Gotiaoco Building to showcase Chinese-Cebuano history and culture

Efforts to develop a heritage museum in the pre-war Gotiaoco Building in downtown Cebu City will gain momentum with the signing of a memorandum of agreement last Monday.

The MOA grants a private foundation the authority to restore and convert the 99-year-old building into the Sugbu Chinese Heritage Museum.

“Now comes the hard work. We’ll be knocking on doors asking for your support,” said Bob Gothong, chairman of the foundation.

He set a target of P200 million for rehabilitation, development, operations and setting up of a trust fund to ensure sustained support.

Jeremy Barns, director of the National Museum, said the MOA with the Sugbu Chinese Heritage Museum Foundation is the first Public-Private Partnership for culture and heritage in the country.

The 1914 Gotiaoco Building in MC Briones Street, across Cebu City Hall is envisioned to be the premier showcase of Chinese-Cebuano heritage and culture with “well-researched exhibitions and collections”.

Fr. Ben Sim, president of Sacred Heart Parish, said the idea of creating the museum is a big help in educating Chinese-Cebuanos and to promote culture and integration.

“The present generation, the ethnic Chinese, are not even familiar with the history of their ancestors. We cannot talk about integrating culture if they do not actually know what culture they came from. Coming with the idea of a museum will educate them,” Fr. Sim said.

The Gotiaoco Building was built in 1914 by businessman Pedro Gotiaoco, who made a big economic impact in Cebu during his time. He is the forefather of the Gokongweis, the Gotianuys, the Gotianuns and Gaisanos.

Under the MOA, the National Museum as custodian and manager, grants exclusive use of the property to the foundation for 25 years and may renew the arrangement for another 25 years.

The museum project would be the biggest outside Metro Manila. /Reporter Joy Cherry Quito and Eileen Mangubat