From: Angels in Stone: Augustinian Churches in the Philippines
By Pedro G. Galende, OSA, San Agustin Museum, Manila, 1996, pp 319-321.
Panay is located on plain and fertile land irrigated by the river same name; the climate is rather humid due to the abundant nipa fields and the low sea level. It is bounded by the Sea of Mindoro, Pontevedra and the town of Capiz. Its location was so low that when the Panay River overflowed, the flood waters used to reach the main altar of the church.
The original name Bamban was changed by the early Spaniards to Panay, a word which means “mouth of the river.” This was the place where Juan de la Isla built a fortress.
Panay is the only town which can challenge Dumangas distinction of being the first town to have received the faith. The Augustinian who accompanied the first Spanish expeditions to prevent any harm to be done to the natives, as ordered by the Rada is said to have been the first to preach the gospel in 1566 by the banks of the river of the town of Bamban (Panay); from here, he proceeded to Dumangas.
Legaspi set up his quarters here in 1569 because this was a more fertile territory which could furnish him plenty of rice during an emergency. Furthermore, the people welcomed him with pleasure and served him more loyally than the Zebuanos. From this town, Legaspi sent to Spain twelve flower pots of pepper, a special delicacy in those days as a gift to the King. The Augustinians started the Christianizaiton of the people here and then they proceeded to Dumangas.
The town of Panay was founded in 1572 under the advocation of Santa Monica, although according to Jorde, it was founded in 1581. Originally, this town was a small settlement with 2,645 tributos or 7,935 souls; it soon developed into a flourishing town. According to another writer, it was the biggest ministry of the island and the richest town due to its trade with Capiz and the Sangleys. It, too, became the capital city of the province, a status it maintained for two centuries. It ultimately shared its name with the whole island.
Fr. Bartolome de Alacantara was named prior during the meeting of April 22, 1581, with Fr. Agustin Camacho as his companion. This must be Jorde’s basis for saying that the town was founded in 1581.
In 1590, the prior was asked to pay an annual rent of 20 pesos of San Agustin Monastery, the amount was increased to 30 pesos I 1599, but was scheduled fort eh convent of Santo Niño de Cebu; in 1602 it was lowered to 15 pesos. In 1607, the convent was declared vacant and later on, Fr. Lonso de Mentrida, Quintilian linguist of the visayan language, was named prior.
The Estado of 1612 indicates that Panay had three priests and 3,600 souls. In 1698 the convent was asked to assist the convent of Antique with 60 pesos – this continued until 1740 when its help was no longer needed. In 1732, it paid the contribution in cash and in rice to the convent in Cebu.
In 1732, Panay had 4,604 souls. In 1760 it had 6,128, three of whom were Spaniards. In 1896, it reached 16,432 souls. In 1980, the population was 31,650.
According to Fray San Agustin, this town enjoyed great trade with the Spaniards, Sangleys, meztizos and natives.
The weaving industry produced textiles of extraordinary quality called suerte, which commanded fabulous prices in Europe. Don Antonio Roxas, grandfather of the late Philippine President Manuel G. Roxas, owned one of the largest rum and wine distilleries.
This town was under the care of the Agusitinians form the beginning until 1898. Traditionally, the Panayañons speak the Hiligueyna (Hiligaynon) dialect with exquisite purity and elegance. They speak in a honey-voice manner resembling that of the Andalusians of Spain, without the speech defect of the Cebuanos who skip letters in their pronunciation and distort the simplicity of the Visayan languages according to Fernandez.
Fr. Manuel Lopez, prior of Panay, in a letter to the father provincial dated June 7, 1698, speaks of the deplorable state of the church and the convent as a consequence of the typhoon which slapped the province in the past month of January of this year and destroyed the buildings. From this letter we can safely assume that the first buildings were probably finished before 1698, or even before 1692, the first term of the priorship of Fr. Lopez. Fray San Agustin writes that the convent was of very good structure, but does not mention the church. According to Fr. Lopez; since the people of Panay by themselves were not able to restore the building, an agreement was signed with the alcalde mayor who donated 228 pesos from the community treasury.
In 1774 Fr. Miguel Murguia rebuilt, (Marin says built) the church, which was greatly damaged by the typhoon of January 17, 1875. Fr.Jose Beloso restored it in 1884.
The church, a grand structure named of coral stone is 70 meters long, 25 meters wide and 18 meters high. The walls are three meters thick; the floor is covered with marble. Its structure is shaped in the form of a Latin cross with one large central altar and four lateral ones, each one fitted with gorgeou8sly decorated and gilded retablos of hardwood, decorated with various polychrome statues of high artistic quality. According to Claparols, artisans form Manila fashioned the Baroque decorations, set in silver, of the main altar. The town’s greatest sculptor, Joseph Bergaño or Sarhento Itak, did most of the bas-reliefs and religious statuary. According to Claparols, the completion of the church in 1774 was hailed by the whole town as a great event.
Unlike its Baroque interior, the facade of the church is simply decorated by pillars and horizontal ledges with niches for the life-sized statues of the Augustinian saints, Tomas de Villanueva and Monica. The five-story belfry is the center of curiously because of its unusually huge bell – cast in the 19th century from 70 sacks of coins donated by the townsfolk. It measures seven feet in diameter five feet in height and weighs 10,400 kilograms. The people of the town affectionately call it “Dakong Lingganay, Hilihaynon (vernacular) for big bell.
The bell was cast by Don Juan Reina, who had settled in Iloilo City’s J.M. Basa Street in 1868 and there established his blacksmith and casting shop. When the belfry was being constructed, Fr. Jose Beloso sent for him. With just few rudimentary tools, Reina set up temporary shop at ht efoot of the town and hurried with the castingof the bell. Priest and caster agreed on the testing time. When the bell was tried caster agreed on the testing time. When the bell was tried during the Angelus, the sound was so loud that “every nearby town heasrd the voice of hte bell of Panay.” After being paid by the parish priest, Don Juan returned to his shop in Iloilo. In a month’s time, the bell cracked. From then on, it’s sounded more like a frying pan than a bell. Furious, the priest summoned Don Juan Reina and ordered him to have the bell recast, for free. Don Juan, who had the temper of a genuine baturro (country man from Aragon) would have none of it. Fr. Beloso, no less stubborn appealed to Bishop Cuartero who, after a heated discussion with the blacksmith, sent a circular to all the priests of the island, prohibiting them form contracting any job to Don Juan.
The deadlock was broken in a very strange manner. Bishop Curatero would spend long sleepless nights due to a chronic toothache. Ironically, the only dentist who could help him was no other than Don Juan, the blacksmith! Don Juan was sent for, and the bishop meekly submitted himself to have his tooth pulled out. The sacamuelas, as Don Juan was called, laughingly relished the great opportunity. As he got ready to apply the hook he asked the Bishop with unfeigned insolence: “Your Excellency, is there any job for the bell caster?” “Of course, Don Juan, there is, whispered the Bishop. A big pull and the tooth went out. After this twist of events, it was no longer difficult for the blacksmith to find work.
The bell in the words of the town’s mayor is very dear to the Panayaños both in moments of happiness and in times of tribulation. It symbolizes their link with the Almighty. The inscription on the bell reads: Soy la voz de Diosque llevare y ensalzare desde el principio hasta el fin de este pueblo de Panay para que los fieles de Jesus vengan a esta casa de Dios a recibirlas gracias celestials. (“I am God’s voice which I shall echo and praise from one end to the other of the town of Panay, so that the faithful followers of Christ may come to this house of God to receive the heavenly graces.”) The bell was cast “in this town by D. Juan Reina to the glory of God and the Virgin of Consolation, while Fr. Joe Beloso was the parish priest of the town Panay, 21st of December 1878 reads: Josepus (sic) Beloso fecit ad laudem Sanctissimi Trinitatis, B. M. Consolationis huius oppidi de Panay patrona et advocate. Anno Domini 1867.
It weighs 183 arrobas. The small bell dates from 1721. It was cast by Benitus a Regibus, Hilario Sunico and Juan Reina. The root of the church was blown away by the typhoon on March 5, 1874. Another typhoon on January 17, 1875 toppled the transept. Fr. Lesmes Perez had it beautifully repaired in 1895. The ruined convent has never rebuilt.
This church has been called “an excellent example” of the type of Filipino colonial |Baroque style that has blended well with the Neo-Classic influence. The façade is imposing for its size, its massive and solid appearance and for the blending of its lines and volumes. Its natural color is a pleasant look. Shallow paired pilasters with narrow grooves in between divide the façade into rectangular sections, symmetrical and well-balanced. The main entrance has a simple semi-circular arch flanked by two small started niches. This is topped by a rectangular carving portraying the Augustinian emblem. The second level has an ornate niche and a rose window above it complemented by relief sculpture at the center of the pediment. The vertical movement of the pilasters is counter foiled by the sharp projecting architrave and the curvilinear undulation of the pediment. The dark open spaces of the entrance and the windows create a closer relationship between light and shadow. The pineapple shaped finials on the topmost part of the pediment wall add to the local exotic color of the church.
