Dadami lalo turista: House OKs declaration of Baclaran Church as heritage site

By Billy Begas

The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure declaring the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help popularly known as Baclaran Church as a heritage site and tourist destination.

House Bill 8988 tasked the Department of Tourism (DOT) to coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and other concerned agencies to prepare a development plan within one year from the enactment of the measure.

Parañaque Rep. Eric Olivarez, author of the measure said the National Shrine of Perpetual Help is one of the largest Marian churches in the Philippines.

“Thousands of devotees flood the church every Wednesday to attend Mass and pray the Novena of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. This tradition of Wednesday worship by the devotees of the Mother of Perpetual Help made popular the term Baclaran Day in Metro Manila,” said Olivarez.

He said it is essential that government take the necessary steps or programs to conserve and preserve this important cultural site, and protect and secure the thousands of pilgrims and tourists flocking to Baclaran Church.

The Shrine celebrates the annual feast day of the Icon of Our lady of Perpetual Help every 27th of June, drawing more pilgrims and devotees to throng the church.

Since the feast of the Immaculate Concepcion in 1958, the Shrine has been authorized by the Holy See to remain open 24 hours a day throughout the entire year.

The Shrine was blessed by Pope John Paul II during his first Apostolic Visit to Metro Manila in 1981.

The present modern Romanesque church is the third to be built on the same site since the second church was burned during the Japanese occupation.

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)