The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) is reiterating the fact that the Parish of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, also known as Malate Church, is in need of restoration.
“A NHCP study study conducted in 2009 revealed that its exterior walls and facade are showing alarming signs like ‘surface material losses through pulverization and disintegration; surface scaling that destroys newer plasters; biological and woody growths; rising dump and water seepage; and detached adobe components or falling debris,'” reports Leslie Aquino in Manila Bulletin.
According to the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), it was the said study that prompted the parish to come up with a five-year restoration program. They aimed to raise PHP5,000,000 each year for five years to address this problem.
The report didn’t say, though, if the CBCP already has enough funds for the project.
The report noted: “The Malate Church was first established by the Augustinian friars on September 8, 1588. It was rebuilt for the third time from scratch after the typhoon of June 1868 destroyed it. The Church is also famous for housing the image of the Virgen de los Remedios, which was brought from Spain by Friar Juan de Guevara, OSA in 1624.”
Photo by Ramon F. Velasquez (WikiCommons)
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