Lapu-Lapu City to Restore Muelle Osmeña
Photo Credit: Junard "Ahong" Chan Facebook Page
Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard “Ahong” Chan has announced plans to restore the century-old Muelle Osmeña, one of Cebu’s historic sites.
The Muelle Osmeña is a coral-stone lighthouse built at the city center in 1910. It was later named after President Sergio Osmeña Sr., a Cebuano politician. Muelle is a Spanish term for wharf.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the site was among the stops for Cebu’s yearly Kabilin sa Sugbo, a tour of Metro Cebu’s heritage sites. However, the old lighthouse was neglected and used as a storage area for carton boxes, LPG cylinders and others. It was originally white in color, but was later painted blue.
Chan said he already ordered the site cleaned and had whatever was stored there removed.
“Paganiha, atong gibisita ang maong historical site para personal nga makita ang aktwal nga kondisyon niini. Atong nasuta nga tungod sa kadugayon, aduna nay mga parte nga naguba na o ang mga bato nga gama sa corals kay nadeform na o basin natandog kini human sa mga nahitabong mga linog sa atong syudad. Dili na pod nga maayo tan-awon ang maong istraktura tungod sa iyang pintal,” the mayor said.
(Earlier, we visited this historical site to personally see its actual condition. And we learned that over the years, there are parts of the structure with weak coral stones, which will likely fall apart during quakes. The present paint is also not good to look at.)
Chan said he has already directed the Lapu-Lapu City Tourism Cultural & Historical Affairs Commission to start the restoration process. The commission will also seek the advice of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines on how they can protect this historic site in the future.
The Muelle Osmeña is a coral-stone lighthouse built at the city center in 1910. It was later named after President Sergio Osmeña Sr., a Cebuano politician. Muelle is a Spanish term for wharf.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the site was among the stops for Cebu’s yearly Kabilin sa Sugbo, a tour of Metro Cebu’s heritage sites. However, the old lighthouse was neglected and used as a storage area for carton boxes, LPG cylinders and others. It was originally white in color, but was later painted blue.
Chan said he already ordered the site cleaned and had whatever was stored there removed.
“Paganiha, atong gibisita ang maong historical site para personal nga makita ang aktwal nga kondisyon niini. Atong nasuta nga tungod sa kadugayon, aduna nay mga parte nga naguba na o ang mga bato nga gama sa corals kay nadeform na o basin natandog kini human sa mga nahitabong mga linog sa atong syudad. Dili na pod nga maayo tan-awon ang maong istraktura tungod sa iyang pintal,” the mayor said.
(Earlier, we visited this historical site to personally see its actual condition. And we learned that over the years, there are parts of the structure with weak coral stones, which will likely fall apart during quakes. The present paint is also not good to look at.)
Chan said he has already directed the Lapu-Lapu City Tourism Cultural & Historical Affairs Commission to start the restoration process. The commission will also seek the advice of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines on how they can protect this historic site in the future.