RECEIVED

Republic of the Philippines

House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Twentieth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 2016

Introduced by MA. RENE ANN LOURDES G. MATIBAG

AN ACT DECLARING THE MIRACULOUS IMAGE OF JESUS, LOCALLY KNOWN
AS “LOLO UWENG”, LOCATED INSIDE THE SANTO SEPULCRO PARISH IN SAN
PEDRO CITY, PROVINCE OF LAGUNA, A NATIONAL CULTURAL TREASURE AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

During the era of Spanish colonization, the Spaniard build churches in town centers
called poblacién, which operated both as the seat of local political and religious power. However,
aside from poblacién,natives build improvised places of worship outside of the town center.
Which they called the visita,

In Barangay Landayan, City of San Pedro, Laguna, one such visita exists, dating back to
the 1700s. This visita became the subject of popular veneration. It was fondly given the name
“Lolo Uweng” derived from the name Emmanuel.

During the American Occupation, the visita remained intact and became a hiding place
for women from the Japanese soldiers. After the Liberation, the cogon church was eventually
replaces by a concrete structure, and on September 29, 1969, Fr. Pedro N. Bantigue erected the
parish, first dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, but later became Santo Sepulcro due to the
popularity of the veneration of Lolo Uweng.

Santo Sepulcros is a very important part of the history and culture of the City of San
Pedro, and occupies an important places in the spiritual lives of many Filipinos in and our of the

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city. As such, it deserves attention from the State to be recognized as a National Cultural
Treasure, because its preservation means so much for the people of the City of San Pedro.

This bill seeks to ensure the preservation of Santo Sepulcro by declaring it a National
Cultural Treasure and providing funds towards such preservation and/or reconstruction efforts.

MA. RENE ANI RDES G. MATIBAG


Republic of the Philippines

House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Twentieth Congress
First Regular Session

2016

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by MA. RENE ANN LOURDES G. MATIBAG

AN ACT DECLARING THE MIRACULOUS IMAGE OF JESUS, LOCALLY KNOWN
AS “LOLO UWENG”, LOCATED INSIDE THE SANTO SEPULCRO PARISH IN SAN
PEDRO CITY, PROVINCE OF LAGUNA, A NATIONAL CULTURAL TREASURE AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. The Miraculous Image of Jesus, locally known as “Lolo Uweng,” located
inside the Santo Sepulcro Parish Church in San Pedro City, Province of Laguna, is hereby
declared a National Cultural Treasure.

SECTION 2. The development of the area shall be prioritized by the National
Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), in coordination with the Department of Tourism
(DOT), City Government of San Pedro, and other concerned government agencies.

SECTION 3. The NCCA shall include in its program the implementation of this Act, the
funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 4. Within sixty days from the effectivity of this Act, the NCCA shall, in
coordination with DOT and the City Government of San Pedro, promulgate the necessary rules
and regulations for the proper implementation of this Act.


SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette of in a newspaper of general circulation,

Approved,