Church of St. John Bosco

The Church of St. John Bosco, probably one of the famous churches in the city and now one of the most famous landmarks of Makati’s Central Business District, is noted for its unique and breathtaking geometric architecture.

This church, standing humbly amid the skyscrapers of Makati City, was designed by the late National Artist for Architecture (2014) Jose Maria V. Zaragoza, one of its parishioners and a daily mass goer.

Plaques expressing gratitude to the patrons and sponsors of the church

The relatively new parish was established on March 2, 1976 (just a year after I graduated high school in adjacent Don Bosco Technical Institute), with Fr. Godrey Roozen as the first parish priest.

Plaques paying tribute to the late church architect and National Artist Jose Ma. Zaragoza (left) and the 35 anniversary of the church’s dedication (right)

Zaragoza, one of the well-known architects of the 1970’s, was commissioned by the Salesian Congregation because of his remarkable use of concrete which show unstagnant flow of forms.

The church interior

One of a significant body of ecclesiastical architecture of about 45 religious structures across the country designed by Zaragoza, he was the same architect behind the postwar Santo Domingo Church, the old Union Church of Manila nearby, and the 15-storey Meralco Building, among others.

The starburst tabernacle and its anahaw leaf-inspired backdrop

Though not be as prominent as the aforementioned works of his, Zaragoza’s work on the church is still an iconic one.

The suspended metal and wood cross designed by the late sculptor Eduardo Castrillo

For the design of the church, Zaragoza employed a clamshell-inspired contemporary design with a semicircular interior layout. Cardinal Jaime  Sin laid the cornerstone of the church on April 15, 1977 and, on its completion, also dedicated it on March 4 1978. Its exterior is reminiscent of the edge of a leaf.

Statue of St. John Bosco and St. Dominic Savio (Eduardo Catrillo)

The distinctive and iconic concave interior features flowing lines.  The starburst tabernacle has a golden anahaw or footstool palm (Saribus rotundifolius) leaf as its dramatic backdrop.

Statue of the Madonna and Child (Eduardo Castrillo)

Above the altar, series of widening ripples evoke the graces streaming from the Blessed Sacrament and flowing into the vaulted ceiling.

Cross beams

The exposed white ceiling, accented with diagonal, crisscrossing concrete beams (sort of a stylized net for the “fishers of men”), also gives an impression of outward rays.

Confessionals

The treatment of the ceiling adheres to Pier Luigi Nervi’s thrust in dealing with circular covers or roofs.

The church grounds

A gallery of religious statuary

The statues (St. John Bosco with St. Dominic Savio, the Madonna and Child) and the suspended crucifix (which seemingly rides the crest of a magnificent wave) that adorn the church were done by the late sculptor Eduardo Castrillo.

Statue of St. John Bosco, Dominic Savio and Laura Vicuna

At night, this awe-inspiring interior looks better because of the lighting.

The resurrected Christ

A Station of the Cross

Church of St. John Bosco: Antonio Arnaiz Ave. (formerly Pasay Rd.) cor. Amorsolo St., Makati City 1200, Metro Manila. Tel: +63-2-8894-5932 to 34. Website: www.sjbmakati.com.  E-mail: info@sjbmakati.com.

Sanctuario de San Antonio

The Sanctuario de San Antonio, in the heart of upscale Makati City, was built by the Franciscans after the San Francisco de Asis Church, their mother church in Intramuros was destroyed during the 1945 liberation of Manila in World War II.

The Baroque-style church was built on 2 hectares of once-idle grassland in Forbes Park that was donated by Joseph McMicking of Ayala Corporation (the pioneer behind the rise of Makati as the country’s premier financial district that it is today) in July 17, 1951.

The church interior

On August 24, 1951, the Most Rev. Gabriel M. Reyes, Archbishop of Manila, granted permission for the church’s construction and, August 1, 1951, the cornerstone was laid.

The main altar and retablo

Built in the Californian Mission style, the church was completed and blessed by the Most Rev. (later cardinal) Rufino Santos, Archbishop of Manila, on December 8, 1953 and was given the name Santuario de San Antonio.

The left-side altar

The right side altar

The late National Artist Fernando Amorsolo was commissioned to create the pair of hand-painted mural paintings, based on the paintings done in the 13th century by the Italian artist Giotto for the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi, located on opposite sides near the church entrance.

The Stigmatization of St. Francis (Fernando Amorsolo)

One painting, The Stigmatization of St. Francis depicts the stigmata or the wounds of Christ received by St. Francis of Assisi (the founder of the Franciscans Order) while the other is The Sermon of the Birds which depicts St. Francis and another preaching to the birds.

The Sermon of the Birds (Fernando Amorsolo)

On August 26, 2014, a contract agreement was signed with the Roberto M. Lopez Conservation Center of the Lopez Museum for the art restoration of these two works of art.  The restoration was completed in 2015.

Baptistery

The nearly 70 old church features cross-shaped layout with a dome-shaped ceiling.

The candle gallery

A century-old statue of St. Anthony of Padua (after whom the church is dedicated), a war survivor from the patio of the original San Francisco Church in Intramuros, can be found in the central plaza between the church and the multipurpose hall.

The century-old statue of St. Anthony of Padua

Aside from masses, the church is now a popular venue for weddings (especially for couples belonging to some of the country’s most influential families) in the Makati area.

The central plaza

Santuario De San Antonio Church:  3117 McKinley Rd, Forbes Park, Makati City 1220, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 8843-8830 to 31.  Website: www.ssaparish.com.  Feast of St. Anthony of Padua: June 13.

Parish Church of St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori

The Parish Church of St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori in Magallanes Village in Makati City, also known as Magallanes Church has, for a long time now, been a big part of our family life.  On August 1, 2003, my son Jandy and daughter Cheska were both confirmed here while my grandson Kyle was baptized here on September 29, 2012.

Jandy and Cheska after their August 1, 2003 confirmation at the old Magallanes Church

It was also Cheska’s and my son-in-law Bryan’s first choice for their wedding venue but they had to settle for the Shrine of St, Therese of the Child Jesus as their preferred time slot was already taken.  However, they did get Fr. Lorenzo Ruggiero, Magallanes Church’s parochial vicar, to officiate at their December 14, 2019 wedding.  We also frequently attend the Saturday (6 PM) anticipated masses here and, even during this pandemic period, patronized their online mass.

Kyle’s baptism at the church baptistery on September 29, 2012

The church, then and now, is a showcase of works of a number of National Artists of the Philippines. The original, intimate and low structure, started on July 11, 1968, was designed by my late uncle and National Artist for Architecture Leandro V. Locsin in his signature Brutalist-style.

The then 800 sq. m. parish church, much like a smaller version of the former Folk Arts Theater (now the Tanghalang Francisco Balagtas), had a perfect square plan (28 m. each side), with a 4 m. high wooden coffered ceiling and a central aisle that ran along the diagonal of the square. The church, with narra pews, had a seating capacity of 300.

The concrete buttresses

Along the perimeter were 28 massive, 4 m. high concrete buttresses, wide at the base and narrow at the top, which actually just supported a tall parapet wall (not a roof slab) that shielded the corrugated G.I. roof. Later, a PhP12 million airconditioning system was installed.

Within its 36 years of existence, Makati grew to become the country’s financial capital and it became one of the busiest churches in Metro-Manila. In 1991, the 22-storey Asia Pacific college building (on the lot once occupied by the Karilagan Finishing School) was built across it and the South Superhighway beside it became a two-level highway. On March 24, 2002, Palm Sunday, the Garden of the Way of the Cross, designed by late 2006 National Artist for Architecture Ildefonso P. Santos Jr. during the tenure of Monsignor Ernesto Cruz, was dedicated.

The church after the September 9, 2004 fire.  The carillon beside it survived unscathed (photo: www.stalphonsusrebuilds.blogspot.com)

On the morning of September 9, 2004, a fire (starting around 2 AM and extinguished 5:32 AM) gutted the nearly four decade old church. While the interior was razed, there was only minimal damage to the façade, with only the glass windows destroyed.

The church interior after the fire (photo: www.stalphonsusrebuilds.blogspot.com)

However, several small images of Mother Mary used in the procession celebrating the Feast of the Virgin Mary, some made of expensive ivory, were also consumed by the fire. Miraculously, a wooden statue of the Crucified Christ was recovered, relatively unscathed, from the fire and has been restored and again installed inside the rebuilt church.

The relatively unscathed wooden statue of the Crucified Christ recovered from the fire

After much deliberation, the parish decided that it would be more economical and symbolically pithy to preserve the concrete structure that survived the fire by salvaging the 28 buttresses that remained, rather than demolishing them and starting from scratch. The parish commissioned Dominic Galicia (who also designed the church’s Adoration Chapel in 2000) to lead the church rebuilding project with Ronald Santiago as the structural engineer.  During the duration of the construction, masses were held in a bahay kubo (originally a venue for social gatherings) at the back of the rectory.  The new church was dedicated on August 1, 2007, the feast day of St. Alphonsus Mary de Liguori.

Dedication plaque

The new rebuilt church, a symbol of a community transforming tragedy into grace, has an aesthetically pleasing facade, with a soaring roof that increased it height from 6 m. to 28 m.. A new mezzanine was added to increase seating from 300 to 900.

The new mezzanine

Spiral stairs leading up to the mezzanine

The existing structure was reused as the springboard for the soaring roofs. The new structure consists of 13 roof vaults (thin-shell concrete membranes clad in unglazed clay tiles, which will help reduce heat gain), representing Jesus and the 12 Apostles, resting on new composite columns.

The ascending vaults of the soaring roof

The 28 hollow buttresses, originally designed for aesthetic effect, now fulfill a new structural purpose as they were filled with concrete to of providing lateral support to the new composite columns. The 8 m. wide central roof vault, traveling the longest distance (which is the diagonal of the square plan), rises to a height of 28 m..

The roof vaults seen from the interior of the church.  The vaults are cladded with acoustic ceiling boards (for sound absorption) on aluminum T-runners

Independent, 4.5 m. wide roof vaults, ascend parallel to it on either side, beginning at 11 m. from ground level, then 14 m., 16 m., 18 m., 21 m., and 25 m., like the 12 apostles who accompanied Jesus Christ. The vaults are separated by clear glass windows which, in the upper reaches of the building, are also operable. The presence of these windows now provides a bright interior.

The massive church doors

The wooden church doors, featuring carvings of scenes from the life and death of Christ, were inspired by the 13th century frescoes by the Italian painter Giotto and made by the seasoned craftsmen of Betis (Pampanga).

The well lit church interior

The Art Deco-inspired interior features a simple wooden and glass altar, modern, Minimalist-looking pews and high ceilings.  The altar wall, made with wood-clad concrete, incorporates stained glass panels which depicts the burning bush where God appeared before Moses. Above it is the dove which represents the Holy Spirit. The altar pews are oriented so that all attention is on the altar, an arrangement somewhat reminiscent of the Church of the Holy Sacrifice in Diliman (Quezon City), another Locsin masterpiece.

Check out “Church of the Holy Sacrifice“

The altar wall with its stained glass depiction of the Burning Bush

September must be an unlucky month for the church as, on September 23, 2009, flash floods inundated the church at the height of Tropical Storm “Ondoy” (Typhoon Ketsana). The baptistery, a separate facility in the area, was was completed and blessed in October 2009. 

The Minimalist-style carillon.  In the background is the Asia Pacific College where Jandy finished college

Nest to the church entrance is the unique and splendid,  Minimalist carillon with four pointed steel arches of increasing height, the tallest at 17 m., which follows the design of the roof vaults of the main church facade. Dedicated on December 14, 2002 and spared from the 2004 fire, it carries 18 bronze bells from the Netherlands.

The Garden Way of the Cross

The Garden of the Way of the Cross, containing 14 Stations of the Cross (each a work of a noted artist, two of which are National Artists) is, outside the local community is practically unknown, despite being kept in a garden along one of the country’s busiest thoroughfares.

Station I – Last Supper (Napoleon V. Abueva)

Station II – Agony at the Garden by Abdulmari “Toym” Imao. His art is known for its commentary on Filipino social conditions, as well as for its pop culture sensibilities. Among his most notable early sculptures include the Tandang Sora National Shrine (Quezon City), the Andres Bonifacio National Shrine (Maragondon, Cavite), and the Dr. Jose P. Rizal statue (Carson City, California), ] In 2015, his exhibition “Desaparecidos” at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani was widely recognized as an important commemoration of the abuses of Martial law under Ferdinand Marcos.

Dedicated on March 24, 2002, it has glass canopies that shield them from rain and falling branches. A 1 m. wide running stream separates the sculptures from a reaching hand, without blocking the view and a wall of black java helps secure the garden and minimizes the noise coming from the highway.

Station III – Jesus is Condemned by Rosalio “Ros” B. Arcilla Jr.)

Station IV – Crowning with Thorns (Raphael Arcilla)

Parishioner and landscape architect Ildefonso P. Santos Jr., assisted by landscape architect Cecile Herras Tence, planned the plants that would go with the sculptures and designed a curvilinear landscape to soften their sculpture’s hard materials. A persisting threat to these prized artworks is the dust, grime and air pollution coming from the nearby South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).

Station V – Jesus Carries the Cross (Tito Sanchez)

Station VI – Jesus Falls (Jose M. Mendoza)

The stations, commemorating Jesus Christ’s Passion and Death through 14 contemplative markers, feature masterpieces by a virtual Who’s Who of contemporary Philippine art. All the sculptures were limited to 4 ft. in height, minus the base and all but one of the works were commissioned by the parishioners and donated to the church.

Station VII – Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus (Ramon Orlina)

Station VIII – Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem (Juan Sajid Imao)

Mary and John at the Foot of the Cross (Station XI), a metal tableau of Mother Mary and the Apostle John at the foot of the cross, was a donation from the late artist himself, Solomon Saprid.  The Last Supper ( Station I), a creation in stone, was done by the late 1976 National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon V. Abueva, hailed as the father of modern Philippine sculpture.

The 1 m. wide running stream

The Agony in the Garden, another bronze statue of Christ, was done by the late 2006 National Artist for Sculpture Abdulmari “Toym” Imao. Jesus Dies (Station XII), a bronze of Jesus nailed to the cross, was fashioned by the late Eduardo Castrillo, the man behind the Edsa People Power Monument. Simon of Cyrene Helps Jesus (Station VII) is a chunk glass depiction of the encounter between Christ and Simon of Cyrene on the way to Calvary, was rendered by the renowned glass sculptor Ramon Orlina.

Station IX – Jesus is Nailed to the Cross (Francisco Verano)

Station X – Jesus Forgives a Thief at the Cross by Priscillano “Jun” Vicaldo Jr.. A native of Camarines Sur, Jun is dept in both classical and modernist styles. A graduate of the University of the Philippines (U.P.) College of Fine Arts (CFA), studied along with other noted artists such as Agnes Arellano and Peter Tiamzon de Guzman, under National Artist for Sculpture Napoleón Isabelo “Billy” Veloso Abueva. Vicaldo continued his studies at the La Salle SIA School for the Arts, in Singapore; and worked under Manuel Casal. His commissioned works include pieces at the Subic and Olongapo, Adamson University, National Historical Commission Building, Naga City Robredo Museum, Naga Cathedral and Penafrancia Shrine.

Jesus is Nailed to the Cross (Station IX), by Francisco Verano, depicts a muscular but proportionately formed Jesus Christ fastened to a large cross attached diagonally (instead of the usual upright) on a slab of slanting concrete.

Station XI – Mary and John at the Foot of the Cross (Solomon Saprid)

Sation XII – Jesus Dies (Eduardo Castrillo)

Jesus Meets the Women of Jerusalem (Station VIII), by Juan Sajid Imao, the younger brother of Abdulmari Imao, evokes the scene in a narrative composition. Two stations were also done by brothers, the  late Rosalio “Ros” B.  Arcilla Jr. (Jesus Is Condemned, Station III) and Raphael Arcilla (Crowning with Thorns, Station IV).

Station XIII – Jesus is Laid in the Tomb (Antonio T. Mondejar)

Station XIV – Resurrection (Dominic Galicia)

The Resurrection (Station XIV), a marble and black granite interpretation done by Dominic Galicia himself, features a black granite fountain that resembles a tabernacle with a wide, white marble basin on its top. A local marble wall, behind it, has a niche on the side that represents the empty cave following Christ’s resurrection.

The other stations were done by Tito Sanchez (Jesus Carries the Cross, Station V), Jose M. Mendoza (Jesus Falls, Station VI), Priscillano “Jun” Vicaldo Jr. (Jesus Forgives a Thief at the Cross, Station X), and Antonio T. Mondejar (Jesus is Laid in the Tomb, Station XIII).

Garden of the Risen Christ

Beyond the Stations of the Cross is the Garden of the Risen Christ, an impressively-designed memorial garden, surrounded by rows of tombs, featuring a sculpture of a risen Jesus Christ above a pond.

St. Alphonsus Mary de Ligouri Church: Humabon Place,  Lapu Lapu St., Magallanes Village, Makati City 1232. Tel: (02) 8851-0275, 8852-2750 and 8852-8228. Email: info@saintalphonsus.ph.

Chapel of Sto. Nino dela Paz

The modern, dome-shaped, open-sided Chapel of Sto. Niño de Paz (Holy Child of Peace), set amidst the verdant lushness under the leafy canopies of the tree-filled Greenbelt Park, a green oasis in the heart of the concrete jungle and chaos of the city.

Checked out “Greenbelt Park”

Amidst skyscrapers in the financial district, it stands as a quiet retreat floating in the middle of a pond and accessible by a narrow pathway through dense vegetation. It has. Surrounded by a tranquil pond, green plants and spectacular sculptures, the park is an idyllic escape from the cacophony of the city.

The church’s open air interior

Commonly called the Greenbelt Chapel, it is perhaps the only church hidden in the lush and landscaped gardens of a bustling retail, dining and commercial center and is one amongst the most impressive and outstanding buildings of the city. It is also one of only two known round chapels in the country (the other is the Church of the Holy Sacrifice in Diliman, Quezon City).

Check out “Church of the Holy Sacrifice”

 Unlike traditional Roman Catholic churches with thick enclosed walls, this chapel is open air and it mostly resembles a pavilion, with a roof built in the shape of a soldier’s cap and a covered walkway leading to the center of the church from the entrance.

The lagoon

Originally, the church was not part of the plans of owner Ayala Corporation, developer of the country’s financial capital. In the 1970s, the chapel’s site used to be an aviary, a particular attraction at Greenbelt Park, then the breathing space of the old Makati Commercial Center.

Dominating the landscape then were spacious parking lots, a popular supermarket and stand-alone restaurants and shops. Today, the Greenbelt Chapel is the only existing landmark among its contemporaries in the park within the steel and concrete enclave of Makati.

The author

The chapel was a brainchild of Ms. Fanny Del Rosario Diploma (a cancer survivor) and her husband, Atty. Nordy Diploma. Coming from a wealthy family, they decided to build a chapel as thanksgiving for Fanny’s new lease on life.

Jandy

Approaching the Ayalas, they offered to build a church if a site was made available for them in the largely still undeveloped Central Business District. After seeing seen the master plan, Fanny pointed at a very unlikely place to build anything – the center of the lagoon.

The Ayalas agreed, on condition that nothing permanent would be built on the site.  Anytime it was needed, the chapel can be removed. Contrary to popular belief, the Greenbelt Chapel was not made of thin shell concrete and was not designed by National Artist for Architecture Leandro V. Locsin. For this very special project, the couple called their architect, Enrique “Jess” Dizon (architect-on-record) who, in turn, called the young Topy Vasquez, his former staff who was, at that time, working for Architect Gabriel Formoso. Dizon rendered the circular pattern of the building while Architect William Fernandez designed the structure.

The suspended cross

Given the condition that the structure be temporary, both architects used a simplistic yet amazing design that featured a steel-framed dome clad with staggered 6 mm. (1/4”) thick marine plywood (at the time, the Diplomas owned one of the largest plywood manufacturing companies), waterproofing and paint. In case Ayala Corporation decided to assert their right over the “temporary” chapel’s site, it can be lifted and moved by helicopter.

One of the confessionals

Originally, the design called for a dome that would seem to float over water plus a basement (to be ventilated underneath the concrete cantilevers, just above the water line) where the sacristy and offices would be housed. However, due to budget constraints, the basement was scrapped.  Instead, small extensions at the sides and back of the dome were built for the sacristy and offices.

The Mudrass Cross

During the construction, Ramon Orlina, another young architect, approached Architect Dizon and proposed glass sculptures (Orlina further studied glass sculpture techniques in Europe) to become part of the chapel. Complementing the simple yet powerful architecture of the chapel, the now renowned master glass sculptor fabricated the ceiling, the Dove of Peace, tabernacle, sacristy, the Mudrass Cross (the cross at the entrance outside the chapel), the altar table (made of glass and narra wood) with its tabernacle (that seems to miraculously rise out of nowhere) and the God the Father resin image (made with plexiglass wood) on the dome.  All these dazzling commissioned artworks, beautifully integrated into the architecture, has not seen before in any church by the secular population.

God the Father resin image (Ramon Orlina)

A year after the chapel was granted a 30-year contract by the Ayala Corporation to use its present site at the Greenbelt Park, the chapel was completed and inaugurated and dedicated on July 28, 1983 by His Eminence the late Cardinal Jaime Sin with Jaime Zobel de Ayala, Atty. Nordy and Fanny Diploma and numerous benefactors and guests.

The church bell

In the last 30 years, the dome-shaped chapel has seen the completion of the high-end, Ayala owned Greenbelt Chain of Malls around it.  When the chapel’s lease contract with Ayala Corporation expired on March 31 2012, Ayala Land Inc., its property arm, decided to retain the chapel in its present location, turning over its management to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila.

The chapel offices

The beautiful chapel’s unorthodox design sports a domed ceiling that curves all the way to the ground in places. Today, Fanny’s temporary open-air chapel has outlived her and the chapel remains untouched and looks exactly the way it was designed in the early 1980s (the only practical additions were the corner office cubicles and the roofs at bridge entrances). It is now recognized as one of Makati’s tourist attractions. 

Chapel of Sto. Nino de Paz: Greenbelt Park, Ayala Center, Makati City, Metro Manila.  Tel: (632) 7729-8173.