Paoay's St. Augustine Catholic Church

According to a chronicler, it was during the four-year reign of DON MARTIN GUIANG in 1701  when the planning and construction work of this famous Philippine church was formally started. Filipino volunteers and other laborers had only light work during the early stage of the construction, gathering materials such as timber, brick, and coral stones. Before Don Martin relinquished his seat to the immediate successor in 1704, he helped parish priest Father Gabriel Fabre and his clergymen in laying the cornerstone of the church. In 1896, 195 years after the initial construction, the church building and belfry were finally completed.

Paoay's Saint (St.) Augustine Catholic Church is famous for its unique Baroque architectural design.  Records show that it was formally inaugurated on February 28, l896.  To date, St. Augustine Catholic Church is one of the four Philippine churches included in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List (http://whc.unesco.org/).  The three other Baroque Churches of the Philippines that are on the UNESCO World Heritage List are: San Augustine Church in Intramuros, Manila; La Asuncion Church in Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur; and San Tomas Church in Miag-oa, Iloilo.  Per UNESCO, "Their unique architectural style is a reinterpretation of European Baroque by Chinese and Philippine craftsmen."  Because of major calamities, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts in the Philippines spearheaded the restoration and preservation work of this Spanish (St Augustine Church) structure in cooperation with the Roman Catholic Church-Diocese of Laoag City, municipal government of Paoay and non-government organizations.  Owing to its grandeur design, this religious worship place has become a major tourist attraction in the Philippines. It also draws foreign and local film-makers who shoot movies, as well as television and print commercials. For the Guiangs who have not visited Paoay and the church, we encouraged you to do so to enjoy the church's solemnity and physical grandeur.

To date, the Church of Paoay still stands strong and is the icon of the town of Paoay.