Government and cultural heritage officials are calling for a collective effort to protect and preserve the newly restored Dumaguete Bell Tower, one of the city’s most important historical landmarks.

The appeal came during the formal turnover of the bell tower to the Diocese of Dumaguete on Monday night, after nearly two years of restoration funded with PHP15 million from the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP).

The event also marked the unveiling of a bronze marker recognizing the structure as an Important Cultural Property.

National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Deputy Executive Director Bernan Joseph Corpuz said the bell tower should be safeguarded for future generations through the cooperation of the Church, local government, heritage advocates, stakeholders and the community.

He noted that Dumaguete has shown a strong commitment to preserving its cultural heritage and stressed that the bell tower is not only a treasure of the city but also part of the country’s heritage.

“Dumaguete has distinguished itself as a place that values its culture and history, not only through the preservation of significant cultural artifacts and heritage structures, but also through the commitment of its people to understanding and passing on the stories these treasures carry,” Corpuz said.

Corpuz added that the landmark can further boost Dumaguete’s cultural tourism and contribute to its socio-economic development.

In his acceptance speech, Bishop Julito Cortes of the Diocese of Dumaguete said the edifice’s restoration “is not simply the repair of stone and structure but the careful guiding of identity and the unfolding history of our people.”

He said the bell tower has stood as a witness to generations of Dumagueteños and remains a symbol of faith and community.

NMP Deputy Director General Arvin Manuel Galon said nearly 200-year-old structure is the only remaining watchtower of the three that once stood in Dumaguete during the Spanish colonial period.

Built in 1811, the bell tower is the oldest surviving structure in the city. It originally served as both a watchtower and a bell tower for the nearby cathedral, and helped protect coastal communities from raiders during the Spanish colonial period.

Meanwhile, Msgr. Julius Perpetuo Heruela, chairperson of the Diocesan Commission on Church Cultural Heritage, said the Diocese of Dumaguete and the city government will formulate management and conservation guidelines for the bell tower through a memorandum of agreement.

The turnover ceremony also featured the signing of a certificate of turnover by representatives of the NMP, NCCA, the diocese and the city government. (PNA)