Operation Phil Colonial Churches

Cultural Treasures and Historical Landmarks of the Philippines.

I've always been fascinated by churches all over the world. Be it the local church or those on the far side of the globe.  My curiosity is not at all based on religiosity, but rather the subtle clues it imparts from the culture it represents. Churches - like windows of civilization - much like the eyes serving as windows of the soul.

History has taught us that man's life, even during the early stages, revolves around religion in one form or another. It is not the belief that excites me, but the relics of that faith that withstood time.  The places of worship - the structure, the architecture, the images, the art, the traditions and influences that surrounds it and even its location - provide tell-tale signs of how early generations lived.  Thus, each culture can be understood by studying their churches.

It is for this reason that I ventured on my Operation Churches: Cultural Treasures of the Philippines. As of 2011, the National Commission on Culture and the Arts listed four (4) UNESCO World Heritage Churches and a total of thirty six Heritage churches in the Philippines.  My travels around the country include visiting all 36 churches and the 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  I do not plan to finish all of them in a year, but I started in 2011 and plan to continue on.

The 40 churches have been selected by the NCCA for their unique structure and cultural significance.  Aside from the status of UNESCO World Heritage Site, the NCCA further classifies heritage churches as either National Cultural Treasures or National Historical Landmarks.  A national historical landmark means that the church is associated to events or achievements significant to Philippine History as declared by the National Historical Institute. We have 21 churches classified as historical landmarks. A national cultural treasure means that the church is a unique cultural property that possesses outstanding historical, cultural, artistic and/or scientific value which is highly significant and important to the country as declared by a cultural authority (2010 Heritage Law). Together with the 36 cultural treasures, 4 UNESCO heritage churches and 21 historical landmarks, that brings a total of 61 churches around the country. Whew!

Now I prepared a list which will guide me whenever I am in the countryside to be able to locate these churches and know their stories.

Province	NCCA Classification	Church/Location	Links to Posts
Batanes	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of San Carlos Borromeo in Mahatao, Batanes
	National historical landmarks
Cagayan	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of San Raymundo de Peñafort in Rizal, Cagayan
	National historical landmarks
Ilocos Sur	UNESCO	Nuestra Senora de la Asuncion in Santa Maria, Ilocos Sur Vigan Cathedral under the inscription Historic Town of Vigan, Ilocos Sur
	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of San Guillermo de Aquitania in Magsingal, Ilocos Sur
	National historical landmarks
Ilocos Norte	UNESCO	San Agustin Church in Paoay, Ilocos Norte
	National Cultural treasures	San Andres Apostol Churchin Bacarra, Ilocos Norte
	National historical landmarks
La Union	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of Santa Catalina de Alejandria in Luna, La Union
	National historical landmarks
Abra	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of Santa Catalina de Alejandria in Tayum, Abra
	National historical landmarks
Isabela	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of San Matias in Tumauini, Isabela
	National historical landmarks
Pangasinan	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Calasiao, Pangasinan
	National historical landmarks
Aurora	National Cultural treasures
	National historical landmarks	Church of Baler Historical Landmark (Baler, Aurora)
Nueva Vizcaya	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of San Vicente de Ferrer in Dupax del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya
	National historical landmarks
Zambales	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of San Andres in Masinloc, Zambales
	National historical landmarks
Bataan	National Cultural treasures
	National historical landmarks	Abucay Church Historical Landmark (Abucay, Bataan)
Pampanga	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of Santiago Apostol in Betis, Guagua, Pampanga Parish Church of Santa Monica in Minalin, Pampanga
	National historical landmarks	Lubao Church Historical Landmark (Lubao, Pampanga)
Bulacan	National Cultural treasures
	National historical landmarks	Barasoain Church Historical Landmark (Malolos, Bulacan)
Manila	UNESCO	San Agustin Church in Manila
	National Cultural treasures	Camarin de la Virgen, Parish Church of Nuestra Sra. De los Desamparados (Sta. Ana, Manila)
	National historical landmarks	Chapel of the Holy Sacrifice (UP Diliman, Quezon City) San Sebastian Church Historical Landmark (Quiapo, Manila)
Rizal	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of San Ildefonso in Tanay, Rizal
	National historical landmarks
Cavite	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of the Assumption of Our Lady in Maragondon, Cavite
	National historical landmarks
Laguna	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of San Gregorio Magno in Majayjay, Laguna
	National historical landmarks	Calamba Church Historical Landmark (Calamba City, Laguna) Church of Paete (Paete, Laguna)
Quezon	National Cultural treasures	Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel in Tayabas, Quezon
	National historical landmarks
Batangas	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception in Balayan, Batangas
	National historical landmarks	Taal Church Historical Landmark in Taal, Batangas
Camarines Sur	National Cultural treasures
	National historical landmarks	Quipayo Church Historical Landmark in Calabanga, Camarines Sur
Albay	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of San Juan Bautista in Tabaco, Albay Our Lady of the Gate Church (Daraga, Albay) - Eastern & Western Facades, Belfry and Baptistry
	National historical landmarks
Marinduque	National Cultural treasures
	National historical landmarks	Cathedral of Boac Historical Landmark (Boac, Marinduque)
Romblon	National Cultural treasures	Cathedral of San Jose in Romblon, Romblon
	National historical landmarks
Iloilo	UNESCO	St. Tomas de Villanueva Church in Miag-ao, Iloilo
	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of San Joaquin in San Joaquin, Iloilo
	National historical landmarks	Barotac Nuevo Church, Convent and Cemetery Historical Landmark in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo Dumangas Church Historical Landmark (Dumangas, Iloilo) Ermita Chapel Historical Landmark (Dumangas, Iloilo) Jaro Belfry Historical Landmark (Jaro, Iloilo City) Molo Church Historical Landmark (Molo, Iloilo City)
Capiz	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of Santa Monica in Panay, Capiz
	National historical landmarks
Eastern Samar	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception in Guiuan, Eastern Samar
	National historical landmarks
Leyte (southern leyte, ormoc airport)	National Cultural treasures
	National historical landmarks	Maasin Church (Maasin City, Southern Leyte)
Cebu	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of Patrocinio de Maria in Boljoon, Cebu
	National historical landmarks	Church and Convent of Santo Niño (Cebu City) Church of Nuestra Señora de la Concepcion Historical Landmark (Argao, Cebu) Church of San Guillermo de Aquitania Historical Landmark (Dalaguete, Cebu)
Bohol	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of San Pedro and San Pablo in Loboc, Bohol Maribojoc Church (Bohol)  Loon Church in Bohol  San Nicolas de Tolentino Church and Ermita Ruins, Dimiao, Bohol Dauis Church, Dauis, Panglao
	National historical landmarks	Baclayon Church Historical Landmark (Baclayon, Bohol)  Church of the Most Holy Trinity Historical Landmark (Loay, Bohol)
Negros oriental	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of San Agustin in Bacong, Negros Oriental
	National historical landmarks
Siquijor	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of San Isidro Labrador in Lazi, Siquijor
	National historical landmarks
Misamis Oriental (CDO)	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of the Immaculate Conception in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental
	National historical landmarks
Misamis occidental (Ozamis Airport)	National Cultural treasures	Parish Church of San Juan Bautista in Jimenez, Misamis Occidental Parish
	National historical landmarks
Davao Oriental	National Cultural treasures	Church of San Salvador del Mundo, Caraga, Davao Oriental

Some of the churches listed above I may have visited once or twice before, that's before I made this my short term mission. Like Barasoain Church where I frequented since a classmate of mine lives in Malolos and I once worked there. Also, who have not seen San Agustin Church as this is a frequent field trip destination when we were still in primary school. Nevertheless, I decided to create a string of posts completing my list.

So watch out for it!

Completed in 2011:         11

Completed in 2012:         16 so far