CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar – Residents of Catbalogan City have expressed deep concern and sorrow over the unauthorized demolition of Pieta Park, located right across from the St. Bartholomew Church.
The park had been built in memory of Catbaloganons who perished in December 1987, when the passenger ferry MV Doña Paz, en route to Manila from Tacloban City, collided with an oil tanker and sank off Mindoro Island.
With an estimated 3,000 to 4,000 casualties and only 26 survivors, the sinking of the MV Doña Paz is considered the world’s worst peacetime sea tragedy.
Copy of famed Pieta scuplture
Pieta Park featured the “La Pieta” sculpture, a copy of Micheangelo’s famous marble statue from Italy, which was unveiled and blessed on August 22, 1995.
According to the Philippine News Agency, there had been plans to restore and beautify the park in time for the 30th anniversary of the tragedy.
Community divided
The community’s sentiments are divided, but many are devastated by the loss.
One relative of a Doña Paz victim shared, “This reminds me of my father who died in the tragedy. It breaks my heart to see this memorial torn down.”
A student from St. Mary’s College of Catbalogan, located just across from the park, said, “This is heartbreaking. We need to come together as a community and think about the kind of future we want to build.”
Others, meanwhile, expressed support for potential development at the site.
Official response
In an official statement, Catbalogan City Mayor Dexter Uy expressed strong concern over the unpermitted demolition and development at Pieta Park.
The City Engineering Office issued a Notice of Violation on April 3, 2025, which ordered the immediate halt of all illegal activity at the site; submission of necessary documents for a building permit within three days; and a reminder that failure to comply would lead to legal action by the city.
According to the LGU’s Tourism Office, Pieta Park is registered as a cultural property by the national government and declared as open space by the city government.
This underscores its significance as part of Catbalogan’s cultural and historical heritage.
Its destruction highlights not only the physical loss of a historical site, but also a broader threat to the community's identity and common memory.
Pieta Park is more than just an open space or a decorative feature; it is a hallowed site where stories of pain, fortitude, and unity are remembered and passed down to future generations.
The unauthorized demolition highlights the critical need for better policies, public awareness, and civic responsibility to protect culturally significant sites.
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