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Restoration of church ruins splits Dingras folk /2
Source: Inquirer
Author: Cristina Arzadon
Date: 1999-10-12
 
...continuation



Restoration



Early restoration works began in the 1950s but were stalled due

to lack of funds, old folks say.



Toward the end of the Marcos regime, former tourism minister

Jose Aspiras started promoting the landmark by holding cultural

shows just so the ruins could attract attention and, in the

process, generate funds for their preservation, former mayor and

now provincial board member Wilfredo Parado told the

INQUIRER.



A concert was also held, with the ruins as backdrop, in time for

the 25th anniversary of priesthood of Fr. Manuel Aspiras, a

cousin of Aspiras and the town's former parish priest.



That time, the tourism body promised to help in the preservation

after the church was made a background for a tourism brochure.



At one point, Parado said he closed the church to visitors after

its walls started collapsing. Houses north of the church are also

at risk due to falling slabs of bricks, he said.



''There were initiatives to restore the church then but often,

these did not prosper because of financial difficulties,'' he said.



The fund shortfall was compounded by the issue of church

ownership. ''We could not just introduce developments without

prior clearance from the church,'' Parado said.



To complicate things, there was the issue pointing to the church

as a historical landmark, thus prohibiting any alteration without

consulting proper authorities.



Msgr. Policarpio Albano, the present parish priest, said the

church was declared a historical site during the administration

of former President Ferdinand Marcos.



He said no one bothered to talk with church officials as far as its

upkeep was concerned.



''Idi panawen ti martial law ngamin, agi-enforce da latta ti

linteg. Nai-declare ti simbaan ti Dingras a historical site, ngem

saan met a napakpakaammuan ti simbaan (During martial law,

laws would just be enforced. The Dingras church was declared a

historical site although the church officials were not

consulted),'' Albano said.



A document showed that the then director of the National

Museum declared the ruins as ''an important cultural property''

on March 25, 1974.



That declaration provided that ''any demolition, repair or

restoration work may be undertaken upon the advice,

supervision and control of the National Museum and the

Department of Tourism.''



However, there was no specific guideline to govern the church

and protect it from any encroachment since, except for the

paper, there was no local body to enforce the declaration.



At that time, parishioners had shifted their attention to sprucing

up the smaller church which was then only halfway through

completion. But without funds to speak of, the residents were

again faced with another stumbling block, Albano recalled.



Left with no alternative, the residents ripped off materials from

the ruins and used these in building the church. The old roof,

steel bars and brick walls were transferred to the new edifice,

while some of the materials were stolen.



Albano said that move, which was seen as a desecration of the

church, angered a lot of parishioners and later caused division

among them.



On one side were those opposed to touching the church

because of its historical significance. On the other side were

those in dire need of another church, Albano said.



''Apay nga satsaten da latta'n nga kasta ket adun ti investment

ti tattao idta a simbaan (People have invested a lot in the

church, yet others are tearing it down just like that),'' Albano

said.



In 1976, the parish priest at that time who could no longer stand

the disorder left his flock and the church unfinished. It took two

more priests to take over for the church to be finally completed.



Meanwhile, time was catching up with the ruins.



to be continued...
 

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