Century-old church suffers heavy damage in Cebu earthquake

• The Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima, a more than century-old church in Daanbantayan, Cebu, was heavily damaged after a Magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the province on Tuesday night
• Parts of the church’s facade collapsed, with the shrine confirming in a Facebook post that the structure suffered a "partial collapse"
• In a follow-up statement, the shrine appealed for prayers for affected communities and noted the state of calamity in Daanbantayan
• As a safety measure, all masses and liturgical services at the shrine have been suspended until further notice

The Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima, a more than century-old church in Cebu, sustained severe damage after a powerful Magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the province on Tuesday night.

The heritage structure, located in Daanbantayan, was among the most affected, with parts of its facade collapsing due to the tremor.

In a Facebook post, the shrine confirmed the extent of the damage, stating a "partial collapse."

The post read: “Earthquake alert! | We are saddened to inform everyone that our Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima has partially collapsed!”

The Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima is one of Cebu’s most treasured heritage landmarks, built more than a hundred years ago. Known for its intricate facade and cultural significance, the church has been a center of Catholic devotion in the town of Daanbantayan and nearby municipalities. Its partial destruction has caused deep concern among parishioners and heritage advocates alike.

In a follow-up statement, the shrine appealed for prayers for the affected communities and highlighted the gravity of the situation.

“We humbly implore everyone in the entire Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cebu and the rest of the Philippines to please pray for all of us in Daanbantayan, Medellin, Bogo City, and San Remigio. As 6.3 magnitude earthquake stuck us just east of Daanbantayan and Medellin. Our church—the Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima, a heritage landmark—partially collapsed especially in the facade area, a very well preserved heritage landmark. We are in a state of calamity especially in Daanbantayan.”

As a precaution, the shrine announced that all masses and liturgical services have been canceled until further notice.

News, photos, or videos that arouse the interest of netizens would often go viral on social media, due to the attention netizens give them. These viral posts appeal to the emotions of netizens, and in rare cases, this could also happen to ordinary people, making them very relatable.

In a previous report, father and son fishermen in Tuburan, Cebu, went missing during severe tropical storm “Opong” on Sept. 26. Marcelino Suelto, 69, and son Joselito, 49, left home at 5 a.m. to fish despite storm warnings. Search operations were suspended due to bad weather but resumed the next day. Marcelino’s body was recovered at 6:47 a.m. and Joselito’s at 7:18 a.m. on Sept. 27.

In other news, the CIDG-NCR raided a condominium unit in Mandaluyong City, uncovering a major scam hub run by a Malaysian and 14 Filipinos. The syndicate employed Artificial Intelligence (AI), including deep-fake technology, to create realistic female avatars for love and investment scams. The scammers specialized in love and investment fraud and were linked to a large organized crime syndicate operating out of Cambodia. Arrested suspects face charges for violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act, while the Malaysian manager is also detained for expired travel documents.

Source: KAMI.com.gh