CHURCHES OF EASTERN SAMAR OF THE DIOCESE OF BORONGAN

Before going back to Manila in January 2018, I decided to go to Eastern Samar and visit the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) funded churches in the diocese of Borongan, the funds of which passed through the CBCP Secretariat. This included Balangiga, Salcedo, Guiuan and Sapao in Guiuan.  I then just passed by all the churches along the way.  The old historical church of Guiuan was still being reconstructed by the government. In a nearby location, another church was being constructed which was the one funded by the USCCB. From Guiuan, I proceeded to Sulangan to visit the popular pilgrim church of St. Anthony of Padua. 

St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish, Balangiga, E. Samar

Nuestra Señora de los Remedios Parish, (F-1955) 

Giporlos, E. Samar  

St. Nicholas of Tolentine Parish (F-1894) 

Quinapondan, E. Samar

St. Isidore Parish (F-1862) Salcedo, E. Samar

The parish convent

Our Lady of Salvation Parish, (F-2006)  

Buabua, Salcedo, E. Samar

St. Francis of Assisi Parish (F-1894/1964) 

Mercedes, E. Samar

Holy Cross Parish (F-1999) Sapao, Guiuan, Eastern Samar

Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Parish (F-1768)

 Guiuan, E. Samar

When I last visited the church in January 2018, the reconstruction of the church which was destroyed by super typhoon Yolanda in 2013 was still ongoing. 

The altar was still bare. 

All the pieces retrieved from the church were still kept in a bodega to be restored one by one. 

A makeshift church was made in front of the convento. 

On a nearby site, a new church donated by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops was being constructed. 

St. Anthony of Padua Parish (F-1957)
 Sulangan, Eastern Samar

The Sulangan parish church is a very popular pilgrimage site for people around Samar and Leyte. 

GOLDEN JUBILEE OF THE DIOCESE OF MASBATE

 Last September 25, 2018,  I attended the golden jubilee celebration as a diocese of the Diocese of Masbate. Since we arrived the day before the celebration, we were treated to lunch at the Buntod Reef which was a marine sanctuary and a sand bar near the town of Masbate. 

The Cathedral of Masbate

Buntod Reef, Masbate