The United States Embassy, the local government units of Siquijor and Lazi, the National Museum, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, have unveiled the newly-restored and renovated main altar and two pulpits of the San Isidro Labrador Church in Lazi, Siquijor.

The Embassy released $15,000 for the conservation and restoration project, a press release from the Philippine Information Agency said.

Siquijor Gov. Orlando Fua Jr. described Lazi as the “heritage center” of the island province, in the unveiling rite held recently.

Present in the event were Lazi Mayor Orpheous Fua, National Museum associate director Cecilio Salcedo, Archbishop Onesimo Gordoncillo, and a representative from the NCCA, the press release also said.

The Church of San Isidro was built in the latter half of the 19th century under the Augustinian Recollects. It boasts of two pulpits, original wooden statuary and high reliefs and intricate wooden flooring.

The church and the nearby convent were declared as National Cultural Treasures of the National Museum pursuant to Presidential Decree 374, due to their religious, historical and architectural importance, not only to the province but to the Philippines, the press release said.

The church complex is also listed in the Baroque Churches of the Philippines, and was submitted by the NCCA to the United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as candidate for World Heritage Site classification, the press release added.*

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