By Ferdinand Patinio/PNA
MANILA — Preparations are underway for the forthcoming return of the Balangiga Bells at the St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish or the Balangiga Parish in Eastern Samar.
Fr. Serafin Tybaco Jr., Balangiga parish priest, said they are finalizing the readiness of the area, particularly the place where the bells will be placed.
“This Saturday mag-finalize kami sa preparations pero ang aming priority yung paglalagyan ng bells. Then ang concern namin ngayon aysecurity ng place kung paano kami matutulungan kasi hindi pa namin kaya kumuha ng guards (we are finalizing the preparations but out priority is where to place the bells. Then our concern is the security of the place because we can’t afford hiring guards),” he said in an interview with Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news on Thursday.
The plan includes letting the public view the bells for several days before church officials place it on the belfry or in a museum.
Tybaco noted that the locals are excited about the impending return of the bells.
“Like the others especially the people of Balangiga, I’m not from here because I’m just a parish priest, overwhelming and unexplainable feelings,” he said, noting the growing anticipation of the bells’ return of the residents and the faithful.
Tybaco said based on the preliminary information they gathered, they expect the bells to arrive in the country anytime next month or early 2019.
The US government has recently agreed to return the bells to the Philippines after keeping them as war booty from the Philippine-American war.
