Text and photos by Edgar Allan M. Sembrano, Contributor

Originally called Suaraga or Suaragan, among other related names, San Joaquin in Iloilo province started out as an encomienda in the 16th century.

From 1581 to 1592, it became a visita of Hamtic (now Antique province) but returned to being a visita until it became a separate parish in 1692 with neighboring Miagao as its annex.

Through the end of the 17th century until the late 18th century, it was annexed to Guimbal and Miagao with it becoming a separate parish in 1801.

In the early years of the American period, it was annexed again to Miagao and regained independence in 1910.

The town is long believed to be the place where the so-called 10 datus from Borneo arrived in the 13th century escaping tyranny of their leader Makatunaw.

This story, although proven by historians as a falsity, is still an interesting piece of literature. It was written by Hiligaynon writer Pedro Monteclaro in 1907.

Through its more than 400-year history, San Joaquin still is a quaint agricultural town with rich history, natural properties and cultural heritage.

The town prides itself for having two sites that were declared a National Cultural Treasure (NCT) by the National Museum: the 19th century San Joaquin Church Complex and the San Joaquin Campo Santo.

The church is notable for its facade, considered the most militaristic in the country since it has bas reliefs depicting the Battle of Tetuan in Morroco in 1860.

The Campo Santo, meanwhile, is one of the grandest, well-preserved Spanish colonial cemeteries in the country.

Both the church and the cemetery were restored in recent years by the national government.

But while the cemetery is impressive for its state of conservation, the church was heavily intervened, mainly with the use of cement from the 1970s to the 1990s losing some of its features such as the exposed rubblework at the apse and the possible polychromy of its stone retablo santos (holy altar).

Until recently, the town had no museum or gallery that featured its rich cultural patrimony.

In April of this year, however, the Setubals’ Arts and Artifacts gallery opened to showcase the collection of its owner Cristhom Setubal and family.

Setubal, an artist-mariner and heritage advocate, shares the gallery is an addition to the sites being visited by tourists, heritage enthusiasts and advocates, as well as art aficionados aside from its famed church complex and cemetery.

Located on Santa Monica Street in the Poblacion’s Purok 4, the gallery features rare and interesting artifacts from the town and in other parts of the province.

It is a repository of artifacts and antiques salvaged from demolished houses or obtained from residents in San Joaquin.

The gallery also has other objects such as ancient ceramic shards recovered from road projects in other parts of Iloilo.

Other collections include old images of santos (saints), jars, metate or stone grinders, carved stone animal feeders and archival photographs of the San Joaquin church, cemetery and its old municipio.

The gallery also has an intricately carved baul (trunk), which came from Mexico, but of Oriental design.

The place also houses pieces of old, decorated tiles of the church, which have been replaced in recent years. It also has a piece of carved stone with flower design, which was part of the decorations of the same church.

Some of the calado (openwork) — a rarity in San Joaquin — of the demolished Perlas ancestral house also has its place in the gallery, as well as a piece of metal sheet with floral pukpok (stroke) designs, which possibly decorated an old carroza (float).

One of the most engaging objects in the collection is the carved image of the Nuestra Señora de Salvacion.

Setubal explains the image was commissioned by mariners from San Joaquin’s Matambog village to a carver in Santa Cruz, Manila, but its completion was delayed.

These seamen were supposed to ride the M/V Don Juan on that ill-fated night in April 1980, he said, adding that since the completion of the work was delayed, they were not able to board the ship.

That ship sank following a collision with an oil tanker off Mindoro island.

Displayed in one stretch of the gallery’s wall are sketches by Setubal himself on the built heritage of the town and of Iloilo province.

Featured are the churches of Cabatuan, Miag-ao, Molo and San Joaquin, the Nelly’s Garden and Lizares Mansion in Jaro, and the old Jaro Municipal Hall building which is now the National Museum regional office.

The sketches also include the Arroyo Fountain, old Iloilo City hall, the Villanueva Building in the Iloilo City proper and the plateresque (a 16th century architectural style) details on the facade of the Tigbauan church.

These artworks join more than 30 other sketches of Iloilo landmarks including details on some of these historic edifices.

The gallery surely adds color to the vibrant culture and arts scene in San Joaquin, Iloilo’s charming southernmost town.

The Setubals’ Arts and Artifacts gallery opens every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Entrance is free.