By I. Inojales, Helen Castaño | 08:55 AM, July 02, 2025
TAGBILARAN CITY, BOHOL — In a moving tribute to a lifetime of selfless service to the Church, Noemi Saludo, founder of the Bahay ng Diyos Foundation (BDF), was conferred the prestigious Bishop Barlin Gold Cross Service Award — the highest recognition given by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to lay individuals who have rendered extraordinary service to the Church and society.
The award was presented after the Holy Mass at St. Joseph the Worker Cathedral-Shrine on July 1, during the ongoing CBCP Holy Retreat and National Synodal Consultation in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.
Saludo, 90, a Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice papal awardee in 2022, was honored for her enduring commitment to restoring and enhancing Catholic churches and liturgical spaces throughout the Philippines.
Founded under her leadership, the Bahay ng Diyos Foundation has grown into a national movement, working closely with bishops, dioceses, and donors to preserve the country’s religious heritage and support local communities in building and revitalizing sacred spaces — from grand cathedrals to humble bisitas and tuklongs.
“In honoring her today, we pay tribute not only to a woman of competence and integrity but also to one whose quiet but enduring commitment has helped build the physical and spiritual foundations of countless Catholic communities throughout the Philippines,” said CBCP President, Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David.
“Her work has never been about stone or cement alone. It has always been deeply rooted in faith, marked by a deep love for the Church, and animated by her desire to serve Christ in His people,” he added. “Her collaboration with bishops, priests, donors, and pastoral workers across the country has embodied a spirit of genuine synodality — walking together, building together, praying together.”
The award is named after Most Rev. Jorge Imperial Barlin, the first Filipino Catholic bishop, who served from 1905 to 1909 and whose legacy of service continues to inspire the Filipino clergy and laity alike.
Archbishop-Emeritus Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, who witnessed the recognition, said: “The CBCP has finally found an ally in the care for Churches, Chapels and Cathedrals — and for forgotten bisitas and tuklongs. Noemi Saludo’s devotion to the Church’s sacred spaces is both a gift and a legacy.”
Saludo’s legacy, Church leaders agree, lies not just in the concrete structures restored by her foundation, but in the spiritual renewal and sense of unity they have fostered in communities throughout the country.
