Unless you live in the area, you will only refer to this church as Bamboo Organ. I remember vacationing friends asking me to join them for “simbang gabi” at the Bamboo Organ. The church is also the venue of the International Bamboo Organ Festival, the longest running music festival in the Philippines. But the church is neither made of bamboo, nor is it dominated by an organ. Of course no church will ever be named after a musical instrument. Ever heard of a Trombone Church?

The church is actually the St Joseph Parish Church. A school also called St Joseph is within the church yard. The church as it stands now and the structures around it were restored in 1975 by Architect Francisco Manosa and his partner Ludwig Alvarez. The church was built by a Spanish priest named Father Diego Cera.

From WIKIPEDIA : “Fr. Cera began work on the…