Cebu officials seek return of pulpit panels to Boljoon town

Two officials of Cebu Province are seeking the return of pulpit panels to Boljoon, a town in southern Cebu, from the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) in Manila.

Boljoon, Cebu Mayor Jojie Genesse Derama has appealed to NMP “to open a venue for proper negotiations” on the possible return of the panels, said to be donated to the museum by private collectors.

In a post on its Facebook page on Valentine’s Day, NMP announced the turnover of the panels to the museum. Its post reads:

'A gift to the nation'

In a turnover ceremony on February 16, the National Museum of the Philippines formally received a series of early 19th-century panels depicting the founder of the Augustinian Order from private collectors Edwin and Aileen Bautista.

The panels, which feature the image of Saint Augustine of Hippo, trace its original provenance from the pulpit of the Patrocinio de Maria Santisima Parish Church in Boljoon, Cebu.

The National Museum of the Philippines thanks Mr. and Mrs. Bautista for their generous contribution to our ever-growing national collection.”

However, a number of netizens who saw photos of the panels online called the attention of NMP that the pieces of antiquity should not become its permanent display or possession.

Netizens, especially the people of Boljoon, clamored for the return of the pulpit panels being a part of the town’s tangible heritage.

In a post, Derama appealed to NMP to discuss the possible return of the panels, which have been reportedly missing since the 80s.

Derama’s post reads in full:

“As the Mayor of the Municipality of Boljoon I am mandated to serve the general interest of my beloved people of Boljoon. This mandate includes the valorization of the cultural identity of the people of Boljoon which is closely associated to our rich cultural heritage assets. To ensure that all these cultural assets that define our identity are being safeguarding and valued. Church cultural assets are included in this mandate since Boljoon's identity is deeply rooted to our faith as a local church. As of these past days, we are made to be aware of the resurfacing of the lost panels in the pulpito of the heritage church of Boljoon.

As the Father of the people of Boljoon it is my ardent desire to see these panels installed once again in the pulpito of the church. This is to assure my constituents of the Municipality of Boljoon that we are doing all the necessary steps and negotiations in close coordination to the Archdiocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora del Patrocinio de Maria Santissima as well as to the Archdiocese of Cebu, and the Cebu Provincial Government that the treasures of Boljoon, our church cultural assets, the vessel of our identity and pride be returned to its rightful owner. This is our unified call and appeal to the National Museum of the Philippines to open a venue for proper negotiations to have these panels be returned to Boljoon.”

At the provincial capitol, Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia said she has asked the province’s consultant on cultural affairs to also look into the matter.

“Since this was donated now to the National Museum, I have asked our consultant for heritage and museums, Professor Jojo Bersales, to look into it so that we may take a position of formally requesting the National Museum to return these panels so that we can complete [the restoration],” Garcia said in a report by Sugbo News, the provincial government’s news portal.

“You know the pulpit has been restored, but we could see there are indeed four empty spaces which correspond to these four panels. I hope that we can — the National Museum and the Provincial Government of Cebu — come to an agreement here because after all, usa ra may atong tumong. We have just one goal: to preserve, and more so to nurture and cherish, these irreplaceable treasures of our Cebuano past,” Garcia added.—GMA Regional TV