Bohol’s Panglao celebrates faith and heritage
PANGLAO, BOHOL – Residents of this town this year mark two important events in honor of its patron, St. Augustine. The San Agustin Parish Church celebrated its 100th anniversary since it was consecrated as a church on Aug. 31.
The people of Panglao also celebrated the 39th Hudyaka sa Panglao Festival, the oldest mardi gras-like festivity in Bohol province, last Aug. 28.
Panglao Mayor Edgardo “Boy” Arcay said the celebrations were intended to honor Saint Augustine as well as to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Panglao.
“This is our way of expressing our gratitude to San Agustin for a wonderful harvest and for all the good things he showered to Panglao and its people,” he said in an interview.
The San Agustin Church, popularly known as Panglao Church, became a parish in 1803, church records showed. The stone church was built by the Augustinian Recollects beginning in 1894, but its construction was stopped because of the Philippine Revolution. Church-building resumed in 1912.
The Panglao Church was completed and consecrated on Aug. 31, 1924 by then Cebu Bishop Juan Gorordo, when Bohol was still under the Diocese of Cebu.
Important cultural property
On Aug. 29, 2011, the church complex was declared an Important Cultural Property by the National Museum of the Philippines because of its exceptional historical and cultural significance.
The 7.2 magnitude earthquake, which shook Bohol in October 2013, caused minimal damage to the church as major components of its interiors remained intact.
At the back of the church is the Panglao Watchtower, an imposing structure of cut stones and said to be the tallest of its kind in the Philippines.
The centennial celebration of the San Agustin Parish Church in Panglao town was described by the faithful as a once in a lifetime event.
“This church has allowed me to grow closer to God,” said resident Analyn Pollenza-Arbilo.
Merrymaking
The local church’s centennial celebration also coincided with the 39th Hudyaka sa Panglao Festival in honor of Saint Augustine on Aug. 28.
“Hudyaka” is a Cebuano word for merrymaking or revelry.
Ten barangays competed in the street dance and ritual showdown competitions.
Barangay Bil-isan, the defending champion, was adjudged overall champion. It also won the special awards for best in costume, best in musicality, best in choreography and best in street dancing.
Anthony Ceniza, the town’s culture and arts officer, said the Hudyaka is one of the local festivals that Bohol province always looks forward to in a bid to boost its local tourism.
“We celebrate faith, culture and heritage,” he said.
This year, Panglao welcomed at least 500,000 tourists from January to June. As Bohol’s tourism jewel, it offers white sand beaches with their powdery shores and inviting stretches of pristine sand and world-class diving sites.
The Department of Trade and Industry awarded the municipality of Panglao as the Most Competitive Municipality in Economic Dynamism and second in the Most Competitive in Infrastructure during the Creative Cities and Municipalities Congress on Aug. 23, 2024.
