DID YOU KNOW: First Dominicans in PH

On July 21, 1587, the first Dominicans arrived in the Philippines. Five of them stayed in the convent of Santo Domingo in Manila, while four left for Bataan and six for Pangasinan. Also known as The Order of Preachers, they played a significant role in the country’s early history. They founded the University of Santo Tomas in 1611, the oldest university in Asia. The first bishop of Manila, Father Domingo de Salazar, was also a Dominican. —Marielle Medina, Inquirer Research