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Commonly known as the St. Anne Parish, Molo Church is opposite the town plaza. Molo is one of the seven districts of Iloilo City, formerly called Parian (Chinatown), because the residents here were mostly Chinese. Then, it was changed into Moro because of the frequent arrival of Muslim pirates from Mindanao, but it later evolved into this name – Wikipedia.com.
It is another example of the country's historical baroque architecture. Built in 1864, Jaro Cathedral was erected by order of Mariano Cuartero, the first bishop of Jaro. In 1948, this structure was destroyed by an earthquake and was restored in 1956 by the order of the first archbishop Jose Ma. Cuenco. The famous orator Graciano Lopez Jaena was baptized in this church. In 1976, the National Historical Institute proclaimed this church as a Historical Landmark.
This church is situated by the highway of Guimbal, Ilo-Ilo, and can easily be recognized because of its unique facade. After my visit to Miag-Ao Church, I traveled around 30 minutes to this church. According to my research, Guimbal Church or St. Nicholas of Tolentino Church doesn’t have any record of when it was erected or established. However, it was completed between 1769 and 1774 under Friar Juan Campos. 1893 it was further enlarged but later destroyed by fire during the Revolution in 1896 to 1898.
Its construction of this church began in 1787 while Fray Francisco M. Gonzales. O.S.A. was the parish priest of Miag-ao, and Domingo Libo-on was the Gobernadorcillo. The Church was completed in 1797 and served as a fortress against Muslim raiders. In 1898, this church was destroyed during the revolution but then rebuilt. In 1910, it was damaged by fire and severely damaged by an earthquake in 1948. Restoration work began in 1960 and was completed in 1962. During the term of office of the Most Rev. Dr. Jose Ma. Cuenco, D.D. Metropolitan Archbishop of Jaro, of Msgr. Fernando S. Javillo, D.P., Parish Priest of this town, and Dioscoro Mueda, Municipal Mayor.
Commonly known as the Church of Sto. Tomas de Villanueva is an old baroque church in Iloilo. Miagao Church is one of the world-famous baroque churches in the Philippines, and it has become one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The construction of this church began in 1787 while Fray Francisco M. Gonzales. O.S.A. was the parish priest of Miag-ao, and Domingo Libo-on was the Gobernadorcillo. The Church was completed in 1797 and served as the fortress against the Muslim Raiders. In 1898, this church was destroyed during the revolution, but it was rebuilt.
After my successful Cebu solo backpacking, another solo backpacking trip to the Visayas was planned - this is it: a solo backpacking trip in Western Visayas. The language barrier wasn't a problem because Hiligaynon has similarities to our native language in Romblon. During my travel, I learned that the Negrenses are accommodating and have a good sense of direction. For simple questions like, "Where is it located?" they provided me with detailed instructions. In general, Negros Occidental and the province of Ilo-Ilo are Must Visit provinces in the Philippines. Sorted according to my itinerary, historical, heritage, and tourist spots below were my destinations.
After Miag-ao and Guimbal, around 6 PM, we passed by the Tigbauan Church. I already paid my fare to Ilo-Ilo City but I was amazed by the facade of the church, so I immediately got off the jeepney and had a very short visit in the church. In front is an open plaza and is just a few meters away from Tigbauan Municipal Hall.
