ICOMOS/ICORP’s Post-Disaster Recovery Steps Towards the Reconstruction of Santa Rosa de Lima Parish, Daanbantayan, Cebu
Cleared Facade of Santa Rosa de Lima Parish Church, Daanbantayan, Cebu (Source: Father B. Brigoli, Archdiocese of Cebu)
On 30 September 2025, a new fault line was discovered in the northern reaches of Cebu province. In recorded history, there had been no earthquakes in this area until the Bogo fault caused a 7.3. mW earthquake. In its wake, heritage churches were toppled, housing damaged and infrastructure was heavily compromised. This caused the closure of churches, most especially the parish church of Santa Rosa de Lima in Daanbantayan. At this church, the unreinforced masonry structure’s primary facade crumbled with the energy of the quake. Not only did the initial quake cause considerable destruction but subsequent aftershocks loosened the stone cladding on the belfry.
The initial team to assess the damage at Daanbantayan was from the University of San Carlos’ College of Architecture and College of Engineering immediately after the quake and deployed for October 4th and 5th, 2025. The rapid visual survey was completed at three churches. The result was a characterization of the destruction, overturning of the roof and walls which were qualified and quantified.
However, the debris at Daanbantayan needed clearance to get an accurate portrait of the complete destruction that may have been hidden. WIth the direction of archaeologist Archie Tiauzon, salvage and debris clearance was accomplished using a grid system to understand where the stones fell in relation to the structure. This act of sorting and segregation will help reconstruct the church with sound materials that survived, and with the recovery, the approximate original placement of masonry stone units.
Segregation and Storage of Fallen Stones from Primary Facade (Source: Father B. Brigoli, Archdiocese of Cebu)
At Daanbantyan, from Sunday March 15 to Tuesday March 17, 2026, ICOMOS/ICORP’s head Joselito H. Corpus, upon Board approval, activated members conservation structural Engineers Team Leader Mary Grace Casuncad and Joaquin Ramos and conservation architects Ronald Allan Mabunga, Jr. and Carmencita Solis as well as Ar. Vangie Ulila from University of San Carlos, representing CHERISH joined the effort. All documentation will be processed by conservation architect Timothy Augustus Ong, who is providing support for the effort from Manila.
Conservation Architects Ronald J. Magumba and Architect Carmen Solis are joined by a local architect from Daanbantayan (Source: Tabang Cebu Team)
Scaled drawings of Daanbantayan (Source: Tabang Cebu Team)
With the instruction of Ar. Timothy Augustus Ong, the team on the ground are employing technologies that provide an accurate depiction of the church; drones are being flown around the church with control points on the surfaces of the walls. Interiors are covered by dSLR cameras which yield high resolution photos and will be stitched together to form a complete picture of the interiors.
Partial Point Cloud of Daanbantayan Church with Ground Control Points Defined
This important phase of documentation will allow both teams to further study the building so that recommendations are based on evidence and will yield an initial cost estimate for the church’s reconstruction. Also out of this plan will come a timeline for stabilization and eventual reconstruction.
For this step in the restoration of the church, the conservation engineers and architects are documenting with drone footage and by dSLR the current conditions of the church in order to stabilize the structure and shore the damaged structural and architectural elements.
ICORP Philippines Activated (Source: Tabang Cebu Team)
ICOMOS/ICORP extends its sincere gratitude to Reverend Father Brigoli for his trust and confidence in the organization to assist in the recovery of St. Rose of Lima Parish Church, reflecting a shared commitment to safeguarding the cultural and spiritual heritage entrusted to this historic church and its community.
This effort by ICOMOS/ICORP is dedicated to the parishioners of Daanbantayan, whose faith and stewardship continue to sustain the heritage of their community. The mission was made possible through the support of ICOMOS/ICORP, including funds provided by ICORP to assist the team in undertaking the work. It was further made possible through the generosity and cooperation of Reverend Father Brian C. Brigoli, Chairman of the Archdiocesan Commission on Cultural Heritage of the Church of Cebu, who ensured that the team could travel to and remain near the site in order to carry out the work.
