Kalibo Cathedral

In 1581, the Augustinians established a mission in Kalibo. In 1680, the Kalibo was erected a parish under the advocacy of the San Juan Bautista Then, the town site was at Barrio Laguinbanwa in Numancia, some two kilometers distant from the present site of Kalibo.

Here at Laguinbanwa, a church was erected but when town transferred site to its present location, another church was constructed at the new site (1804). Both church and convento were completed completed in 1826. But tragedy struck the complex when on 24 May 1885 however, a big fire razed the town including the convento. The convento was reconstructed the following year (1886).

After the World War II, in 1947, Gabriel M. Reyes, Archbishop of Cebu and later Manila, personally took a hand reconstructing and remodeling the church. The church “On 14 June 1990, an earthquake measuring 7.1 in the Richter Scale hit Panay Island at 3:41 P.M., “The epicenter was located at 11.34 North latitude; 122.10 East longitude, in the vicinity of Culasi, Antique. The depth was computed to be 15 kilometers,” reported Philvocs. Damage to property included “The Catholic Church of Kalibo that is made of bricks (which) suffered cracks on its walls.” During the incumbency as bishop of Gabriel V. Reyes, a nephew of the former archbishop of Manila restored and improved the church to accommodate the many pilgrims who come to celebrate the feast of the Santo Niño.

The church of Kalibo is of modern construction but retains some of the lines characteristic of the post war church, which in turn alludes to earlier church styles. The center of attention in this church is the image of the Santo Niño, in whose honor the annual Ati-atihan is celebrated. (Panublion)