OLD CHURCHES IN THE PHILIPPINES | PART 2

OLD CHURCHES IN THE PHILIPPINES (PART 2)

This is the part 2 of my previous post, Old Churches in the Philippines. This post is not in any way promoting any religion; instead, this is merely a product of my fascination of our history most especially those that have something to do with artistry, architecture and many more. For me, old churches are holding out and true testaments of the Filipino’s ingenuity, creativity, hard work and of course – faith.

Seeing the old structures of these old churches in all of my travels, reminded me of our colorful past as Filipinos.  Things which I’d learned from my history classes always come to life each time I see these beautiful and amazing structures. How can I forget the “polo system”? The “Polo y Servicio” is the forced labor for 40 days of men ranging from 16 to 60 years of age who were obligated to render personal services to community projects during the Spanish regime in the Philippines.   Taking in the bricks along the walls of these old churches reminded me of the number of egg whites used in it as binders.

 

Miagiao Church

CHURCH IN ILOILO, PHILIPPINES

How to Get to Iloilo

To get to Iloilo, one can travel from other parts of the country through NAIA Airport in Manila as its premier gateway. By air, it is attended by ten jet flights daily from Manila to Iloilo that takes around an hr. Iloilo to Cebu is only 35 minutes by plane; two hours to Iloilo from Davao and Cotabato. You can likewise reach the City via other provincial airports such as Palawan, Cebu, etc.

Iloilo can also be reached by boat. Sailing time is approximately 20 hours from Manila 12 times weekly; from Zamboanga or Cagayan de Oro, 14 hours twice a week; from Cebu, 12 hours once daily. Fastcrafts from Bacolod City take 50 minutes.

Miagao Church, Iloilo, Philippines

The Miagao Church, or the Church of Santo Tomas de Villanueva, was established in 1786 by Spanish Augustinian missionaries and was held as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Baroque Churches of the Philippines” in 1993. Along the front facade, which is flanked by two watchtower belfries, one can understand the unique blending of Spanish and native influences.

OLD CHURCH IN ANTIQUE

 

How to Get to Antique, Philippines

Antique is a Province is Panay Island, which can reach by Land, Air and Sea Travel. Closest airports to consider are located in Iloilo, Boracay (Caticlan, Aklan) and Kalibo, Aklan.

From Iloilo airport, you can take a van to the Molo terminal. Passenger vehicles plying the Iloilo-Caticlan, Iloilo-Culasi or Iloilo-Libertad route can bring you directly to Antique. From Caticlan, buses and vans plying the Iloilo via San Jose, Antique route is available in Caticlan Terminal.

 

St. John Church, Anini-y, Antique, Philippines

According to history, St John Church began around 1845.  Friar Jeronimo Vaquerín was responsible for completing the present complex, the convent in 1879 and the church, except for the arco Toral, which was almost filled out when the Augustinian left in 1898. The church was vacant during the Philippine Revolution (1898 – 1902). It was brought over by the Aglipayans in 1902 until it was given to the Catholic Church and the Mill Hill Missionary Fathers in 1908.

 

OLD CHURCHES IN SIQUIJOR

How to get to Siquijor, Philippines

To get to the Island, there are two ways, by sea or by air. Siquijor has three seaports and one small airport close to Siquijor City. At the moment, the most common and used option is the ferry. There are connections from Cebu City (Cebu island), Dumaguete (Negros Island) or Tagbilaran (Bohol Island) among other urban centers.

 

St. Francis of Assisi Church, Siquijor

The Church of St. Francis of Assisi was built in 1774. The church was built with stone and has the usual crucible form of the old Spanish churches.    The old belfry was made of rubble stones stands independently farther from the church. It is found in the middle of the plaza, suggesting that it maintained a double purpose a watch tower against Moro invaders.

 

Our Lady of Devine Providence Church

The Our Lady of Divine Providence is a century-old church made of tabique. Its altar and structure were built during the Spanish administration. The Church is located in Poblacion, Maria which was built in 1880.

 

 

San Isidro Labrador Church or  Lazi Church, Lazi, Siquijor

San Isidro Labrador Church or  Lazi Church was built in 1884 by Filipino artisans followed by the bell tower in the following year. The construction of the convent was made with coral stones and hardwood, commenced in 1887 and completed in 1891.  The church was built of sea stones and wood. It belongs to the neoclassical style. It has two pulpits and has retained its original retablo and wood floorings.

OLD CHURCH IN BACOLOD CITY

How to Get to Bacolod

The gateway to Negros Occidental, Bacolod City, is 55 minutes from Manila by air, with Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air providing daily flights. Bacolod is 30 minutes from Cebu City by plane.

It is an 18-hour cruise from Manila via Ro-Ro. Aboard fast sea crafts, Bacolod is one-hour from Iloilo City. By land-and-sea travel, it is 7-hour from Cebu City.

San Sebastian Cathedral, Bacolod City

The Original San Sebastian Cathedral in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental was constructed in 1825.  Construction of the structure in its present form began on 27 April 1876.C oral stone from the island of Guimaras was used as the primary building material. Hardwood from trees in Palawan was used for wooden portions of the structure.

Related Stories

• Old Churches in Iloilo Province
• List of Old Churches in the Philippines, Part 1
• Baclayon Church, Bohol
• Paoay Church, Ilocos Norte
• Boljoon Church, Cebu
• Peter and Paul Church, Bantayan Island