Pampanga is strengthening efforts to preserve its historic churches and ecclesiastical records as church archivists, heritage advocates and records custodians gathered for the National Summit III of Church Archives and Heritage Workers held September 16 to 18 at Royce Hotel in Clark Freeport Zone.

Governor Lilia Pineda emphasized that heritage preservation goes beyond maintaining historic structures, stressing the importance of safeguarding documents that carry the stories, culture and faith of generations of Kapampangans.

The summit, themed “Memory, Mission, and Creation: Building Resilient Archives of Faith for the Future,” was organized by the Archivo de la Universidad de Santo Tomas and Church Archivists of the Philippines Inc., in partnership with the Archdiocese of San Fernando, Pampanga.

Pineda highlighted several historic churches in the province, including the Metropolitan Cathedral in San Fernando, Pisamban Maragul in Angeles City, Betis Church in Guagua, and San Guillermo Parish Church in Bacolor.

She recalled witnessing the lahar flow toward San Guillermo Church following the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, fearing that the centuries-old structure would be completely buried. The lahar, however, did not reach the church’s altar.

For Pineda, the church’s survival underscores the importance of continuing preservation and restoration efforts.

The summit highlighted the role of church archives not merely as repositories of old documents, but as vital records of the history, culture and faith of local communities.

For Pampanga, preserving its churches and archives helps ensure that stories that shaped the province remain documented and accessible to future generations.