ILOILO City – What the Molo Chuch’s convent is undergoing is a repair, not a renovation, clarified Monsignor Maurillo Silva, administrator of the Molo parish.
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) halted the work on the convent, fearing that the edifice’s architectural integrity may have been compromised.
According to Silva, however, what’s being fixed are existing facilities of the convent such as the kitchen and toilet.
He also said he had conferred with the NHCP acting executive director Luduvico Badoy on Monday.
Silva admitted the parish failed to secure some documentary requirements from the city government.
On July 19, the City Engineer’s Office issued a Notice of Violation and Work Stoppage Order to the Molo parish for lack of a building permit for the work on the convent.
“Once we have complied with the required papers, this would be a non-issue,” said Silva.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has decided to conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, regarding the convent. Silva said he won’t appear at the probe.
The SP committee on tourism, culture and historical affairs chaired by Councilor Candice Magdalene Tupas would conduct the inquiry but no date has been set yet.
Badoy said architects and engineers would check what’s being done to the convent. He said the Molo parish has yet to submit to NHCP its development plan on the convent.
Badoy was here on July 24 to formally turn over to the city government the newly restored century-old Ker & Co. Building adjacent to the city hall. Ker & Co. was an English trading company. Its building was built in the 1850s and once employed Nicolas Loney before he was made British vice consul for Iloilo.
According to Badoy, if work on the Molo convent “conformed with the principles of restoration, wala man problema” and the NHCP would lift the Cease and Desist Order it issued.
Under the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 (Republic Act 10066), if a building is at least 50 years old, it is presumed to be an “important cultural property.”
“That presumption will be lifted if, in our investigation, walang historical significance ang building or walang art or beauty,” said Badoy.
An important cultural property’s architectural integrity must be protected, he stressed, especially the façade.
“Kung may deviation, maaaring ipabalik namin sa old one ‘yung itsura. As to the structure’s use, sa loob pwede nang magbago ‘yan, that’s one principle of restoration,” said Badoy.
The National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 defines “important cultural property” as “cultural property having exceptional cultural, artistic and historical significance to the Philippines, as shall be determined by the National Museum and/or National Historical Institute.”
The Molo Church convent was built over 50 years ago. The church, on the other hand, was constructed 1831./PN
