Molo Church and Plaza

Molo Church — the Saint Anne Parish Church — is one of the oldest in the Western Visayas, its current coral stone structure dating from around 1831. The church and its surrounding plaza form the heart of the Molo district, historically distinct from central Iloilo and known for the concentration of well-preserved ancestral houses lining the streets around the plaza.

The facade is notable for its niches filled entirely with female saints, a reflection of Molo's matriarchal social tradition. The plaza itself is pleasant in the early evening, with the church lit up and local families gathering. The streets radiating from the plaza contain some of the finest examples of 19th and early 20th century vernacular architecture in Iloilo, with large wooden houses featuring capiz shell windows and wide verandas.

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A story
Molo Church is sometimes called the feminist church of the Philippines. For much of its colonial history, Molo was governed by women — the principales, or leading families, were female-headed, and women controlled the community's commerce and religious life. The saints' niches on the church facade are lined exclusively with female figures, an unusual arrangement that reflects this history.

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