THE LOCATION of the Malate Church, fronting Manila Bay, has been partly blamed for its deterioration over the years. NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
The now crumbling centuries-old Malate Church is in need of P5 million each year to be restored to its former glory, according to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
On its website, the CBCP said the Parish of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios was appealing to the faithful to help them raise P5 million annually to address the problem through its campaign “5-5-5 March of the Thousands.”
The CBCP cited a 2009 study conducted on the church by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) which showed that its exterior walls and facade were “in urgent need of restoration,” prompting the parish to launch a five-year restoration program.
According to the study, its location—fronting Manila Bay— was among the factors that were hastening the baroque structure’s decay.
It also revealed that the structure was already showing “alarming signs” such as “surface material losses through pulverization and disintegration, surface scaling which destroys newer plasters, biological and woody growths, rising dump and water seepage and detached adobe components or falling debris.”
The study further noted that the church’s adobe material had a “high moisture content,” which prevented the structure from withstanding extreme and prolonged weather conditions.
“Its less-than-ideal location facing Manila Bay exposes it even more to the elements,” said the CBCP, quoting the study.
The Malate Church which had been declared a National Historical Monument was rebuilt for the third time on the site of an older structure through the initiative of then parish priest Fr. Franciso Cuadrado after it was flattened by a typhoon in June 1868.
The CBCP said interested donors may coordinate with the Malate parish office for proper acknowledgment through telephone numbers (632) 4005876 to 77 and (632) 5232593 or by email: contact@malatecatholicchurch.org.