What has Become of Spanish Old Town Quipayo?

During the Spanish era, many settlements were created with the establishment of a Catholic parish in a locality. So that when the Franciscan missionaries arrived in the area in 1578, they founded the church of Immaculada Conception and the town of Quipayo. They caused the construction of an obiquitous landmark, the first all-ladrillo church (made of rock-hard reddish-brown blocks).

One hundred seventy one years later, on July 17, 1749, the new town of Calabanga was created out of some of the villages from Quipayo by virtue of the approval of Don Fray Joan de Arechera, Bishop Elect of Nueva Segovia of the Commissary of the King of Spain. The Our Lady of La Porteria parish was also established. With the new town the territory of Quipayo was diminished which caused some friction on the civil and religious authorities between the old town and the new one.

In 1818, Quipayo was further reduced with the creation of the town of Bombon.

As a consolation the Quipayo-based church was assured of its continued influence and seniority over new parishes; its jurisdiction was expanded to cover the new ones created in the towns of Libmanan, Bombon, Siruma (also, originally part of Quipayo) and Calabanga.

Definitely the new towns’ location has something to do with it’s growth and development, Calabanga became the center of trade and business in the area more than that of Quipayo. It expanded and (ironically) incorporated into its territory the mother town and the municipality of Bombon. However, Bombon’s status was restored later in July 27, 1949, but Quipayo never recovered its independence.

Today, residents still refer to the villages (barangays) surrounding the ladrillo church as Quipayo. (Read a rejoinder and more on Quipayo and the vicariate on Cbanga360 on Facebook and, here Calabanga vicariate adds a new parish.

Our Lady of La Porteria has been elevated into a vicariate with five parishes under its wing, including that of the Immaculate Conception which only retained sixteen villages (barangays) up until October, 2009, with an approximate population of seventeen thousand. The parish in Libmanan has progressed faster, it is now the seat of the Diocese of Libmanan.

On June 11, 1978 the Philippine national historical commission by virtue of presidential decree 1505 declared the baroque-inspired Quipayo church as a national historical landmark. Todate, it is recognized as one of the oldest in the Bicol region.

(Read a rejoinder and more on Quipayo and the vicariate on Cbanga360 on Facebook
or here Calabanga vicariate adds a new parish.

This is my post for This is My World. Many thanks to Klaus, Sandy, Wren, Fishing Guy, Louise & Sylvia, for hosting this wonderful meme: My World – Tuesday.

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9 thoughts on “What has Become of Spanish Old Town Quipayo?”

  1. Haha I misread it I thought it was Quiapo, and I didn’t know about the Quipayo church. Apparently there are so many churches in the country that is rich in history. Thanks for sharing.

  2. What a lovely old church! And I really enjoyed your very informative post, Japa! Quite a history it has!
    Thanks for sharing!

    Hope you have a great day!

    Sylvia

  3. I was watching ANC live stream last night, then suddenly your ANC Live stream has stopped. 🙁 i have been looking for ANC live stream for the past six months. Can you kindly fix the ANC live stream? million thanks!

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