The Dauis Renaissance Program in Bohol, the Philippines

CEBU, Philippines - During a recent visit to Bohol for the launch of RCTV’s Channel 36 Make My Trip, our group took a side trip to the town of Dauis in the island of Panglao. Upon alighting from our bus, I assumed this would be a tour to another colonial church, one of the many you see in Bohol. I was soon proven wrong. The church, while indeed colonial and dedicated to the Lady of the Assumption, is a project adopted by Bea Zobel de Ayala for a five year renovation and development program. The goal is to make the area into a pilgrimage center for Marian devotees and a tourism hub that promotes the rich culture of the town. For this commend-able project, Bea is in partnership with the Diocese of Tagbilaran through Bishop Leonardo Medroso dubbed as the Dauis Rennaisance Program (renaissance from the French word for “rebirth”).

Indeed, upon stepping into the Dauis Pilgrimage-Heritage Center, I was struck by how well the old world grandeur of the Spanish era was maintained, yet there was also a sense of modernity, cosmopolitanism and elegance. What came to mind was the Ayala Museum in Greenbelt 5, albeit the one in Dauis was not as grand, but nonetheless, a smaller similar concept. I also wondered how come a similar project of this nature has not yet been done in Cebu…

Meanwhile, we were warmly welcomed by the center’s young, pleasant General Manager, John B. Maraguinot Jr. He recommended food and drinks from Café Lawis, which serves unique Dauisanon and Boholano cuisine such as ube pandesal and pork humba panini, which our group sampled and the consensus was that it was heavenly! We also tried the lemongrass and pandan juice drinks served in large carafes. Apparently, Dauis is known for its rich variety of purple yam popularly called ube kinampay.

While waiting for our food to be served, we browsed through the Handumanan Shop (local term for “souvenir”) which showcases beautiful, intricate colonial-inspired gold and pearl jewelry from Dauis (the shop’s bestsellers), wood products from Dauis craftsmen, table runners, local handbags, handmade fans, handbags, and religious items that come from nearby towns. The shop aims to promote entrepreneurship and local craftsmanship in Dauis and is presently reviving the town’s jewelry making industry.

When our food was ready, we dined al fresco at the center’s old courtyard which has been developed into a seaside park named Terraza de Mariveles. Wooden decks were built around two really huge acacia trees with a view of Tagbilaran City. We were informed that this area is an ideal place for wedding receptions and other social functions.

We also had the chance to check out the Assumpta Museum on the second floor of the center. It currently displays an exhibit featuring the story of the town of Dauis. The second floor also houses the priests’ bedchambers and retains much of the original flooring, balustrades, and religious figurines of the early 1900s. In fact, thanks to the Dauis Renaissance Program, there still exists beautifully restored 1920s ceiling paintings by Filipino painters in the Sala de Recibidor, reminding one of Michelangelo’s works on the Sistine Chapel. 

We left Dauis impressed by how well managed the restoration initiatives have been implemented and maintained by the townspeople. Through these efforts, the Dauis Renaissance Program hopes that Bohol will not only be known as a top tourist destination, but also as a place where new and innovative ways of adapting sustainable heritage conservation and community development are being done and implemented for the betterment of both locals and tourists alike.

For more information about the Dauis Renaissance Program or services in the Dauis Pilgrim-Heritage Center, please contact: (038) 502-3016; (038) 502-3017 or email [email protected].