Efforts are underway to replace the fallen Chief Kepuha statue in Paseo, Hagatna.

The Islandwide Beautification Task Force estimates it will cost over $400k to stand up the statue.

As KUAM News reported, it will be the third replacement after the iconic monument was torn down by Typhoon Mawar last year. The original was erected in 1976 and was replaced in 2016 after rust and cracks damaged the statue.

The IBTF will be working in collaboration with the Department of Chamorro Affairs, the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Young Men’s League of Guam to make sure this statue is “more representative of the original.”

The design and proportions of the new statue are already underway.

“The journey to replace the Chief Kepuha statue began almost five years ago due to community members raising the issue of the statue’s overall look. Many felt that the ‘new’ statue was not proportionally accurate and altered the look dramatically in a way that no longer represented the great CHamoru Chief,” said IBTF Administrator Stephanie Flores.

She added, "Over time, it became apparent that the new statue was rapidly degrading and not holding up to the elements. With the statue's collapse due to Typhoon Mawar, the desire for a replacement was elevated.”