Romancing the Ruins of Pinatubo

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One of the oldest Spanish-built churches in the Philippines is the famous San Guillermo Parish in bicolor, Pampanga. Built by the Augustinians in the 1500s on a land owned by Don Guillermo Manabat, the church became more popular after it was buried in lahar in 1995 four years after the Mt. Pinatubo eruption in 1991. The church was however named after the patron saint San Guillermo.


It is one of the best tourist destinations, especially for those who pay homage to old churches and disaster relics. The church is still being used today after the local folk excavated the altar and the retablo, which is decorated with century-old statues.


The people of Bacolor consider the church as a monument of their resilience as people and a reminder of their religious faith in the face of danger, depression and challenges.


You can visit the San Guillermo Church daily. For more information, you can call (045) 9614528 and 9614317 or visit the Bacolor Municipal Hall and look for Mayor Romeo “Buddy” Dungca.

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