Historic churches destroyed

At least 10 historic churches in Bohol and Cebu were heavily damaged by the earthquake that struck central Visayas on October 15. They include the Church of San Pedro Apostol in Loboc – the second oldest church in Bohol – and the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño in Cebu. Both churches sustained severe damage to its bell towers and facades. Many of the churches have remained untouched since their construction under the Spanish colonial era, without a modern support structure that could have minimized the damage. Three government agencies – the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the National Museum (NM) – will be leading efforts to rehabilitate and restore the heritage structures damaged by the quake. “We express our commitment to rescue and, later, rehabilitate, damaged heritage structures, many of them churches that have been part of the life of the people for centuries, in collaboration with the Catholic Church, local government officials and communities,” said the NCCA Board of Commissioners in a statement released after a meeting convened to address the disaster.


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