PAPAL NUNCIO TO THE PHILIPPINES TO
INVESTIGATE TANDAG CITY CATHEDRAL CONSTRUCTION IRREGULARITIES
TAFT AVE, MANILA – Acting on mounting
complaints received by Archbishop Giuseppe Pinto, Papal Nuncio to the
Philippines, a Committee of Peers was organized to investigate the alleged
irregularities on the construction of the new cathedral in Tandag City located
in the province of Surigao del Sur.
The construction of the new cathedral
started in 2014 but until now it is not yet completed. Estimates by several reputable
engineering firms put the physical accomplishment at around 30% only.
In 2013, Bishop Nereo Odchimar of the
Tandag Diocese raised concerns on the structural integrity of the San Nicolas
Cathedral, the old church, when Bohol was devastated by the 7.2 earthquake that
left several heritage churches in ruins.
Odchimar explained that they opted to
build a new cathedral because retrofitting the old one is more expensive than
building a new one.
As early as four years before 2013,
Odchimar was already warned by site inspectors that the cathedral structure is
already weakened and might collapse in the event of a strong quake. Site
inspection reveals cracks in the pillars.
Sources close to the church reveal
that construction is supposed to be finished on October 2014 depending on the
funds collected from sponsors and church benefactors that amounted to 200
million. Other sources reveal that close to 400 million was already collected. The
new cathedral is seated in a 1.3 hectare lot with a total sitting capacity of
1,000.
The Apostolic Nuciature to the
Philippines is a top level diplomatic mission assigned by the Holy See to the
Philippines. It is housed at 2140 Taft Ave., Malate, Manila. It is headed by
Papal Nuncio Archbishop Guiseppe Pinto.
Diplomatically, an Apostolic Nuncio
is equivalent to an ambassador and often carries the ecclesial title of
archbishop. The nuncio works closely with the Archdiocese of Manila and is by
custom the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps.
