Preserving Oslob's heritage

Preserving Oslob's heritage

By MARS W. MOSQUEDA JR.

May 16, 2011, 12:13pm

Baluarte Built in 1788, the Baluarte was one of the seven watchtowers built along the coastline of Oslob. The locals also referred to the structure as watchtower.

MANILA, Philippines -- The southern town of Oslob, located 125 kilometers off Cebu City, is working doubly hard. As a heritage town, it is working to preserve its antique items and various heritage sites spread around the town to keep these from further destruction and to allow future generations to catch a glimpse of the town’s early settlers.

Oslob will soon have its own museum that will house various antique items, from 18th century gowns, 20th century jars, farm equipment, religious statues, and a lot more. The museum will be constructed within the Cuartel Heritage Park, just a few meters away from Oslob’s picturesque church.

The pronouncement on the construction of the town’s museum was made by Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, who officially unveiled the design of the facility as part of Oslob’s celebration of Heritage Week, the only town in Cebu that celebrates such occasion.

“As one of the heritage frontiers in Southern Cebu, Oslob is the only town that celebrates its heritage through the park,” said Oslob Mayor Ronald Guaren. The mayor considers the celebration, now on its third year, as a way of developing the love and pride for its rich history dating back to the Spanish era.

Guaren said the museum can help them preserve their history and instill pride among their residents. With the museum, the town can better keep its collection, he said.

During the Heritage Week, booths were set-up in the park, showcasing the various heritage items of each barangay, including an 18th century mourning gown, Maria Clara gowns, jars from the 20th century called tibod, a radio phonograph from the 1950s, a grandfather's clock, and some farm equipment.

Nueva Caseres Barangay Captain Nenita Filosofo displayed the silver gown of her relative worn during a wedding anniversary in 1925. She said they have a small museum in their barangay where they store the items. A 16th century yahong (bowl) was also displayed in her booth.

In her speech, Garcia said Oslob’s heritage items and historical landmarks like the cuartel, an unfinished naval barracks, are irreplaceable and emphasized the importance of protecting them as “our very soul.”

The Spanish cuartel is now an outdoor museum, after the Capitol developed it. The operations and management of the project will be undertaken by the municipality of Oslob, which signed a memorandum of agreement with the Provincial Government.

The Spanish cuartel, built in 1899, served as the barracks of the Spanish armies and was built from coral stones from the remnants of the collapsed floor of the church bell tower.

Another interesting heritage site is the Baluarte, which was built in 1788. It was one of the seven watchtowers built along the coastline of Oslob.  Just across is the 182-year-old Oslob church, which was reconstructed two years ago after a fire in 2008 destroyed majority of the structure and the nearby convent.

A few meters away from the church is the Prayer Room that was built in 1847. It was also called the “waiting chapel” during the Spanish Era as it was used to house those who had leprosy and were awaiting blessings from the church.

The Provincial Government has been assisting municipalities and cities around Cebu in putting up their own heritage parks, beginning with the Oslob Cuartel and Heritage Park. Next week, the Moalboal Heritage Park will be formally opened to the public, to be followed by the heritage parks  of Alegria, Dumanjug, Boljoon, Borbon, and Sogod.

“These are all efforts towards all of us Cebuanos embracing and appreciating our heritage and culture,” said Garcia.

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