300-year-old pulpit in Maragondon church collapsed; assessment underway

The Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion parish church in Maragondon, Cavite has announced that its 300-year-old pulpit collapsed on  Friday, December 12, 2025, according to a statement posted on social media.

The parish priest immediately informed Imus Bishop Reynaldo G. Evangelista while the Parish Lay Coordinator reached out to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the local government of maragondon and the Ministry on Cultural Heritage of the Church of the diocese.

The area was secured immediately to avoid further damage while fragments of the pulpit was collected and secured at the parish baptistry.

Several groups visited the church to conduct and inspection and assessment on the damaged pulpit.

According to the investigation conducted by the NCCA, the collapse was caused by internal structural failure of the old support inside the Tornavoz (Sound Bar).

The NCCA, through Architect Frances Quito confirmed the need for immediate action and that the wood panels that were recovered are in good condition.

The Maragondon Tourism office also inspected the site on Friday afternoon.

On Sunday, Ministry on Cultural Heritage of the Church coordinator Bryan Ferrer visited the church for the ministry's cooperation in the restoration work.

On Monday, NCCA Specialist Conservation Expert sila, Dr. Cheek Fadriquela, PhD., Wood Conservation Specialist and Research Associate, and Arch. Roy de Guzman ng RDG Ecclesiastical Architecture started a detailed assessment of the damaged pulpit.

"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," church officials said in the same statement.

(We ask for your continued prayers. We assure you that we will do everything in accordance with the highest conservation standards to restore our historic Pulpit to its former glory.) — BAP, GMA Integrated News