I was in Oslob over the weekend to check on the progress of the reconstruction of the burned church of Oslob and was happy to find that it now has a roof so that masses can again be said at this old structure. While this is commendable development, there is still much to be done. I asked Jun Tumulak, a member of the Parish Pastoral Council and he said that the total cost needed in bringing it back to a functional church complete with it’s flooring paved and tiled, pews, windows, painting, etc. is about P35 million.

The three tiered Graeco-Roman façade of the church of Carcar is simple yet elegant. While such style can also be found in a few other places in the country, it is not as severe as that of Talisay, a few towns to the north or Bacnotan, La Union in Luzon. The interplay of planes, arches and quiant details make this tall and compact church one of the unforgettable structures in this island province.

Carcar is located at the eastern coast of Cebu south of the capital, Cebu City. It is bounded by San Fernando in the north, Sibonga in the south and Barili in the west. It’s beautiful church overlooks the equally beautiful heritage town, the only one of its kind in the province with its many ancestral houses from different periods.

I visited the Basilica del Sto. Nino, the Augustinian convent in Cebu last 31 October to take photos around the church for a future post at my travel blog, langyaw.com. When I went out, I was surprised that the centuries old icon of the Inmaculada Concepcion (Immaculate Concepcion) of Oslob Church was just outside, encased in clear plexiglass and there were two long lines infront where people waited to come close and touch it.

Extant mortuary chapels in the country are hard to find. Except maybe if you are in the province of Iloilo where there are a few excellent examples. However, beyond that province and Cebu, there are also scattered across the rest of the regions but not all and I haven’t seen one from Mindanao. During my travels, I was able to find some that are now posted here.

The cemetery and mortuary chapels in Cebu are not as grand as those in Iloilo and are in different degrees of condition with most having been renovated and one in near collapse. In this post, I am presenting the eight cemetery and mortuary chapels that can be found in Cebu: Calamba (Cebu City), Sibonga, Argao, Dalaguete and Oslob.