Laoag: A Church official is hopeful that restoration works for the 300-year-old Santa Monica Parish Church here will begin this year. “Hopefully, the restoration will start after the rainy season,” Bishop Renato Mayugba of the Diocese of Laoag said in a media interview on Monday during the church’s tercentennial celebration.
According to Philippines News Agency, Mayugba and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), through its chairperson, Regalado Trota Jose, signed an agreement in June to restore the church, widely known as Sarrat Church. A PHP40-million fund has been secured from the NHCP for the initial repair of the church, a landmark of Filipino-Hispanic architecture in Ilocos Norte.
Due to a series of strong earthquakes that hit this northern province in 2024, several cracks were observed in various parts of the church. Following a review by structural engineers and the NHCP, it was agreed that the church be closed for public safety pending the repair of its roof and trusses and the strengthening of its brick walls.
Established on September 29, 1724, by Augustinian friars, the church has significantly shaped the spiritual life and culture of the people of the town. On Monday, hundreds of parishioners attended the Mass celebration presided by Mayugba outside the structure.
In his message for the tercentennial celebration, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. recognized the church’s role as a source of strength and transformation for residents not only of Sarrat but also of the entire Ilocos Region. He emphasized the parish’s historical importance and urged the community to continue embodying the values of light and hope.
Sarrat Mayor Ralph Conrad Medrano remarked that the celebration is another historic event for the people of Sarrat, honoring 300 years of devotion to Santa Monica while safeguarding its religious and cultural legacy for continuous growth of faith, tradition, and heritage.
Also on Monday, the Museo Parroquial de Santa Monica was unveiled to the public, showcasing the rich history of distinguished pastors, church vestments, and personal belongings of Ni±a Ruiz Abad, a teenage girl from Sarrat who is a candidate for sainthood.