Restoration Process

Before restoration. Termite damage previously repaired with wood putty.


After restoration. Damage part replaced with oak and carved with the original design.



Most of the problems were caused by termites. Undetected, they eat most of the inside parts of the wood. Live termites are still seen in some parts of the organ. The greatest damage was done on the very heart of the pipe organ - the Windchest.
Generally made from pine wood, the windchest was severely eaten by termites. Since it is important that each tone channel remain airtight, it is decided that the whole windchest be reconstructed from every detail of craftmanship except for the type of wood used. We decided to use Tangile and treated it with large amount of Solignum. As of the moment, the reconstruction of the windchest is till on going.
Parts of the case were also eaten by termites particularly the parts with soft oak. We have purchased oak wood to reconstruct the damaged parts with the same type of wood.

Windchest heavily damaged by termites.



Reconstructed windchest. All woodjoints in traditional carpentry method.


Replacing a damaged mechanical parts of the organ.

Start of the Restoration

To jumpstart the restoration of the pipe organ, Parish Priest Rev. Fr. Fred Duran and the Hon. Mayor Lenin Alviola of the Municipality of Bacong requested a pre-Christmas disassembly of the pipe organ during a meeting with Mr. Cealwyn Tagle, head of the Diego Cera Organbuilders from Las Pinas last December 7, 2008. This is to get more interest from the town people of Bacong to realize that the pipe organ is finally going to be restored. Since talks have been on going for a couple of months prior to the meeting for the restoration of the pipe organ, it was agreed that the disassembly will take during that same week. The timing was just right because a team of organ technicians from Diego Cera were in Baclayon, Bohol for the inauguration of their pipe organ last December 6.

Two technicians from the Diego Cera Organbuilders, Inc., Mr. Johnny Puhyah and Mr. Manuel Tagle arrived on the 9th of December and started the disassembly of the pipe organ on the 10th. They were welcomed warmly by Fr. Fred in the church convent.
The disassembly took a week as most of the screws have rusted deep in the wood. They were assisted by the church organist, Exuferio Tinguha who himself has done minor repairs on the organ when his grandmother was still using the pipe organ.
All the parts were put in 19 crates and were shipped to Manila on Dec 29, 2009.

Pipe Organ of St. Augustine, Bacong, Negros Oriental

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The historic pipe organ of Saint Augustine of Hippo Parish in Bacong, Negros Oriental is just one of the few remaining century-old Spanish made pipe organs in the country. Other historic pipe organs were made locally in the Spanish style manner. It is a pity that these precious church instruments have been neglected for the past decades. As a rarity, each of these historic pipe organs may be regarded as priceless treasures.
The pipe organ was acquired by the people of Bacong on March 28, 1894 as the crowning piece of the entire parish-church building that started in 1849. It is an instrument completely made in Spain probably by the organ-building family (brothers Juan and Manuel Roque) of Roques Hermanos Constructores in Zaragoza, which has exported to the country some of their instruments from 1890 to 1910. Other instruments of Roques Hermanos are in Garcia Hernandez in the island of Bohol and in the town of Jimenez in Misamis Occidental.
People of Bacong have learned to love the instrument that they have learned to look after the instrument. A restoration however is needed to prevent a fast deterioration of the instrument. It is now in an unplayable condition and there are signs that termites have already infested some of its parts. We have visited the organ in 1997 and have found about 80% of the parts still existing and in restorable condition. The organ has remained unchanged and fortunately, the termite problems have been solved during the past years based on what we have seen on our most recent visit in July of this year.
It will be a pleasure to hear the pleasing sound of another historic pipe organ restored back to its former glory with the purpose of accompanying the congregation in singing of praises to the Lord. “Soli Deo Gloria”
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Specifications:

Present S0toplist
1. Bajon 8 pies
2. Bajoncillo
3. Celeste
4. Octava
5. Quincena
6. Violon
7. Viola
8. Trompeta Batalla
9. Corneta
10. ? (name shield missing)
11. Gaita
12. Pajaros

Manual keyboard compass: C – g3 (56 keys)
Neo-gothic casework in Oak