MAÑOSA FAMILY CLARIFIES 1970S CONSERVATION OF LAS PIÑAS CHURCH

We, the family of National Artist Francisco T. Mañosa, write this letter to set the record straight regarding some erroneous information published in the Inquirer. The article (“International Bamboo Organ Festival Pays Tribute to Mañosa, Renovator of Las Piñas Church,” 2/25/19) mentions that our father caused the “removal of the plaster” on the walls of Las Piñas Bamboo Organ Church of St. Joseph during the restoration/renovation work he did with Fr. Mark Lesage in 1972.

As stated, the plaster had already been removed during a renovation done by no less than the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) in 1962, in which they cemented the walls. By the time Father Lesage called on architect Mañosa to professionally help him position the altar that needed to face the people, Mañosa found the church looking like a “bodega,” with wet walls and musty odor, which was caused by the cemented walls that did not allow the walls to breathe.

They first tested removal of the cement in a small area and found the adobe walls wet and crumbling, which made them decide to remove the cement. St. Joseph Church of Las Piñas was built on adobe foundation, and as it was situated very close to the sea, water would seep through the walls—especially during the rainy season—and would cause “weeping” of the walls as the moisture could not evaporate after it had been encased in cement. This caused the adobe to crumble.

To protect the adobe walls after removal of the cement, a water sealant from Belgium called “Barrier” was applied on the walls (at that time there was no such product available in the Philippines). During all the years of the restoration/renovation of the church from 19721975, NHCP was aware of the works being undertaken, which had their approval.

We became aware only much later that architect Mañosa was being blamed by some conservation groups for setting the precedent for other churches in the Philippines to remove the plaster on their walls. In fairness to architect Mañosa, none of the parish priests of those churches ever consulted him, so he was not aware at that time of their particular situation to give them proper advice. And neither was it fair that his critics never confronted him about the matter so he could have had the opportunity to defend his decision on how he handled the problem at the Las Piñas church.

We hope that this can once and for all set the record straight that it was not architect Mañosa who “removed the plaster” during the 1972-1975 renovation, but that it was the NHCP that did so in their 1962 renovation of the church; that neither architect Mañosa nor Fr. Mark Lesage were involved.