Exhibit of Spanish-era churches opens at Cathedral museum

THE Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI) and Ortigas Foundation Inc. opened “Hidden Treasures: An exhibit of Spanish-era churches of the Philippines” at the Cebu Cathedral Museum last April 18, which also marked the International Day of Monuments and Sites.

The travelling exhibit will run until April 30 and will proceed to the Nuestra Señora del Pilar parish in Sibonga town, southern Cebu, where it will be available for public viewing starting May 3.

From Sibonga, the exhibit will move to Guillermo de Aquitania parish in Dalaguete on May 14-21, San Miguel Archangel parish in Samboan on May 23-30, San Francisco de Asis parish in Dumanjug on June 2-9, San Francisco de Asis parish in Balamban on June 12-19, San Roque Parish in Cordova on June 21-28 and Santo Tomas de Villanueva parish in Danao City from July 10 to July 15.

“This is an opportunity to make people aware of the rich heritage of our churches,” Msgr. Carlito Pono, chairman of the Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church, said in his welcome message during the launching of the exhibit.

The launching program was preceded by a talk by Betty Lalana about the book of Rene Javellana, SJ, titled “La Casa de Dios: The legacy of Filipino-Hispanic churches in the Philippines.” Lalana is one of the photographers who documented the churches featured in the book and in the exhibit.

Jonathan Best, curator of the exhibit, said the exhibit is titled “hidden treasures” because it features churches built during the Spanish era that have been rarely documented or visited by local and foreign tourists.

The Cebu and Bohol exhibit of Ortigas Foundation is hosted by RAFI, in partnership with the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church.

Dr. Jocelyn Gerra, executive director of the Culture and Heritage unit of RAFI, said that through the exhibit, Boholanos and Cebuanos will get to witness the old churches in their own province.

For more information, please contact Florencio Moreño II at 418-7234 local 703 or visit websites www.rafi.org.ph and www.facebook.com/rafi.org.ph.