Statement of the Problem
The St. Anthony de Abbot Parish Church in Carmen, Bohol is already 148 years old.
The structures have undergone restoration due to natural disaster and deteriorations.
Some architectural parts of the structure are damaged and being altered. The history
and architectural features of St. Anthony de Abbot Parish Church were not thoroughly
documented and important documents such as technical plans and historical records
were not preserved.
Scope and Limitation:
The history, floor plan, repairs, restorations, architectural details, materials and
photographs of St. Anthony de Abbot Parish Church in Carmen, Bohol are the only
concern of this documentation. It concerns on what is in the past, what has been lost
through time and present condition of the church.
The documentation will be limited concerning structural, mechanical, plumbing and
financial aspects of St. Anthony de Abbot Parish Church.
Significance of the Study
The study is believed to be beneficial to the public. It will lead the residents of Carmen,
the tourists and the Boholanos to increase their knowledge and understanding about the
origin and existing condition of St. Anthony de Abbot Parish Church. It will serve as a
basis to the government leaders to conduct minor or major assessment when they want
some developments of the church. It would show the richness of Bohol’s built heritage.
It would help the Architects, Engineers, and other allied professionals when they need
some essential information and data in preserving the structure. The process in
conducting the research is an opportunity for the researchers to apply their knowledge,
enhance their skills and gain learnings. This research would be a great help to the
future researchers as it would serve as their reference for a same kind of study.
Objectives:
To document the history of St. Anthony de Abbot Parish Church
To document existing plans of the church
To document the repairs and restoration of the church
To document the materials used in the church
Introduction
The church buildings are a living cultural heritage which has been continuously used
throughout the centuries, and is still in use for its original purpose. This is also a cultural
heritage which is accessible for everyone, regardless of religious affiliation, age, sex
and citizenship. Everyone is able to experience the church buildings and their interiors
as historical monuments, take part in appreciation of art and architecture, and seek a
moment of peace and tranquillity. Church archives are open to all. It is of great
importance that this common cultural heritage is preserved for future generations
The documentation is significant in our cultural heritage. It seeks to provide essential
information to the public in order to be aware and be knowledgeable about the
significance of our rich built heritage. In terms of preservation, it will serve as the
concrete basis for further research and for reconstruction if ever the structure will be
destroyed by natural disasters.
Theoretical
“When, as the result of decay or destruction, restoration appears to be indispensable, it
recommends that the historic and artistic work of the past should be respected, without
excluding the style of any given period.
-The Athens Charter (1931)
the restoration of a ‘work of art’ needs the identification of its specific aesthetic, historic,
and ‘claims’.
- Cesare Brandi (1930)
“The conservation of monuments is always facilitated by making use of them for some
socially useful purpose.”
- The Venice Charter (1964)
“Cultural significance is an aesthetic, historic, scientific, social or spiritual value for past,
present or future generations.”
-The Burra Charter, (1999)
A people without the knowledge of their history, origin, and culture is like a tree without
roots.
-Marcus Garvey
National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009
- (Republic Act. No. 10066)
The law Creating the National Commission for Culture and Arts
- (Republic Act. No. 7366)
Strengthening Peoples’ Nationalism through the Philippine History Act
- (Republic Act. No.10086)
HISTORY
During the time of Spanish colonization, Bilar was the matriz of the church of Carmen.
Carmen became a separate parish on September 9, 1874 by virtue of the Superior
Approval on February 1, 1874 and was under the administration of the Augustinian
Recollects until 1898. The town was established earlier in 1868. Previously called
Ymbaya, its name is derived either from Nuestra Señora del Carmen (Our Lady of
Carmen) or from a name of one of its townsfolk.
The church sustained damages when an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 struck
Cebu and Bohol on October 15, 2013.
Carmen church used to be made of wood, and another was built beginning in 1887 and
completed in the 1890s. Although much of the present-day church was built in the
1920s, remnants of the Spanish-era structure may have survived such as the coral
stone at the base of the facade and some walls according to Relagado Trota Jose.
Cultural significance is an aesthetic, historic, scientific, social or spiritual value for past,
present or future generations (The Burra Charter, 1999). This states that culture plays
an important role in the past, present and future generations. Thus conducting
documentations will help preserve its significance. With this, the researchers made use
of this fundamental theories in order to have a proper documentation of St. Anthony de
Abbot Parish Church.
Republic Act. No. 10066 also known as the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, aims
to provide for the protection, preservation, and promotion of the nation’s cultural
heritage.
R.A. NO. 10066, Section 5 states that Cultural Property Considered Important Cultural
Property for purposes of protecting a cultural property against exportation, modification
or demolition, the following works shall be considered important cultural property, unless
declared otherwise by the pertinent cultural agency and National Historical Institute.
Republic Act. No. 7356, also known as the Law creating the National Commission for
Culture and Arts, is an act creating the National Commission for Culture and Arts,
establishing national endorsement fund for culture and the arts and for other purposes.
Section 7. Preservation of the Filipino heritage states that the duty of every
citizen to preserve and conserve the Filipino historical and cultural heritage and
resources. According to Garvey (1938), a people without the knowledge of their history,
origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.
Republic Act. No. 10086, also known as the Strengthening Peoples’ Nationalism
through Philippine History act, is an act of strengthening peoples’ nationalism through
Philippine history by changing the nomenclature of the National Historical Institute into
the National Commission of the Philippines, strengthening its powers and functions, and
for other purposes.
Section 2. Declaration of Policy. –It is hereby declared to be the policy of the
State to conserve, promote and popularize the nation’s historical and cultural heritage
and resources. Pursuant to the constitution, all the country’s artistic and historic wealth
constitutes the cultural treasure of the nation and shall be under the protection of the
State which may regulate its disposition.
“When, as the result of decay or destruction, restoration appears to be indispensable, it
recommends that the historic and artistic work of the past should be respected, without
excluding the style of any given period (The Athens Charter, 1931).”This theory states
that time and nature can destroy historic structures but it is recommended to maintain
and preserve the historical form of the structure and it should be used for a purpose
which respects their historic or artistic character. So, documentation is very important to
preserve its history and significance.
