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Manila Cathedral closed for repairs until 2013
The historic Manila Cathedral — known formally as the Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception — has been temporarily closed for major repairs that may take until 2013 to finish. The Archdiocese of Manila ordered the temporary closure of the Manila Cathedral beginning on February 7 after an engineering firm discovered that important sections of the building did not adhere to the 2010 edition of the National Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP).
Angel Lazaro and Associates International (ALAI) conducted the study of the cathedral's structural integrity.
Civil engineering graduate Fr. Carlos Reyes told GMA News Online that seven months is the shortest time necessary for the structural renovation. "Maybe one year, possibly more. If the cementing is not enough, we may have to do piling - parang poste na binabaon sa lupa," Reyes said. He said restoration alone will take about one month, and design will take another month.
Reyes said the first thing to do is to improve the quality of the soil on which the cathedral-basilica stands. "Medyo malambot, kailangan ng grouting, cementing," he said. The cathedral posts and beams will also be improved to strengthen the building.
"Hindi tayo sigurado kung kailan ang earthquake," he said. 
No Masses, confessions While the cathedral is being repaired, there will be no Masses and other regular activities like confessions, baptisms, and anointing of the sick. Weddings will continue until March of this year.
The Manila Cathedral, which was closed starting February 7 to undergo renovation for at least one year due to structural effects, continues to attract tourists. GMA News
However, some 200 couples have already made reservations until March 2013 to hold their weddings at the Manila Cathedral.
Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle said a task force will help the affected couples find other churches where they can hold their weddings.
Tagle said they want to push through with the rehabilitation work as soon as possible, especially after a magnitude-6.9 quake hit Negros last week.
Tagle said the structural work may involve P50 million and that the cathedral closed until 2013.
The present structure is 54 years old. While the cathedral was built in 1581, it had been destroyed and rebuilt several times, suffering damage from a fire, several earthquakes and typhoons, and bombing in World War II. - VVP, GMA News
