On the Philippine islands of Bohol and Cebu more than thirty-four churches experienced significant damage and partial or complete collapse from ground shaking during a Mw 7.2 earthquake on October 15, 2013. The churches affected by the earthquake include 18th and 19th century Spanish colonial-era churches, largely constructed of unreinforced coral stone-faced rubble walls, with timber truss roof structures, and early 20th century American colonial-era and post-World War II reinforced concrete churches.
In the aftermath of the earthquake, the National Museum (NM) and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NCHP), the Philippine government agencies in charge of heritage sites under the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA), took on the task of recovery and preparation of restoration plans for the older Spanish colonial-era churches.
