A YEAR after it was closed due to earthquake damage, the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño may be reopened to churchgoers next month, if the Augustinian community’s plans proceed on schedule.
Until now, the restoration of the church’s facade and belfry, including Magellan’s Cross, have yet to take place.
“As eager as the public is, we in the Augustinian community also want this to be done,” said the Basilica’s rector, Fr. Jonas Mejares told reporters.
After the magnitude-7.2 earthquake last Oct. 15, 2013 damaged portions of the church, particularly its belfry, the Augustinian priests decided to celebrate all masses in the Pilgrim Center outside the church, for the safety of all churchgoers.
The belfry was also cordoned off.
In a press conference on updates to the rehabilitation work, Architect Melva Java said that the pre-restoration phase is ongoing.
This first phase includes clearing the debris; retrieving, documenting, labeling and storing all the objects; scanning the walls; installing the scaffolding and shoring; and conducting soil boring tests.
As to the Magellan’s Cross, the technical group has installed the shoring, scanned of walls and conducted the soil boring tests.
Experts
Detailed engineering studies for both structures are set to be finished by the end of this month.
Java said that an experts’ conference scheduled next month will draft the master plan for the site restoration of the churches and other historical sites damaged by the quake in Cebu and Bohol.
Conference participants are expected to produce a restoration plan that is based on scientific findings.
At least 40 foreign and local experts in the field of archeological heritage, world heritage sites, natural hazard mitigation strategies, geotechnical earthquake engineering, structural engineering, structural geology, heritage conservation, pipe organ restoration, cave archeology and chemical engineering have been invited to the conference.
Parish priests of the affected churches will also be invited.
For Cebu, the conference is scheduled on Nov. 17 while the one in Bohol will be on Nov. 18 to 21.
P650M fund
During the conference, studies initiated by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) for the Basilica del Sto. Niño and Fort San Pedro for Cebu and the churches in Bohol will be presented.
The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) has set aside P10 million out of the P650-million rehabilitation fund from the National Government for the experts’ conference.
The P650 million will be used to repair 24 structures in Cebu and Bohol that the quake damaged.
In Cebu, the sites scheduled for repair are the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño, Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, Magellan’s Cross, Museo Sugbo and Fort San Pedro.
For Bohol, those that will be repaired are Baclayon Church, Loboc Church, Dauis Church and watchtower, Maribojoc Church, Loon Church, Loay Church, Dimiao Church, Cortes Church, Panglao Church, Panglao watchtower, Albuquerque Church, Bohol Provincial Capitol, Balilihan watchtower, Punta Cruz watchtower, Pamilacan Island watchtower and Loay watchtower.
After the conference, the restoration proper is expected to start by early next year.
Close road
With the development, the technical working group behind the Basilica restoration is reiterating their request to the Cebu City Government to allow them to close to vehicular traffic a portion of Osmeña Blvd. in front of the church. This will protect the 400-year-old church from further damage.
Architect Java said that scientific studies have shown that vibrations and emissions from passing vehicles affect the coral stone walls of the historic church.
The church administration has already written the City, through Vice Mayor Edgardo Labella, about the closure request. However, the City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) has said that the closure will cause traffic congestion in other streets.
In an earlier interview, Citom Executive Director Rafael Christopher Yap said that roads close to Osmeña Blvd., such as Legaspi St., M.C Briones and Jakosalem Sts., will be directly affected by the closure because they will have to accommodate vehicles that will be diverted.
Mayor Michael Rama said he has no problem with the closure, adding that he also plans to limit areas near heritage sites, such as the Basilica and Parian, to pedestrian traffic only.
“If it will cause heavy traffic, then they (Citom) have to find ways to improve the traffic situation,” he said.