Bohol donates restored

Capitol to Natl Museum

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, June 12, (PIA)—On freedom day, Bohol through its Provincial Government gave up 1,256 square meters of prime floor space that could translate into millions of annual revenues, but Boholanos also gained a home of its soul.

The lost property would be opened as a museum which would house everything Boholano; or what outgoing Governor Edgar Chatto called: the home of the Boholano soul. 

“Today, we are signing a commitment to the National Museum (NM), as long as the building exists we commit to give the Bohol Capitol to be the home of the soul of the Boholanos,“ Chatto declared.

The Provincial Government represented by Gov. Chatto, turned over to the National Museum (NM) represented by Director Jeremy Barns, the deed of donation documents to the newly restored 1855 old-Spanish period building which used to be the Tribuna, converted to a military quarters and then into the Provincial Capitol before the 2013 earthquake shook its foundations and partly damaged the structure.

Declared an Important Cultural Property lately, the old Spanish building, which the National Government restored through the National Museum is protected from design and interior layout alternations, according to the National Heritage Law.

Restored under the supervision of the NM, the contractors have to do major works to address issues of hollowed foundation, recent design alterations and structural retrofitting to bring out the essence of the old structure, according to NM Acting Assistant Director Angel Bautista, during the soft opening and launching of the restored edifice.

With the restoration completed four years after the earthquake, the NM turned over the structure to Bohol, whose officials also allowed the opening of NM exhibits in the building’s galleries.

The newly restored building now brought the building to its period-correct design and used up the 861.32 square meters of floor spaces as galleries.

The building was also rumored to be given to the national Museum for its Satellite Office in Bohol, but absent the proper deeds, the NM could only curate the exhibits because they do not technically own the structure.

The turn-over of the donation documents during the 121st Independence Day commemoration in Bohol solved the problem.

NM Assistant Director Anna Labrador and Bohol Provincial Officials Board Member Vencenzio Arcamo, Administrator Alfonso Damalerio III, Balilihan Mayor Pureza Chatto, Board Member and now Bohol 3 Representative Kristine Alexie Tutor, Board Members Ricardo Masamayor, Abeleon Damalerio and Victor Bolos Jr., witnessed the turn-over ceremony.

That same day, the NM also officially opened for Boholanos the Exhibit of Bohol’s Natural History at the Governor’s Gallery in the second floor of the newly restored building.

“We invite all Boholanos to visit the museum, we are opening an exhibit of Bohol’s natural history showcase of the rich culture and history” urges NM Director Barns.

Bohol’s voluntary donation of the capitol to NM also came after the national Government gave the Capitol a P700 million new Capitol Building.

With the donation, the National Museum has acquired not just the 861.32 square meters museum and its galleries, it also claims 112.008 sq. m. of offices spaces, of which will be the satellite office of the NM in Bohol.

The restored structure has also 120.0038 sq m of laboratory spaces, 91.6599 sq. m of shops, and 70. 3624 sq m of private areas. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)

HOME OF THE BOHOLANO SOUL. Gov Edgar Chatto turns-over the deed of donation documents to NM Director Jeremy Barns as Assistant Director Anna Labrador and Bohol Provincial Officials Board Member Vencenzio Arcamo, Administrator Alfonso Damalerio III, Balilihan Mayor Pureza Chatto, Board Member and now Bohol 3 Representative Kristine Alexie Tutor, Board Members Ricardo Masamayor, Abeleon Damalerio and Victor Bolos Jr., witness the turn-over ceremony. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)