The only steel church in Asia, San Sebastian was inaugurated in 1890.

The Augustinian Recollects in the Philippines can be credited with building many of the wonderful Spanish colonial era churches in the country. Their legacy can be found scattered around the islands from Luzon to Mindanao and in remote regions and localities in the Philippines.

Masinloc Church in Zambales has a beautiful polychromed entrance to the choirloft

In Metro Manila, the church of San Sebastian rises in splendor and boasts the title of the only steel church in Asia. It was buit in reaction to the various calamities, from fires, typhoons and earthquakes that devastated the previous structures. Elsewhere in the metro, there are the churches of Sta. Cruz, Manila and Las Piñas with its unique bamboo organ, the only one of its kind.

Zambales, one of its first evangelized areas  has Masinloc church with its beautiful polychromed entrance at the choirloft. There is also Sta. Cruz, Iba and Botolan.

Scattered in a few municipalities in the provinces of Batangas, Cavite (Kawit and Imus), Bataan, Tarlac and Ilocos Sur (Vigan) are Recollect built churches.

The Recollect built fortress-church in Cuyo, Palawan is the biggest in the country

Palawan as well as its satellite islands of Cuyo, Agutaya and the Calamianes have impressive structures that served not only as houses of God but also for defense against the Muslim slave raiders. These fortifications and fortress-churches are still standing today.

The Recollects built the church in Romblon in the 18th century.

The island provinces of Mindoro, Romblon, Masbate and Marinduque (Boac) also have these fortress-churches as well as several ruins (in Mindoro) standing proud (or what remains of it) and bearing the inconsequent renovations of priests and parishioners.

In the Visayas, they have founded and erected several stone churches. After the expulsion of the Jesuits, the Recollects took over and added porticos in Bohol as well as started many new towns. Negros and Siquijor were two bastions while northeastern Cebu was handled by them.

Jimenez Church in Misamis Occidental is considered the best preserved religious heritage structure in Mindanao.

In Mindanao, one of the order’s precious and most valued areas of the Recollects until the Jesuits took over upon their return, managed to have very few extant samples. Jimenez in Misamis Occidental, with its stunning painted dome is the best preserved religious heritage structure in the island.

Estan Cabigas is a multiawarded blogger and freelance photographer based in Makati City, the Philippines. A true blue Cebuano, he makes stunning images and meaningful photo stories. He has writtten for CNN Go and his photograph will be published in the May 2010 issue of the National Geographic Magazine.

To know more about him and his photography, visit estancabigas.com.

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