Tabaco Church

Saint John the Baptist Parish Church, commonly known as Tabaco Church, is a Roman Catholic church in the city of Tabaco, Albay, Philippines under the jurisdiction of the Diocese of Legazpi.

Tabaco Church
Saint John the Baptist Parish Church
San Juan Bautista Parish Church Iglesia Parroquial de San Juan Bautista (Spanish)
Church facade in 2010
Tabaco Church Location in Albay Show map of Albay Tabaco Church Location in Luzon Show map of Luzon Tabaco Church Location in the Philippines Show map of Philippines
13°21′35″N 123°43′45″E
Location	Tabaco, Albay
Country	Philippines
Denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	1664 (as a Parish)
Dedication	Saint John the Baptist
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	National Cultural Treasure
Architectural type	Church building
Style	Baroque
Administration
Province	Caceres
Archdiocese	Caceres
Diocese	Legazpi
Clergy
Archbishop	Rolando Joven Tria Tirona
Bishop(s)	Joel Z. Baylon
Priest(s)	Rev. Fr. Eduardo R. Ramin, Jr.

The church of Tabaco was founded by the Franciscans under the advocacy of Saint John the Baptist and became an independent parish in 1616. It was also declared a National Cultural Treasure of the Philippines.

History

Tabaco was established as a visita by the Franciscans under the patronage of Saint John the Baptist in 1587.^[1][2] It was separated from Cagsaua in 1616 when Father Pedro de Alcareso was named as parish priest.^[1][3] It was administered by the Franciscans until 1660.^[1] It became an independent parish in 1664.^[2] Since 1750, the church was supervised by the secular clergy.^[2] The present church was built by the seculars in 1864 and completed in 1879.^[3][4]

The church, one of the only two declared sites in Bicol Region, was categorized by the National Museum of the Philippines as a National Cultural Treasure of the country.^[5] Its marker was unveiled on June 22, 2012.^[6]

Features

Church interior in 2023

The church is built out of dark volcanic soil and stones found in the area. One unusual characteristic of the church is the presence of mason's marks on stones used for the construction of the church building, a rare feature in the Philippines.^[4] Its unusual floor plan contains compartments for which there is currently no explanation.^[4] It is known for its beautiful and bell tower embedded with rococo designs.^[4]

Rehabilitation

Albay Governor Joey Salceda allotted ₱ 35 million for the rehabilitation of the historical and cultural heritage sites in the province including the Tabaco church.^[7]