Five properties are nominated as extension to the existing four Baroque Churches of the Philippines. I was able to visit one under the tentative list ¨C the church complex of Boljoon, Cebu.

As stated on its nomination file, the Boljoon church complex prides itself for retaining original features ¨C the main church body, bell tower, cemetery, a school building, walls/gates and the convent which now houses an archeological museum. A few years back, skeletons and relics (Chinese plates and jewelry) were unearthed on the church grounds and this discovery lead experts to believe that the area could have been an ancient burial ground.

Local tourism bureau introduces Boljoon heritage walking tours. The tour features the church complex itself, a few heritage houses, a Gabaldon school, an old bridge and a watchtower ¨C personally, I think the last is yet another interesting theme: historians noted a certain Augustinian friar, Julian Bermejo who built a series of watchtowers for raids coming from the Moro south. These towers dot along the southern stretch of the province (about 90 kms) and need restoration and/or maintenance.