the frontage, which almost split in half after the magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck parts of Luzon on July 27, 2022.

Singson also said that they have prepared a detailed investigation including an X-ray of the damage on the church and the cost of the repair and rehabilitation.

He said that P4.8 million had been released for this initial undertaking.

The P100-million fund was actually set up for the restoration of the cathedral before the earthquake and also included the belfry, which was also partially destroyed in the 2022 tremor, and the Archbishop’s Palace.

It also included 17 other structures within the UNESCO-inscribed heritage zone of Vigan City, including the Syquia Mansion.

The first Vigan church was built in 1641 but this and two other rebirths were destroyed either by earthquake or fire. The present cathedral was rebuilt in 1800.

The Vigan Cathedral has become an iconic and ironic symbol of the Earthquake Baroque style of church architecture.

It gained a bit of notoriety in October 1970 when then-Ilocos kingpin congressman Floro Crisologo was shot at close range while kneeling inside the church.

With the Vigan Cathedral out of commission, Vigan residents and tourists are instead going to the Simbaan ti Bassit near the Vigan cemetery. – Rappler.com