Saturday, December 08, 2007 Speak out: Dangerous church in Simala, Sibonga By Ronelo A. Salvoro Tabunok, Talisay City
I DECIDED to write my observation on the structural integrity of the church in Simala, Sibonga after what happened to my son.
The church is located on top of a hill in the interior of Sibonga, about three kilometers from the highway.
It has been attracting thousands of pilgrims, especially every 13th of the month, its "feast day."
I first visited the church sometime in May this year upon the recommendation of a neighbor.
When I reached the place and viewed the structure from afar, I was awed at how beautifully it was positioned up a hill and of the sight of people drawn like ants there any time of the day.
That excitement turned into anxiety and despair when I set foot there. Despair for the bad work on the structure and anxiety for the possibility it would collapse while we were in the second floor.
While attending the mass, I couldn’t help noting the slender circular columns and crooked beams.
The floor slabs “waved” in some portions.
Most of the columns and beams (construction engineers can easily spot this) were topped off at the wrong construction joints.
Some columns, for example, were spliced at the center, or at the wrong part. Some of the joints of the beams are at the column connection. With this, I say the church was not constructed properly and up to standard.
My worry is that the Simala church has a second floor and even a third floor in some parts because of the terrain.
Then there’s human traffic.
Two stairs accommodate people going to the second floor. Each stair is narrow. So when people go down after mass, the stairs become bottlenecks.
More so because the final landing area is where the ground floor people are also exiting. I can just imagine, if a commotion erupts and a stampede happens.
One morning, we followed the usual ritual for the Virgin Mary. After I finished my prayers, I happened to talk with one of the monks.
I asked him if the picture found on the wall portrayed the original plan for the church. He replied: "dili sir, wala na nasunod."
Where is the municipal engineering office of Sibonga? Are employees there aware of the construction of the church? What if it collapses during a huge pilgrimage?
While I was mulling these questions over, I heard a thud followed by a child’s cry. My son Ramon had fallen when he slipped on the slippery floor.
I thought it was time to act as a concerned citizen.
