PH eyes rehab of damaged churches

MANILA - Historical churches were among those badly damaged in the 7.2 earthquake that struck Bohol and Cebu. Atty. Trixie Angeles, legal consultant of the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, said the NCCA has a conservation budget of P20 million to P30 million annually for "immovables" or historic buildings in the country. "Strictly speaking zero ang binibigay ng gobyerno pero may tinatawag na national endowment fund for culture and the arts and NCCA. In that national endowment, binigyan na kami ng seed money ng Pagcor. Lumaki na yun ng P1 billion pero ang pwede lang naming gamitin sa P1 billion na yun ay yung interes niya plus certain portion ng travel tax na binabayad natin. So ang actual conservation budget natin is P20 million to P30 million per year for immovables lang ito, mga gusali," she told radio dzMM. The NCCA, National Historical Commission for the Philippines (NCHP) and National Museum on Tuesday formed a Heritage Task Force for the rescue and rehabilitation of old churches destroyed by a strong earthquake in Visayas. A joint team of experts will visit Bohol and Cebu provinces on Thursday to inspect and evaluate the damage. The NCCA said majority of the structures damaged by the earthquake have been declared National Cultural Treasures, National Historical Landmarks and Important Cultural Properties. Among those badly damaged include the three of the oldest in the country – Baclayon and Loboc churches in Bohol and Sto. Niño Basilica in Cebu City. Radio dzMM, October 16, 2013