Nov 08 2009

CIC-Mandaue’s Pre-War School building

Published by Emperor Karl at 12:36 am under Around Town, Heritage Watch

Above: The pre-war main building.

Tucked behind high concrete walls is another heritage jewel waiting to be discovered. The Mandaue campus of the Colegio dela Inmaculada Concepcion has a pre-war school building that is still in perfect condition and serves as one of the last examples of religious educational edifices in Cebu that have survived the ravages of war — and man.

The main structure, a high-ceiling two-storey wooden building, is slightly elevated from the ground similar to Gabaldon-type school buildings. Beside it is an adjoined low structure that bears obvious influences of the typical bipartite “bahay-na-bato” construction. Perhaps the two structures were from two different periods of time.

What caught my attention was a low round concrete structure beside the main building with some of the cement chipped away revealing some cut-coral stones beneath it. It was obviously a water well that dates back to the Spanish colonial era only that it has now been covered with concrete on top and plastered with cement all over. A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers.

A staff from the school told me that during the Japanese occupation during World War II the basement of the main building was used as a garrison by the Japanese Imperial Army. History now plays a role here. It’s good enough to know that the Sisters running the school have very much well preserved the buildings especially that they tell a story of their humble beginnings as an educational institution.

Below: The adjoined low structure.

Below: A water well that has been covered with concrete on top and plastered with cement all over.

Related Articles

  • No Related Post

4 responses so far

4 Responses to “CIC-Mandaue’s Pre-War School building”

  1. 1
    estan Says:

    nindot ni nga find nimo bai pero:

    “Water wells served as a source of water during those times.” — mura di jud obvious. hehehe

  2. 2
    Emperor Karl Says:

    Haha.. Cge edited na..

  3. 3
    Dmitri Cortes Says:

    I Like this you should make more threads in Mandaue like the Rizal- Bonifcaio Stage-1954, Mandaue Presidencia-1937, Eversley Sanitarium Buildings- 1930, Cabrera Ancestral House-1909.

  4. 4
    Emperor Karl Says:

    Thanks Dmitri. I’ll consider your suggestion.

    :=)

Leave a Reply

Get the latest updates to this blog right in your mailbox! Enter your email address below to subscribe

Delivered by FeedBurner