At around 3 a.m. last Wednesday, I was awaken by a text message saying a blaze had hit our parish church. To verify the news, I sent the information to a radio station and asked them to call Oslob Police Station. Few minutes later, they placed on air the police station desk officer confirming the information.
The news shocked me and all Oslobanons that morning. Its so sad to hear a valuable landmark, a piece of history in our town, a manifestation of how religious Oslobanons are, gone. Of course, Oslobanons can rebuild the church anytime but it would be different. I mean, it will not be the same 160 year old church.. the memories can never be restored.
When I was a kid, my grandmother who was a catechist always brought me to their meetings on Sundays held at the second floor of the convent. I used to play and run around every corner of the convent while their weekly meeting is going on. Oh well, I was a kid then. When I was in high school, me and my classmates used to stay under the shades ot the kalachuchi trees at the church’s facade to read our notes. Somehow, those gave me attachment with the church.
I took this picture last August 2007.
These are now what remained of our church.
An angry fellow Oslobanon and neighbor asked me yesterday who to blame on what had happened. My answer is, I dont know.
It was an unfortunate fire which could have been put off at its earlier stage if not because of the..
..incompetence of the Oslob fire station.
..inaction of the Bureau of Fire Protection and Oslob LGU on the fire station’s request to fix the firetruck.
..deception by the Provincial Government who donated the firetruck as “brandnew” kuno and eventually become unusable in barely two years time.
Monsignor Dakay nailed it right on the head;
“Mao na ilang suroy-suroyon, ang kahimtang sa lungsod, dili kanang idalit nga lechon og pagkaon. Dako ni nga tamparos sa mga opisyales (That’s what they should visit and explore, the situation in the towns, not the lechon and other food offered to them. This is a slap on the officials’ faces),” the monsignor said, alluding to a tourism promotion program of the Provincial Government.
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2008/03/27/news/fire.destroys.oslob.church.convent.html
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: oslob, fire, Immaculate Conception Parish Church, church fire, cebu
It saddens me to see our wonderful 160 year old church and convent burned to the ground. This was build by hand by our Oslobanon ancestors with the guidance of the Spanish. It was especially depressing the see the convent as it was all original since it was not burned during the 1955 fire. I too spent a lot of time under the convent when I was in 1st and 2nd year of high school at St Marry’s. The last time I was there to see the church was July 2006. Now its time to stop the blame game as it can not bring the past. Let us all Oslobanons pull together and gather the funds to rebuild our church.