CEBU CITY – The National Museum of the Philippines assured that the four pulpit panels that resurfaced after decades of being missing will be returned to its rightful owner, the Archdiocese of Cebu.

THE pulpit panels of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santisima in Boljoon, Cebu are displayed during the unveiling of the National Museum of Fine Arts last February. (NMP)

Jeremy Barns, NMP director, gave this assurance during the recent ceremonial unveiling of National Artist Kidlat Tahimik’s installation at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA).
“We will keep our word,” said Barns.

During her State-of-the-Province Address last August 20, Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia called out NMP for being mum on the panels’ return.

“We do hope that they will stand by their word that these panels be returned to the Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santisima Church, considered a national cultural treasure,” Garcia said.

Barns assured the panels will be returned to the church although it may take months for the move to be realized as the four panels will have to be restored to its original state first.

The restoration of the panels which depict Saint Augustine of Hippo will begin this October and may be completed in 12 weeks, Barns said.

The NMP also plans to restore the entire Archdiocesan Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santissima which holds a National Cultural Treasure status.

A P30-million budget has been requested for the restoration of the centuries-old church, said Barns.

The national government is also planning to hold a fiesta-like homecoming for the panels, Barns said.

“Well, so a lot of things are happening and it's all moving in the direction na ma-return ‘yung panels (that the panels will be returned),” he said.

The panels had been missing for years but resurfaced last February when the NMP announced that they would be part of the latest collection for the National Museum of Fine Arts.

The Archdiocese of Cebu asked the national government to have the panels returned to Boljoon.