Historical Background
The Cebu Archdiocesan Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church (CACCHC) was canonically established on July 2, 2002 spearheaded by the late Rev. Fr. Carlito Pono as the director until May 2014, under the bishopric of the late His Eminence Ricardo J. Cardinal Vidal the Archbishop of Cebu. The Commission is the concrete response to the directives of the Holy See especially as contained in the Circular Letter Opera Artis of April 1971 and in the spirit of the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II) and in conformity with the Sacred Canons. To date, the Commission is headed by Rev. Fr. Brian C. Brigoli.
Mandate
The Commission has its mandate to supervise all the conservation, restoration, preservation initiatives of all heritage parochial churches and their adjunct structures and their holdings therein. It was canonically created to monitor the proper application of heritage conservation laws of the Church as well as their civil effects.
These are the objectives of the Commission as guiding principles for all its engagements.
- Shall promote the cultural heritage of the Church as an invaluable aid to evangelization and catechesis.
- Shall foment research and understanding of the ecclesiastical cultural heritage.
- Shall serve as a consultative Body on the scientific conservation of cultural ecclesiastical goods.
- Shall initiate and sustain collaboration between Government and/or civic agencies involved in the care, conservation and appreciation of the cultural heritage of the Church.
- Shall act as official liaison with the CBCP Episcopal Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church.
- Shall undertake projects in different Parishes upon invitation or authorization of and collaboration with the Parish Priests and the Team of Pastors concerned.
- Shall recommend Accredited Contractors of the Commission to undertake projects in the Parishes upon the authorization of the Parish Priests and the Team of Pastors concerned in collaboration with the Commission.
Linkages
The Commission is involved in the network of both public and private institutions which are committed to the protection and enhancement of the cultural heritage of all its diversity.
The Commission is in coordination with the CBCP Episcopal Commission for the Cultural Heritage of the Church at present headed by the Commission Chair His Excellency Most. Rev. Julito B. Cortes, D.D., Bishop of Dumaguete.
The Commission has linkages with academic institutions such as the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas in Manila its Center for the Conservation of Cultural Properties and Environment in the Tropics (CCCPET), with the University of San Carlos, Cebu City its Conservation and Heritage Research Institute and Workshop Studio (CHERISH) and its School of Architecture, Fine Arts and Design (SAFAD).
From the government institutions, the Commission is in coordination with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the National Museum (NM).
For local networks, the Commission has a working relation with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation (RAFI) which drafted a roster of programmes for heritage protection. RAFI and the Commission are also partners in the aspect of Museum Administration due to the yearly event of the “Gabii sa Kabilin”. This is in keeping with the culmination event of the Heritage Month of May where all the participating museums will open until midnight showcasing museums’ special exhibits and activities.
The Commission actively participates in the cultural life of the city and province of Cebu and works harmoniously with the city and the provincial governments in the protection of the heritage ensembles of the church as well as in the heritage tourism aspect.
Contact Us:
Office: Archdiocesan Museum of Cebu, Corner Mabini and P. Gomez Sts., Cebu City
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CebuArchdiocesanHeritageCommission
Telephone Number: (032) 341-3173; 0918 919 5539; 0943 810 8935