Heritage advocates formally voiced their concern about the endangered status of the Minor Basilica of San Sebastian ahead of the Visita Iglesia tradition slated this week.
In a unified statement on March 22, the heritage groups, composed of neighbors, parishioners and advocates, called for the preservation of the San Sebastian Church.
Considered the last standing neo-gothic structure in the Philippines, the basilica was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1973 and a National Cultural Treasure in 2011.
The advocates renewed the call to preserve it after the privilege speech of Rep. Joel Chua (3rd District, Manila) last March 20 where he discussed the endangered status of the church before the members of the House of Representatives.
“We too have been deeply concerned over the deterioration over the years of the church’s metal components in our beloved all-steel church,” the statement read.
“Today we again rally behind #SaveSanSebastian,” they added.
The advocates expressed worry over the safety of Catholics who will visit the San Sebastian church.
The groups said that while the church structure is deemed stable, architects and engineers observed “falling pieces of ornamental metal, heavy and rusty pieces from columns, walls, rib
vaultings which could have caused great harm or loss of life.”
“From this, we can’t help but express our alarm and how we feel unsafe for our community, visitors, and our fellow parishioners, especially since the Holy Week of Lent is approaching,” the groups said.
“We are worried that the crowd volume that will come to worship, through their movements, might produce reverberations that could potentially trigger life-threatening weakened metal pieces to fall or detach from different areas of the Basilica,” they added.
To avoid such accidents, the advocates called on the church to ban the entry of visitors immediately especially during the Holy Week until temporary protective measures are put in place.
“Let us avoid potential accidents from happening by preemptively taking preventive measures for the safety of the public,” the statement read.
“…It is especially important that the Church be closed to visitors during this Holy feast,” it added.
“We will be more than happy to support the Minor Basilica of San Sebastian even as Masses and Lenten services are held outside on the church grounds, where one can still be prayerfully surrounded by the grandeur of the Basilica’s noteworthy exterior, from a safe vantage point,” the advocates concluded.
The unified statement was penned by Quiapo ng Puso Ko, Lakad-Dasal Team.
It was signed by architects Roz Li and Carlos Cucueco III of Baklas Pilipinas Inc and Renacimiento Manila, respectively as well as Fernando Nakpil-Zialcita Ph.D of Bahay Nakpil Bautista Foundation Inc.
Last March 24, heritage advocate group Renacimento Manila once again echoed the call and posted photos of the deteriorating state of San Sebastian church’s metal ornaments.
“Several huge metal portions like on the walls and ceiling are also observed to be in danger of detaching, harming people within the church,” the group said, reiterating its concern over the influx of visitor this Holy Week.
#SaveSanSebastian
Keep people safe.Here are photos taken last Sunday, showing fallen heavy and rusty metal ornaments…
Posted by Renacimiento Manila on Thursday, 23 March 2023
In 2020, there were also calls to preserve the San Sebastian Church amid threats of construction of a condominium near the church.
They cited the possible destruction of the cultural heritage site.
The project development of Summithome Realty Corp. called University Home, however, secured a building permit from the city government of Manila.
According to the University Home’s website, it is an upcoming branch located near high-profile universities such as the Far Eastern University, University of the East, San Beda University, and others in the city of Manila. Its completion date is slated Dec. 31, 2025.
