By Glen Santillan – The province of Iloilo is known for its centuries-old churches and houses. But, mind you, there’s more! The province is also home to somehow a weird attraction – a cemetery called Campo Santo de San Joaquin.
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| The facade of Campo Santo de San Joaquin |
Campo Santo is located in the town of San Joaquin – Iloilo’s southernmost town, around 55 kilometers from Iloilo City. It is situated along the Iloilo-Antique national highway and a walking distance from the town plaza where the famous San Joaquin church is located.
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| A closer look at the Capilla |
The cemetery sits on a hill overlooking the sea. It has a staircase made of stone leading to the Capilla (chapel). The chapel was used to bless the dead before the actual burial. The chapel was made of coral rocks and red bricks and has a red dome roof.
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| The stairway leading to the chapel |
Truly a work of art, the Campo Santo de San Joaquin deserved to be part of one’s itinerary when visiting the province of Iloilo.
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| View from the top of the cemetery – the exit and the overlooking view of the sea |
How to get here: San Joaquin is about a little more than an hour travel by either bus or jeepney from Iloilo City.Traveling by bus is more convenient as the travel time is relatively shorter than taking a jeepney. Also, the seats are more comfortable and you can have a glimpse of the places along the way. You can take a Ceres bus going to Antique from Molo Bus Terminal. The terminal is located along M.H. del Pilar St., in Molo District, Iloilo City.
If you prefer to take a jeepney, you can proceed to Mohon Terminal by riding an Oton / Oton Derecho jeep at the intersection of M.H. del Pilar St., Molo District and Diversion Road. If you are coming from the city proper, you can get to the Mohon Terminal by riding a Villa/Arevalo jeep along General Luna St. From there you can take jeepneys going to San Joaquin.
The fare is around P50.
