St. John The Baptist Church 

municipality of Bato in Catanduanes 

INTRODUCTION

There’s a lot of historical places in Bicol region where people used to visit and explore, and one of it is

the “Bato Church” in Catanduanes. Catanduanes is an island province and 12 th-largest island that is

located in the Bicol Region that is part of Luzon in the Philippines. The Bato Church in the town of Bato,

Province ofCatanduanes is one of the churches built by the Spaniards in the Philippines in the 16 th

century or during the Spanish era. St. John the Baptist Church also known as theBato Church is sited in

the town proper of Bato, beside the highway parallel to the extensive Bato River and it was built with

mortar and coral limestones that is designed with a purpose, that is to withstand the strong storms that

batters the island yearly. Bato Church is the oldest church in the Province of Catanduanes that has stood

at this time and it’s a heritage that the current day Catanduanes values until today.

When the Spaniards came to Catanduanes Island in the latter part of 16th century, they introduced

Catholicism, established parishes and built churches just like in any other islands in the Philippines. A

legacy that the present day Catanduanes values until today. Bato Church The oldest church in

Catanduanes One of the churches they built is the St. John the Baptist Church in the town of Bato,

Province of Catanduanes. Although the parish and its original wooden church was established in the late

1500s, the presently standing stone church is said to be built in 1830 and was finished after 50 years.

Bato Church The bell tower is accessible through a staircase inside the church. The old church,

constructed from coral stones, is located in northern end of the town proper of Bato and along the

highway parallel to the wide Bato River. Locals say that the site is also where the Augustinian Friar Diego

de Herrera died.
Today, the St. John the Baptist Church of Bato is the oldest church in the province that has stood the test

of time and weathered countless storms, earthquakes and other natural calamities. Bato Church The

facade of Bato Church The church can be easily reached from Virac by riding a public jeepney or tricycle

to Bato, travel time takes around 20 minutes on a scenic highway of southern Catanduanes .

REFERENCES:

https://gocatanduanes.com/happyplaces/bato-church/

https://en.m.wikipidea.org/wiki/Catanduanes

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