TUMAUINI CHURCH, ISABELA
San Matias Parish Church— more popularly known as the Tumauini Church since it is located in the town of Tumauini in the province of Isabela—is an ultra-baroque church made entirely of red bricks with a fourstory bell tower. The church’s facade features a magnificent display of the use of ornamented brick laid out in a characteristic design, with each brick customized to fit the wall and numbered for the correct sequence in the design.
Originally built in 1707 by a Dominican priest, the church was first made of nipa and light materials. The current structure was constructed in 1783 and was completed in 1805. It was partly damaged during World War II but it was repaired and faithfully reconstructed into its original form by the townspeople.
On Feb. 24, 1989, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines declared San Matias Parish Church a national historical landmark. The National Museum later declared it a National Cultural Treasure. It is also among the churches being considered for addition to the Unesco World Heritage Sites, being in the tentative list under the Baroque Churches of the Philippines (Extension).