We left the southern coastal towns towards the inland towns. Several kilometers away from Iloilo’s new airport is the town of Cabatuan (well actually the airport itself is in Cabatuan). Another landmark of Iloilo’s ecclesiastical prowess is the massive brick Church of San Nicolas de Tolentino. With this massive church comes a very massive cemetery located just several kilometers south of the town proper.
In fact I think for a Spanish colonial era Roman Catholic cemetery like this in Iloilo, this is already massive. Believed to be about 2 hecatres, the cemetery is guarded by stone and wrought iron fences and three portals with faded inscriptions in the native tongue and cross bones on relief. Built in 1886 through forced labour, it is believed to be the most well-planned cemetery of the said period during the Spanish colonial period. It had experienced a major damage in the infamous 1948 earthquake, but most of the structures were restored, including the massive baroque camposanto which features webbed floral patterns and baroque features in gray stone.
What is historical about this is that the town’s most prominent people were buried here like the poet who protested his defeat because of the so-called “Tagalog imperialism” in Filipino literature and the likes.
How to get here:
Going to Cabatuan from the city is simple. Just take a jeepney bound for Cabatuan at the Iloilo Central Line Jeepney Terminal at Ungka, Jaro DIstrict of Iloilo City. It would be a 30-45 minute jeepney drive passing by the towns of Pavia, Santa Barbara and the junction towards the new airport. It costs around P30 more or less.
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