The Cebu Provincial Board has officially called on Governor Pamela Baricuatro to release a substantial financial aid package for the restoration of several churches in northern Cebu that were damaged by a powerful earthquake last September.
Provincial Board Approves Major Funding Resolution
During its regular session on Monday, December 1, the Provincial Board approved a resolution, principally authored by 7th District Board Member Paz Rozgoni, urging the governor to allocate P2 million for each of the nine identified churches. The total proposed aid amounts to P18 million. The funds are specifically intended to support the recovery and repair of these important cultural and heritage structures, which also serve as key tourist attractions in their respective localities.
List of Churches Designated for Aid
The resolution identifies two groups of churches. The first are those recognized primarily as tourist destinations. This list includes:
- Sts. Peter and Paul Parish Church in Bantayan
- Capelinha de Fatima Replica in San Remigio
- St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish Church in Kawit, Medellin
- San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church in Malabuyoc
- Virgen de los Remedios Parish Church in Odlot, Bogo City
The second group comprises four churches officially recognized for their historical significance:
- Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima in Daanbantayan
- San Juan Nepomuceno Parish Church in San Remigio
- Archdiocesan Shrine of San Vicente Ferrer in Bogo City
- San Isidro Labrador Parish in Tabogon
Boosting Tourism and Community Recovery
The Provincial Board resolution clearly outlines that repairing these churches will require significant time and resources, as many are heritage landmarks and vital tourism sites for the province. It also cites two earlier resolutions from October 20 that sought assistance from the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) and expressed support for the Archdiocese of Cebu and national agencies in rehabilitating damaged cultural properties.
The resolution emphasizes that expediting the repair of these churches will help revive Cebu's tourism industry and support communities still reeling from the impact of the magnitude 6.9 earthquake on September 30, 2025, and the subsequent storms that followed. This move is seen as a crucial step in the long-term recovery of northern Cebu's cultural landscape and economic vitality.
