The world knows that Boracay in Iloilo is undergoing a rehabilitation needing six months to finish, which will be tentatively open to the public in October. Since then, other holiday island destinations in Visayas have been welcoming more than its' usual number of tourists, both locals and foreigners alike. Heading to Dumaguete City more than two weeks ago, I wanted to see a bit of the action myself. I wasn't able to go to Oslob, Cebu for its' famous SWIMMING with the SHARKS adventure, but instead went to SIQUIJOR Island, being the nearest island from Dumaguete. Other tourists in my hostel opted to stay, we went for a day of sightseeing.

This is the continuation of our Island Tour as the Mountain Tour apparently takes longer than 1 day. After our hired tricycle took us to Paliton Beach and Cambugahay falls, a side road mini-cafeteria offered us some lunch in LAZI.

Like a child, this place was like a lolly.

Lazi church

Don't get me wrong, I love Paliton Beach and the Cambugahay Falls...but seeing this church, it got me excited more than any of those two. It was not the most famous structure compared to Lazi convent, it was even empty and not functioning, but it's what i love the most in Siquijor.

Let me show you its' charm.

Built in 1884 by Filipino artisans.

Parked right infront of the church, its' splendour was very welcoming and its' awesome color beckoned to be touched.

Built in 1884, this church was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines. It is also nominated for the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List since 2006 under the collective group of Baroque Churches of the Philippines (Extension).

See those pinkish to orangy stones? They are coral stones found around Lazi.

Wanna go inside?

Exploring old churches is one of my favorite when travelling around Europe. And nothing could replace the feel of their walls under my fingertips. Although new churches nowadays are being built with splendour, the CHARM of the old ones is irreplaceable. Not forgetting the ingenuity on how they were built and the materials used in building them.

Locally made.

Not the first thing I saw inside, but it's what broke my heart. Made of wood, it's now unsafe to use. It will take a lot of money to renovate it but it can be done.

The stairs leads to the choir which reminded me of our town's church where the choir is at the back. In England, its' choirs are at the side, near the front where they are visibly seen.

With mixed emotions, I was just standing there, unmoving, looking from the empty floor to the altar, my vision encompassing every wall. Part of me wanted to go at the front, wishing of its' usual contents still in place. I don't know why but I somehow had a feeling of heaviness in my heart where to do just that will make it worse.

Taking a last look, I brought myself outside to cheer myself up.

We were told that the church contents and pews are kept at the church convent's museum, located at the opposite side of the road. Interestingly, I didn't have any inclination to go there. What's noticeable at the port's promotional banners and brochures is Lazi's convent.

I would recommend to not miss this awesome church and its' walls.

A National Cultural Treasure

What does it mean to be a National Cultural Treasure? To be nominated to the Unesco World Heritage?

VIGAN in Northern Philippines is a Unesco World Heritage. Do they receive funds somewhere for them to be maintained? Surely, the world is full of these cultural treasures. LAZI CHURCH is under par compared to a lot of churches in Europe due to the Spanish influences that can be seen all over the old churches in the Philippines.

This is the most grand i've ever seen in my country. But it's not in use. In comparison to some churches in Barcelona, a lot there are grand as this, functional but there's no one inside. Perhaps I went in when everyone was busy somewhere.

More of Siquijor in Part III

All images are mine, taken with my Samsung Galaxy S7.

Previous post from Siquijor : siquijor island a glimpse of what it can offer to the world

Reference:
List of National Cultural Treasures in the Philippines