MANILA, Philippines – The church complex of Saint Vincent Ferrer Parish in Calape, Bohol, is now a “national cultural treasure,” a status that entitles it to priority conservation funding and other incentives. 

The National Museum of the Philippines issued Museum Declaration No. 59-2020 designating the church complex as a national cultural treasure, said Tagbilaran Bishop Alberto Uy.

“A prime example of a Gothic architectural style, the church complex not only stands as a distinct cultural landmark of our beloved province but a testament to our enduring faith continuously fostering a unique identity and solidarity for our people,” Uy said.

The church was established in 1802, the same year the town of Calape was founded, the church-run Radio Veritas reported. Veritas said the church was managed by Augustinian Recollect missionaries until 1898, after which it was turned over to secular priests.

The National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 defines a national cultural treasure as “a unique cultural property found locally, possessing outstanding historical, cultural, artistic, and/or scientific value which is highly significant and important to the country and nation, and officially declared as such by pertinent cultural agency.”

The law states that national cultural treasures are entitled to the following:

• priority government funding to protect, conserve, and restore the structure
• incentive for private conservation and restoration efforts
• an official heritage marker
• priority government protection in times of natural disasters, armed conflict, and other “exceptional” events

A former Spanish colony that is now a predominantly Catholic country, the Philippines is home to architectural wonders from more than three centuries of colonial rule. Many of these were built through taxation and forced labor.

Now monuments of a checkered past, these structures have been recognized around the world. Four Baroque churches of the Philippines – San Agustin Church (Intramuros, Manila), the Church of La Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion (Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur), Church of San Agustin (Paoay, Ilocos Norte), and the Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva (Miag-ao, Iloilo) – are on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Many of these face the threat of decay or destruction, as when an earthquake strikes, due to lack of government conservation efforts. – Rappler.com