The United Architects of the Philippines Student Auxiliary (UAPSA) officers and advisers, University of Saint Louis (USL) Chapter, helped in planning and designing the Saint Joseph Church in Dagupan, Tabuk City, Kalinga after it was razed by fire shortly after the Christmas Eve Mass of last year.

Design output of the proposed church by the Architecture Department

The Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk City, through the leadership of Bishop Prudencio P. Andaya, CICM, D.D., entrusted the church design and completion of the construction to the Architecture instructors of USL.

Fr. Rex C. Salvilla, CICM, University CICM Liaison Officer, Arch. Ma. Eleanor Lucero, Architecture program chair, Arch. Peter Paul Orteza, Arch. Ana Lea Diego, Jedidiah Baquiran, Hazel Parcon, Gilyan Fortuno, and Dean Angelo Batallones, conducted a site inspection of the said church and presented their design proposal to Fr. Jean Makolo, Saint Joseph Parish priest, last Jan. 13, 2018.

Arch. Lucero and Arch. Orteza revisited the site on Feb. 10 to further inspect the conditions of the area. With them was Engr. William Vega, Civil Engineering program chair, who conducted an initial interview with the parish priest regarding the project.

On March 13, Baquiran, UAPSA chapter president, Arch. Lucero and Arch. Orteza, UAPSA advisers, presented and discussed the initial proposal to the Bishop and to the Vicariate of Tabuk City. Fr. Makolo, Arch. Lucero, Arch. Orteza, Arch. Diego, and Hazel Parcon, reviewed the final proposal of the project and made some minor revisions to the design proposal on May 1. According to Arch. Lucero, the project has been reviewed several times. The groundbreaking for the said church reconstruction will start any time this year after all things will have been settled.

Arch. Peter Paul Orteza, Fr. Jean Makolo, Bishop Prudencio Andaya, Architect Eleanor Lucero, and Jedidiah Baquiran

Meanwhile, Engr. Eulogio Mallillin, Electronics Engineering program chair, finalized the audio systems. Engr. Victor Villaluz, Electrical Engineering program chair, and Engr. Vega polished the electrical systems and structural design, respectively.

The Saint Joseph Church is a concrete church built by the Belgian CICM missionaries.

The USL instructors and students’ services for the Saint Joseph Church reconstruction are part of their Service Learning Program.