Controversial pulpit panels to return to Boljoon this March

The National Museum of the Philippines received a series of early 19th-century panels depicting the founder of the Augustinian Order as a gift from private collectors on Feb. 13. The panels came from the pulpit of the Patrocinio de Maria Santisima Parish Church in Boljoon, Cebu. Leaders of the Archdiocese of Cebu and the provincial government, however, asked the National Museum to return the panels, said to be stolen and lost for four decades, to the church. (NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES)

CEBU CITY, Philippines – The controversial pulpit panels of a centuries-old, heritage church in Boljoon town, southern Cebu will return home soon.

This after the Cebu Provincial government announced that the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) will turnover the panels to the church this March.

According to Sugbo News, the Capitol’s media arm, the NMP promised to have the four pulpit panels back at their home – the Archdiocesan Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santisima in Boljoon.

Interestingly, this development came just days after Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia threatened to sue NMP, including its director Jeremy Barns.

It can be recalled that the province accused national government officials for apparently ignoring their pleas to have the panels returned to Boljoon as soon as possible.

They also hit the NMP for ‘unilaterally’ deciding to have the restoration works in the capital Metro Manila, and without coordination from experts in Cebu.

The controversy over the Boljoon pulpit panels, depicting Saint Augustine of Hippo, first rose when the NMP unveiled them as their newest collecting during a turnover ceremony in 2024.

However, Cebuano historians and experts quickly pointed out that the ‘latest collection of historic pulpit panels’ at the National Museum turned out to be the missing pulpit panels of the Archdiocesan Shrine of Patrocinio de Maria Santisima in Boljoon town, southern Cebu.

Missing for several decades, many – including the Roman Catholic church and local authorities – believed that the panels were stolen and eventually ended up in the black market.

Garcia has since asserted that the rightful owners of the panels were the Archdiocese of Cebu, thus they should be returned immediately to the church in Boljoon.

Read Next