Calumpit Church, Bulacan

The St. John the Baptist Church was built in 1572 at Calumpit, Bulacan who lies 54 kilometers north of Manila.

The St. John the Baptist Church is the oldest church in Bulacan. Constructed under the supervision of Augustinian priest Diego Vivar - Ordonez, the church has been a mute witness to the Filipinos' struggle against Spanish, American and Japanese rule. Inside the church is a tunnel that, as legend would have it, was used by priests during the Spanish regime to keep gold, religious statues and ornate jewelry hidden from the sight of treasure hunters. It is the birthplace of Christianity in the province. 

Cementerio de Binondo (La Loma Cemetery), Manila

Fr. Ramon Caviedas, the Franciscan friar who built the Sampaloc cemetery located at the hills of Balic-balic, Sampaloc, Manila, was himself buried on a cemetery located on the hills of La Loma (called cementerio de Binondo as it was formerly part of the jurisdiction of Santa Cruz, Manila during the Spanish colonial period).

Today, one enters the former Binondo cemetery from Jose Abad Santos. Note the iron gate with the “campo santo de la loma” sign. The design shows a degree of similarity with the original, and very beautiful, wrought iron grill gate of Binondo cemetery.

 

According to Architect Lorelei D.C. de Viana, the cemetery of Binondo was surrounded by a three meter high stone masonry fence and had distinctive wrought iron grill gate with statues of angels guarding it. Below is an 1899 image taken from a stereograph printed by Underwood and Underwood.

The photo above shows the original iron grill main gate (with two smaller side gates) of Binondo cemetery located at La Loma. The funerary chapel can be seen from the background with the distinctive dome design. However, what is interesting to note are the two iron column pairs which bears strong resemblance to the iron columns that stands in today’s entrance to La Loma cemetery. What happened to these very beautiful cemetery gate?

Photo above shows what remains of the once very beautiful gate of Binondo cemetery – a mute memorial to the neglect of historical and church heritage architecture. The wrought iron gates are no more…one asks again, were the gates sold to scrap iron dealers, or to antique dealers?

Close-up of what remains of the right stone column of the main entrance to Binondo cemetery complete with graffiti.

Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Shrine, Antipolo City

In Antipolo, one finds the religious shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, popularly known as the Virgin of Antipolo (Birhen ng Antipolo). The origin of our Virgin of Antipolo dates back to Spanish era in the Philippines.

When Governor Tabora died in 1632, the Blessed Image was turned over to the care of the Jesuit fathers who were then constructing a church of Antipolo. Actually, a church was to be specifically built for the Blessed Virgin in the nearby barrio of Sta. Cruz. But attempts of the Jesuit fathers to move it from the Church of Antipolo were futile because somehow, as if in protest of leaving this town, the holy image was always found on the trunk of a tree called the Tipolo which grew in the original site of the old church. Because of these manifestations, a pedestal was curved out of the trunks of the said tree, and thus the Blessed Virgin became locally known as the Virgin of Antipolo.

Antipolo Church is the home of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, a dark brown image of the blessed Virgin Mary whose history dates back during the spanish era.

Galaxy Theater, Manila

Those who may still remember the grandeur of Galaxy Theater during its heyday may be saddened to see this photograph.

The Galaxy is one of the few surviving buildings designed by National Artist Pablo Antonio, Sr. It is of Art Moderne design, an architectural style that came about in the 1930s along with Art Deco. Many theaters along Avenida Rizal during the ’50s and ’60s boasted such designs in answer to America’s Hollywood and Broadway.

Sadly, the Galaxy’s present owners are planning to demolish it to make way for a 22-story condominium on the site.

Hopefully, according to Richard Tuason-Sanchez Bautista, resident architect of the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCAA), this is the first building in the area that may be saved from destruction and conserved; unlike the Avenue Theater, designed by National Artist Juan Nakpil, that was recently torn down and converted to a parking lot, much to the great dismay of our cultural historians and conservationists.

The NCCA as represented by Richard is helping the developer, Zosima Inc., headed by administrator Primitivo Garcia III, to preserve the Galaxy Theater building, or at least, its facade.

Our Lady of Imaculate Conception, Boac, Marinduque

When the Diocese of Lucena was created on 20 August 1950, Marinduque became a part of her. In 2 April 1977, by virtue of the Apostolic Bull “Cum Tempore Maturare” issued by Pope Paul VI, Marinduque was created as an independent Diocese. It was called Diocese of Boac.

Boac is a poor Diocese in the island province of Marinduque.