Gwen willing to dialog with NMP

Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia has agreed to a dialog with the National Museum of the Philippines for the return of four panels depicting religious figures that had been donated to the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) last week to where these were taken from, the Patrocinio de Maria Santisima Boljoon church.

The Capitol said it has legal basis in fighting for what rightfully belongs to the Cebuanos, to Boljoon in particular, but the governor said in a press conference yesterday that they will start with a “meaningful and constructive not destructive (dialog)”.

“The way we do it over here, we always try to dialog… Diplomacy is always best so that we arrive at an acceptable agreement,” Governor Garcia said, adding that they will give the other party the chance to air their side.

She said the matter is something that is “intrinsic to the Cebuano heritage... Cebuano pride itself”.

These four panels are part of the panels that used to cover the pulpit of what was the Nuestra Senora del Patrocinio de Maria parish church, now the Patrocinio de Maria Santisima Boljoon church.

The church itself is one of the most significant historical landmarks in Boljoon. It was built in 1783 and is one of the oldest remaining stone churches in the country, second only to the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño in Cebu City. This has also been declared as a national cultural treasure by the NMP itself.

Capitol consultant on heritage and museums, Professor Jojo Bersales said that there are actually six panels on the said pulpit including the four that resurfaced after being donated by private collectors Edwin and Aileen Bautista to the NMP last February 14.

The other one which depicts Pope Leo the Great is in the possession of the Boljoon church while the last one is still missing.

Bersales said the panel that is in Boljoon plus a photo taken by the University of San Carlos Cebuano Studies Center back in 1985 also serves as proof that the four donated panels to the NMP are indeed part of the missing pieces of the pulpit.

Prior to the donation of the said panels to the NMP these were featured in a catalog by Salcedo auctions in September 2023. It was not mentioned where they came from, until last week’s turnover of the said panels to the NMP that led the people of Boljoon and the rest of Cebu’s plea to have them returned here.

In line with this plea, the 17-man Cebu Provincial Board approved en masse the resolution filed by Board Member Red Duterte requesting the NMP to return the four panels to Boljoon.

“In the interest of the Province of Cebu that these panels be returned to the rightful owners which are the people of Boljoon and the Boljoon church,” Duterte said in a speech during their session yesterday prior to the press conference. The LGU of Boljoon also has a similar resolution concerning this matter.

The Capitol also presented the legal side to support their position, but the governor hopes it can be settled in a dialog as she invited the NMP to come to Cebu, particularly to Boljoon.

“Dili nato i-diga tanan natong alas... If there is no need to quarrel, why do we have to? We always, always give the other party the benefit to be able to state their position. And let’s meet somewhere,” she said.