Panglao celebrates faith, heritage during St. Augustine centennial

PANGLAO, Bohol — The residents of this town are commemorating two significant events in honor of its patron, St. Augustine, this year.

The San Agustin Parish Church will celebrate on Saturday, Aug. 31, its 100th anniversary since its consecration as a church.

The people of Panglao also celebrated the 39th Hudyaka sa Panglao Festival, the oldest mardi gras in Bohol province, on Wednesday, Aug. 28.

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Panglao Mayor Edgardo “Boy” Arcay said the celebrations were intended to honor  Saint Augustine and showcase the rich cultural heritage of Panglao.

“This is our way of expressing our gratitude to San Agustin for a wonderful harvest and for all the good things he showered [upon] Panglao and its people,” he said in an interview.

Church records said the San Agustin Church, popularly known as Panglao Church, became a parish in 1803. Augustinian Recollects built the stone church in 1894, but its construction was stopped because of the Philippine Revolution. Construction resumed in 1912.

The entire structure of the Panglao Church was completed and consecrated on Aug. 31, 1924, by then bishop of Cebu Juan Gorordo, when Bohol was still under the Diocese of Cebu.

On Aug. 29, 2011, the National Museum of the Philippines declared the entire church complex an Important Cultural Property because of its exceptional historical and cultural significance.

The 7.2-magnitude earthquake, which shook Bohol in October 2013, caused minimal damage to the church as the major components of its interiors remained intact.

Behind the church stands the Panglao Watchtower, an imposing structure of cut stones and said to be the tallest of its kind in the Philippines.

The centennial celebration of the San Agustin Parish Church in Panglao was described by the faithful as a once-in-a-lifetime event.

“This church has allowed me to grow closer to God,” said resident Analyn Pollenza-Arbilo.

Hudyaka

The local church’s centennial celebration coincided with the 39th Hudyaka sa Panglao Festival in honor of Saint Augustine on Aug. 28.

“Hudyaka” is a Cebuano word for merrymaking or revelry.

Ten barangays competed in the street dance and ritual showdown competitions.

Barangay Bil-isan, the defending champion, was adjudged champion and won special awards for best in costume, musicality, choreography, and street dancing.

Anthony Ceniza, the town’s culture and arts officer, said the Hudyaka is one of the local festivals that Bohol always looks forward to to boost its local tourism.

“We celebrate faith, culture and heritage,” he said.

From January to June, Panglao welcomed at least 500,000 tourists to enjoy its white sand beaches with powdery shores, stretches of pristine sand, and world-class diving sites.

The Department of Trade and Industry awarded Panglao as the Most Competitive Municipality in Economic Dynamism and second Most Competitive in Infrastructure during the Creative Cities and Municipalities Congress on Aug. 23.