This Week’s Milestones: June 26 to July 1
June 27, 1993
A historical marker was installed at the St. Gregory the Great Parish Church, also known as Majayjay Church, by the National Historical Institute.
The church is one of the oldest Roman Catholic churches in the Philippines and is recognized by the National Museum as a National Cultural Treasure. It is located in the municipality of Majayjay in the province of Laguna.
The current stone church was built in 1616. It was affected by a fire in 1660. By 1707, the church was in danger of collapsing.
The parish priest, Jose de Puertollano, planned of sandwiching the existing walls in brick, an idea that took 20 years to complete. The church was substantially completed before Puertollano’s death in 1730.
June 28, 2019
Two Visayan leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis rabori), a species of small wildcats endemic to the Negros-Panay region, were turned over to a wildlife park in Iloilo province.
These rare native wildcats, which are considered an endangered species and have a very high risk of extinction in the wild, were rescued after they were seen roaming near a poultry farm in Capiz province in March 2018.
When they reached a year and three months, they were transferred to the Mariit Wildlife and Conservation Park at West Visayas State University’s Lambunao campus. These wildcats were named Ponte and Vedra after the town where they were found.
June 30, 1889
The lost image of the Sto. Niño de Tacloban arrived at the local port. Its arrival coincided with the time that locals were suffering from a cholera epidemic.
According to stories passed down by local elders, the plague miraculously disappeared with the arrival of the image of the Child Jesus. Since then, the June 30 miracle was memorialized with a special feast of thanksgiving and deliverance in honor of Sto. Niño de Tacloban.
The feast of Sto. Niño de Tacloban is also known as Tacloban Day and is a special nonworking holiday in the city.
July 1, 1960
By virtue of Republic Act No. 2227, Southern Leyte was inaugurated as a province with 16 municipalities, 349 barangays and four islands: Panaon, Limasawa, San Pablo and San Pedro. Its population in 1960 was 209,608. At present, Southern Leyte is composed of one city, 18 municipalities, and 500 barangays with a total population of 429,573, according to the 2010 Census.
COMPILED BY MARIELLE MEDINA, INQUIRER RESEARCH
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