Spanish stone arch bridges 

In Bohol cultural properties

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, October 13 (PIA)—While it is not yet too late, the National Museum (NM) has initiated the putting up of historical markers in Spanish-era colonial arched stone bridges that have survived the test of time and the real risk of road construction and widening operations.

Since then, these stone arched bridges would be treated as cultural properties of the country in pursuance of the constitutional right of the state to foster the preservation, enrichment and dynamic evolution of a Filipino culture, to conserve, develop, promote and popularize the nation's historical and cultural heritage and resources.

As cultural property, the NM means products of human creativity by which a people and a nation reveal their identity.

Along this line, the old bridges are now under the protection of the State, which regulates its disposition.

The historical marker, of the seven Spanish colonial stone bridges in Dimiao and three more in Lila now sits beside a creek in one of the seven bridges in Poblacion Dimiao, located along a street that runs parallel to the national highway.

No less than National Museum Assistant Director and Cultural Properties Division Angel Bautista represented the NM while Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines Cultural heritage of the Church Chair Rev Fr. Milan Ted Torralba led the unveiling of the marker that lumps the 10 bridges which the government has just placed its mantle of protection.

Built possibly between the late 17th to the 18th century, these stone arch bridges provide an easy access for land travel across creeks that flow across the town.

Made of roughly hewn coral stones, these Spanish colonial bridges work on the basic principle of the curved design.

The curve does not push load forces straight down, instead these forces are passed along the curve of the arch to the supports on each end, called abutments.

The abutments carry the load of entire bridge and are responsible for holding the arch in its precise stable position, as passing on the forces across the arch is through a central keystone on the top of the arch.

This central keystone pushes the surrounding rocks down and outward, making entire structure very rigid and strong, explains modern day builders who have studied the arch bridges popularized during the Roman Empire and possibly copied by the Spaniards to make land travel more pleasant.

“We were able to document seven of these bridges in Dimiao alone,” shared NM Bohol officer in charge and Dimiao resident Engr. Joel Dahiroc.

He added, they also found at least three more preserved bridges of similar construction in nearby Lila town, most of these historic architectural marvels at the risk of getting destroyed for road expansion and widening operations.

A similarly built arch bridge is also along the national highway between Tagbilaran City and Baclayon, and when the road widening project hit the bridge, the contractor made plans that would retain the old Spanish bridge.

The Lao Bridge in Taguihon Baclayon may look modern on top, an old stone bridge sits below it.

Reports of another stone bridge in Loon which is now preserved even with the recent road construction over it, already reached the National Museum.

Through the unveiling of the historical markers, these heritage structures, which have been declared only recently, opens up the tempting potential for communities who have similar Spanish structures and infrastructure to notify the NM so that validation could be done quickly, Dahiroc said.

As declared cultural properties, cultural treasures and national historical land, marks, these sites or monuments are entitled to priority protection, conservation and restoration funds from government, and in times of disasters that may endanger the heritages, these sites are given priority protection by the government. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

Spanish-era arch stone bridges like this in Dimiao and Lila have been declared cultural properties of the state and puts a government mantle of protection over these structures that best illustrate the architectural marvels of the by-gone era. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

SAP Go opens Bohol’s 

first Malasakit Center 

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, October 12 (PIA)—Poor Boholano patients who have refused to go for treatment in a hospital for the confinement payments and medicine, may now find they have a government that helps them in their bills. 

To realize a campaign promise to make health facilities accessible to the poor, no less than Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence Go led the opening of the country’s 11th one-stop-shop for Filipinos who need medical, financial assistance from various agencies. 

Another one center would be opened in Ubay soon. 

Called the Malasakit Centers, Bohol’s one-stop-shop opens inside the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital (GCGMH) in Tagbilaran October 12, 2018 with SAP Go leading hospital authorities and heads of government agencies pooling their resources to prop up the facility for the poor here. 

“Every time we fall sick, we do not know where to run. Now, we can go to this Malasakit Center and get help,” SAP Go said. 

Malasakit Center is the office that directs us, SAP Go, who had been entrusted by President Rodrigo Duterte to lead the opening of these centers, one that the president lodged in his office. 

At times, when relatives of patients need the help of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, of the Department of Health, or the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (Philhealth), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) or the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), they use up all the day running through these offices. 

The Malasakit Center puts them all in one place, Go was quoted in news reports. 

To acknowledge the help of these agencies, Go said, “Salamat kayo sa inyong tabang kay without you, imposible [nga makabarug] ‘ning atong malasakit center.” 

This is the people’s money, we gave it back to you, the trusted aide of the president and the pambansang photo bomber during Dueterte’s campaign sorties turned selfie king when Duterte won. 

“Malasakit Center is the project of the office of the President and is implemented under the office of the Special Assistant to the President and without the support and cooperation of the different government agencies, this public service office would not come into existence,” Go, who is the president’s go-to-guy, stressed. 

Earlier, SAP Go, turned over to hospital deputy chief Dr. Nonaluz Pizzaras a P5 million checque as initial cash aid for the hospital to jumpstart the operations of the Malasakit Center. 

Putting the Malasakit Center in Tagbilaran is a decision that came about because Tagbilaran City is strategic, and patients need not cross the sea [to Cebu] to get treatment. 

Malasakit Centers have also opened in Cebu, Dumaguete, Maasin, Bacolod, Iloilo, Tacloban, Palawan, Manila, Davao and Pampanga. 

Another Malasakit Center would be opened in Ubay, at the Don Emilio del Valle Memorial Hospital in Ubay, according to sources close to SAP Go. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

SAP Christopher Lawrence Go with Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Lloyd Dino, GCGMH deputy chief Dr. Nonaluz Pizzaras and City Mayor John Geesnell Yap II led local officials in unveiling the GCGMH Malasakit Center in simple rites Friday, October 12. (PIA Bohol/photo by RVO) 

SAP Bong Go hands the P5 million check which forms the initial fund to jumpstart the operation of the Malasakit center inside the GCGMH in Tagbilaran. Receiving the aid is Deputy Chief of Hospital Dr. Nonaluz Pizzaras. Witnessing the turn-over is PAV Michael Lloyd Dino and City mayor John Geesnell Yap II. (PIABohol/Photo by RVO)

NM resolves to elevate 

Valencia Church as ICP 

VALENCIA, Bohol, October 11 (PIA)—The faithful here rejoice and gather to thank God for an unexpected blessing: the possible realization of a plan to restore and rehabilitate a church that is one of the two surviving coral stone churches with wooden floorboards that have survived for at least 140 years. 

During a thanksgiving mass officiated by Bohol Bishop Emeritus Leonardo Medroso and co-celebrated by Holy Infant Parish priest Rev. Fr. Johnson Inte and vicar Noel Varquez, with Catholic Bishops Conference Chair of the Cultural Heritage of the Church Commission Rev. Fr. Milan Ted Torralba and other co-celebrating priests, National Museum (NM) Assistant Director Angel Bautista read the museum resolution elevating the status of declaration of the Holy Infant Church a notch higher. 

It was in 2013 that the NM declared same church of the Holy Infant as Significant Cultural Property (SCP), but the declaration is only as a preparation for further study for it to be enlisted as among the country’s Important Cultural Property (ICP). 

The church, being clearly over 50 years is already considered a heritage structure, based on the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 (RA 10066). 

Former Valencia Vice Mayor Romulo Tagaan shared that the church had organized fund raising anc charity activities to raise funds for the repair of its leaking roof which could damage the church fixtures and the rare floorboards among them. 

Built by Rev Fr. Mariano Cornago in the 1870’s, it was Fr. Francisco Arcaya in 1882 who completed the structure and the installation of the designed floorboards. 

The floorboards: a witty combination of 5-inch molave and bayong slats placed one after another in wood parquet design has been preserved. 

Under the nave to the transepts is a giant flower design with eight pointed petals exquisitely formed from laid woodwork, with the unmistakable direct attribute of exemplary cultural value and gets people nowadays a glimpse or the advancement of the crafts and skills of workers during those times, described NM Bautista who read the declaration immediately after the thanksgiving mass. 

Through Museum Resolution No. 20-2017, Architect Manuel Maximo Noche, Professor Regalado Trota Jose, Rev. Frs. Rene Pio Javellana and Milan Ted Torralba stated that the preserved wood flooring of the Holy Infant parish Church is an architectural marvel and a priceless legacy representing the people’s respect of the bygone era od builders and designers. 

The flooring woodwork possesses exceptional architectural, engineering, cultural and artistic significance reflective of the nation’s history. 

A church that still shows coral stones in its walls and façade, has undergone facelifts in the past, but what remained as the church’s rare treasure it its antique floorboards, according to parish priest Fr. Inte. 

While the church still displays the usual cruciform lay-out, it too has a façade that is as tall as a four-storey building, two pyramid towers, with steep roofs and arched ceilings. 

Over the above considerations, the NM which is also mandated to declare cultural properties in relation to their unique historical and architectural values in line with the promotion of the protection and preservation of the church as part of the significant built-heritage thus resolved to elevate the protection classification of the church and its complex into an ICP, Bautista told the parishioners. 

With the ICP declaration, Valencia Church and its complex gets priority government funding for protection, conservation and restoration; its private support of conservation and restoration can get an incentive from the Commission's Conservation Incentive Program for national cultural treasures, he explained. 

Moreover, the declaration also allows the putting of an official heritage marker indicating that the immovable cultural property has been identified as national cultural treasure, or national historical landmarks, sites or monument. 

Finally, in times of armed conflict, natural disasters and other exceptional events that endanger the cultural heritage of the country, the declared ICP can be given priority protection by the government. 

Aside from that, all cultural properties declared as ICP like the Valencia Church may receive government funding for its protection, conservation and restoration. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

The neat placement of the white molave wood plank interspaced with the black bayong and arranged in a herringbone patter makes an interesting study of the kind or engineering and architecture which has shown an advanced state in the 18th century. Preserved and maintained by the people of Valencia, this floorboard in the Holy Infant Church is now under government protection as an important cultural property. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

PCG rescues 64 passengers, 

crew from MV South Pacific 

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol October 10 (PIA)—The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in Bohol scored plus points when all they rescued 64 passengers and 19 crew from a boat that ran aground early morning of October 9, 2019, in the vicinity seawaters off Danajon Bank. 

PCG search and rescue team dispatched to the site also assured that aside from the slight dents in the boat’s hull, the grounding boat did not damage the area, had no damaged propellers and noted no oil spills. 

The boat: MV South Pacific operated by Southern Pacific Transport Corporation is a 230.99 gross ton passenger ship and cargo vessel with a capacity of 204 passengers and has Cebu as home port. 

MV South Pacific accordingly left Bato, Leyte at 9:00 PM October 8 with 59 passengers and 19 crew members, according to the captain of the ill-fated ship, Arturo Sullano. 

While cruising off to Cebu, the boat strayed into the shallow waters and accidentally ran aground at about 1:00 AM, the skipper said in his report. 

Good the incident happened in calm seas, otherwise it could be a major problem, observers who learned of the incident commented. 

It was about 3:55 AM on October 9 that PCG PO1 Uy relayed to Coast Guard Tagbilaran the information and the exact coordinates of the grounding incident, for proper action. 

Coast Guard Station (CGS) Tagbilaran then immediately called CGS Talibon to verify and report. 

By about 4:15 of October 9, CGS Talibon established contact with the ill-fated boat captain, who confirmed the incident. 

CGS Talibon then dispatched a search and rescue (SAR) team to do visual and surface inspection. 

By early morning, the PCG SAR team boarded the boat and conducted an inspection in the engine room and steering room, accompanied by the ship’s crew. 

The team also found no water seepage or spillage and noted that the passengers were all in good physical condition and no one was injured during the incident. 

To facilitate the extraction of the stuck boat, the PCG them proceeded to transfer the passengers to PCG’s Multi Role Response Vessel (MRRV) and used a rubber boat to ferry the passengers to the PCG boat. 

At about 9:00 AM, the PCG MRRV then left the stranded MV South Pacific and carried the 64 passengers and 3 crew members, to their actual destination, which is Cebu. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

The Ill-fated MV South Pacific got too close to the shallow waters of Danajon Bank that it ran aground early morning of October 9. No one was hurt in the incident, according to the PCG. Passengers and crew were all rescued and brought to Cebu City on board PCG’s Multi-Role-Response Vessel 4404. (Photo grabbed from Anthony Aniscal’s facebook)

Getting entitled: Achividas 

claim farm patent, at last 

CARMEN, Bohol, October 7 (PIA)—Seventy-three year-old Fulgencia Achivida has only faint hopes that the small patch of land she inherited from her parents in Barangay Lataban, Sierra Bullones town can be issued an agricultural patent. 

After all, she has almost forgotten that she and her 77 year-old husband Nerio have applied for free patent to a patch of land that she hopes would be finally be under the couple’s name and with a document to prove their ownership. 

The 1,300 square meter lot is planted to rice and some banana patches , one that also allows them a modest stockpile of palay after every harvest. 

Located in the next barangay, the lot, being not yet under their name, is often left last to be planted, as the couple can’t confidently plant and claim the harvest of they own no documents to prove they own the patch. 

Until October 7, 2018. 

Both Fulgencia and Nerio could not believe their luck that both had to go to a corner and simultaneously pore at the land title that finally puts the patch of land under their conjugal ownership. 

Both were among the 11 lucky farmers of Sierra Bullones and Dagohoy who were finally handed their certificates of titles for either residential or agricultural lots under the Government’s Free Patent program, explained Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Eusalem Quiwag. 

That day, the Office of the Cabinet Secretary of President Rodrigo Duterte led by CabSec Leoncio Evasco and the Office of Participatory Governance of the Office of the President brought to Carmen, Bohol its innovative Biyaya ng Pagbabago (BnP). 

BnP is the government’s response to the need for the bureaucracy to come out from the offices and bring the services to the grassroots, CabSec Leoncio Evasco said. 

Conducted in a typical one-stop-shop setting, the BnP brings over 30 government agencies and offices to one location, to dispense of their services, deliver frontline services and usher in the blessing of change. 

That day, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) handed out the 11 land patents for both residential and agricultural lots. 

The DENR acted in line with Republic Act No. 10023, or the Free Patent Act which aims to ease the requirements and procedures in the titling of residential and agricultural lands by allowing people who have been residents of the lot and have been paying for its taxes to get a facilitated free patent provided these lots are not within forested sites. 

The Achivida lot is Fulgencia’s share, being among the heirs of her parents when they died. 

Both Fulgencia and Nerio could not believe their luck as they took turns in reading the certificate of land title, not really minding the midday sun. 

Also getting similar Certificates of Land Titles for either residential or agricultural were Rufo Cagampang of Magsaysay, Sergio Dagupan of Danicop, Demetrio Caderao of Danicop, Illuminada Auxtero of Magsaysay, Sabina Doyongan of Anibongan, Cherlita Cutamora of Bugsoc. 

Bernardino Duyogan of Anibogan, Nelson Cagulao of Anibongan, Aurelio Duyogan of Anibongan, Esmeraldo Dumayac of Poblacion Dagohoy, and Carmen Autentico of Anibongan. 

These people who have been finally issued free patents can now rest in the security that they can not be easily evicted from their lots, own the proper documents to put up these lots as loan collaterals, or sell them in the future. 

The Residential Free Patent Act also aims to provide economic stimulus to the land market and thus contribute to the country’s overall economy, DENR Bohol sources added. 

The registration of these turned over land titles, identify each individual lots and the state in turn confirms that the person named in the register has stated rights. 

The land title system registration offers numerous benefits which include: for a government establishment, the land title offers representation of major component of a land information system, it offers an avenue to assist land use planning and development, 

it creates basis for land taxation and stimulate investment. 

For an individual, it offers a reduced or no boundary disputes, increased market value, greater opportunities and access to credit, it creates an avenue for a simpler and less costly land transactions too. 

Beyond that, other benefits include proof of ownership to avoid confusion and commotion, it helps promote peace as it clearly protects the property rights. 

Then, prospective buyers can be assured that the registered owner is the legal owner. 

Titling also allows the government to possibly earn more from land taxes, which in turn can be used to fund government initiatives and priorities. 

With a title for the 1,300 square meters of rice land in Lataban, Nerio would not feel seeding the 7 gantas would now be a waste. 

And with rice crisis in Bohol, he thinks he can help in his own little way by supplying some of the harvest for food in the community. 

With a title on hand, the Achividas may not really be totally experiencing the real essence of having achieved a major milestone, at least, until today. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol) 

Septuagenarians Fulgencia and Nerio Achivida of Matin-ao Sierra Bullones eagerly pore at the Certificate of Land Titles they received from the government for their 1,300 square meter lot in Lataban, Sierra Bullones. The turn over of the certificates of title was among the Biyaya ng Pagbabago highlights. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)