Davao Oriental rectory damaged by quakes to be demolished
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / May 7 2026) — The three-story rectory of the San Ignacio de Loyola Parish in Manay, Davao Oriental, which was severely damaged by the “doublet quake” in October last year, will soon be demolished, a parish official confirmed Thursday.
In a message to MindaNews, parish coordinator Berogene V. Padada said demolition works will begin once the necessary documents are completed and fuel prices decline amid the ongoing crisis.
“Not now because crude oil is still expensive. Once prices go down, that’s when we can start the demolition,” he said in the vernacular. He added that demolition equipment from the provincial government is already prepared.
In the morning of October 10 last year, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off the coast of the municipality of Manay. Hundreds of aftershocks were recorded that day, but a magnitude 6.8 quake in the early evening stood out.
The decision to demolish the rectory came after engineers convened on January 30 at the Clergy House in Mati City to discuss whether the structure could still be retrofitted or if demolition was the safer option.
Engr. Prisco Jr. F. Balaba, officer-in-charge of the Municipal Engineering Office (MEO), recommended in January the demolition of the building because the rectory has remained unsafe for occupancy since the October 10 earthquakes.
“If we retrofit the rectory, it’s a huge labor. It’s like reconstructing because there is a major structural damage,” he said.
The building, built through bayanihan starting in October 2020, has been cordoned off since the second week of April, signaling that demolition may begin soon.
Although still unfinished, the building has been used by the parish for meetings, choir practices, and temporary lodging for visiting church workers. The parish had planned to complete the building but the October earthquakes halted construction.
With the parish set to celebrate its fiesta on May 16, Padada said a presbyterium meeting is scheduled on May 12, where church officials are expected to finalize the demolition timetable.
Padada admitted that many parishioners were saddened by the decision.
“Many felt disheartened and regretful because what had been built through years of sacrifice would eventually be lost,” he added.
Parishioner Rose Caumanday, a resident of Barangay Guza, said in an interview in January that she remembers helping carry construction materials and preparing meals for the workers.
“We all wanted to see it finished,” Caumanday said in vernacular.
The rectory reportedly cost around ₱13 to ₱15 million to build, funded through contributions from parishioners and donors.
Late Wednesday evening, the province was again shaken by a magnitude 5.9 earthquake. Despite the tremor, Padada said the building remains intact.
“The plan is to clear the area so it will be safer in case another earthquake strikes,” he said. (Razl EJ Teman / MindaNews)
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