Sibonga: A Quick Trip

CEBU, Philippines —  Two to three hours from the hustle and bustle of Metro Cebu is the municipality of Sibonga, on the province’s southeastern side.

Known for the “Pastores de Sibonga” (a rondalla-accompanied short Christmas nativity play that dates back to the 1920s) and famed among devotees of the Virgin Mary for being home to the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist, this 25-barangay municipality is bounded by Carcar to its north, Dumanjug to the west, and Argao to the south.

Sibonga is around 50 kilometers away from Cebu City. The town celebrates its town fiesta on August 10 of each year (the feast day of Saint Philomena), highlighted by the “Bonga Festival” – a festival that serves as thanksgiving for the graces and blessings from its patron saints, Saint Philomena and Our Lady of the Pillar.

The local residents say that Sibonga got its name from the betel nut which once grew in abundance in the town. The story is that Spanish explorers, upon initially exploring the area, asked what the name of the place was. Not understanding the question, the locals thought that the Spaniards were asking about the betel nut trees around, and answered, “Bonga.”

The Spaniard asking the question reportedly echoed, “Si, bonga” and the name supposedly stuck and eventually became “Sibonga.”

On a quick trip to Sibonga, certain places are worth checking on in the town, to whet one’s appetite to explore the place further. There’s a lot to see in Sibonga in just a day.

The Monastery of the Holy Eucharist

Popularly known as the “Simala Shrine” or “Simala Church,” the Monastery of the Holy Eucharist is one of Sibonga’s most visited locations.

Located in Barangay Lindogon, one of the town’s barangays, the shrine is technically not in Barangay Simala, but the road leading to it traverses through Barangay Simala, leading to the site.

Built in the late 1990s, the site has been associated with various miracles – one of which is the shedding tears of blood of a statue of the Virgin Mary housed in the site.

The Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza Church

Completed in the early 1880s, Sibonga’s Nuestra Señora del Pilar de Zaragoza (Our Lady of the Pillar) Church is characterized by a Gothic-themed architectural elements.

What makes this church unique is its pre-war ceiling frescoes depicting accounts from the Bible like the “Creation of the World.”

The church’s ceiling was painted in 1924 by artist Raymundo Francia. The artist, who worked on paintings in other churches in during the Spanish times, was popularly held as “the Michelangelo of Cebu.”

The Sibonga Heritage Park and Sibonga Plaza

At the town center is the Sibonga Heritage Park and Sibonga Plaza which are bounded by the Sibonga National High School, the Sibonga Municipal Hall and the Nuestra Señora del Pilar Church.

In 1910, a kiosk was built in the area. The kiosk served as a gathering place for various events, and in 1924, General Emilio Aguinaldo delivered a speech there. The General visited Sibonga at the time to establish the Spanish-Filipino War Veterans Association.