On Friday, December 12, 2025, the 300-year-old pulpit of the Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion in Maragondon, Cavite, collapsed.
The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has designated the Pulpit as a National Cultural Treasure, according to the parish’s official Facebook page post.
On the day of the fatal incident, an NCCA investigation found that “internal structural failure of the old support inside the Tornavoz (Sound Bar),” was the cause of the collapse.
‘Agad na sinigurado ang lugar upang maiwasan ang anumang pinsala. Maingat na inipon ang lahat ng mga fragment ng Pulpito at kasalukuyan itong nakaseguro at nakamonitor sa Parish Baptistry,’ the church said in an official statement.
Arch and Dr. Cheek Fadriquela, PhD, Wood Conservation Specialist & Research Associate, will meet on Monday, December 15. Roy de Guzman, an NCCA Specialist Conservation Expert from RDG Ecclesiastical Architecture, arrived to start a detailed assessment.
In a statement, the church added, ‘Hinihiling po namin ang inyong patuloy na panalangin. Tinitiyak po namin na gagawin natin ang lahat alinsunod sa highest conservation standards para maibalik ang ating makasaysayang Pulpito sa dati nitong karangalan.’
According to John Lester Malimban, the administrator of Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion’s Facebook page, the church is still serving the community in spite of the tragedy. He claimed that they actually celebrated a mass for the first day of the customary Simbang Gabi this Tuesday, December 16, as well as an anticipated Mass on Monday night, December 15.
Church authorities said efforts are underway to salvage and restore as much of the original material as possible. Pieces of the pulpit have been secured, and discussions are ongoing with the national cultural agency regarding restoration funding.
The collapse has reignited calls for stronger government and private-sector support to maintain aging historical structures across the country. Preservation advocates stress that without proper resources, more heritage sites may face similar risks.
For now, the church remains open to the public, though certain sections have been cordoned off pending safety inspections.
