Temple Site
Standing on a hilltop that overlooks the Marikina Valley, the Manila Philippines Temple anchors a complex of Church buildings including a temple annex, a patron housing facility, a missionary training center, and area offices. The beautiful grounds, open to the public, are filled with majestic palm trees and lush, colorful vegetation.
On April 1, 1981, the LDS Church announced that a temple would be built in the Philippines. The groundbreaking and site dedication for the temple were on August 25, 1982. In January 1981, the LDS Church had purchased land in Quezon City, in the Metro Manila area. The site was partly chosen because of its accessibility to members throughout the temple district.
On September 25, 1984, Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated the Manila Philippines Temple. The temple has four ordinance rooms and three sealing rooms and has a total floor area of 26,683 square feet (2,478.9 m2). As of 2018, with approximately 750,000 church members in the Philippines, the temple also serves members in Micronesia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, India, and part of Burma. As of September 2018, in addition to this temple, there is another operating temple in Cebu City, one under construction in Urdaneta, and two others announced - one in Cagayan de Oro and a second in the greater Manila area.
Temple History
The Manila Philippines Temple was the first temple built in the Philippines and the second built in Asia. The street where the Manila Philippines Temple is located was renamed to Temple Drive during the temple's construction.
A typhoon approached Manila the day before the groundbreaking of the Manila Philippines Temple, creating concern that would event would have to be postponed. At a mission conference that evening, a missionary prayed for the weather to cooperate so that the groundbreaking could continue. The typhoon changed direction that night, and the groundbreaking proceeded as planned. The days prior to the dedication of the Manila Philippines Temples saw several natural disasters in the Philippines including two typhoons, the eruption of Mayon volcano on Bicol Peninsula, and an earthquake in northern Luzon. The temple remained unaffected.
Nearly 27,000 toured the interior of the Manila Philippines Temple during its 13-day open house held prior to its dedication. The Manila Philippines Temple was dedicated in nine sessions by President Gordon B. Hinckley, Second Counselor in the First Presidency.
Temple Presidents
Notable presidents of the Manila Philippines Temple include:
- Augusto A. Lim (1996–2000), who served as the first general authority called from the Philippines,
- Earl M. Monson (2006–09).
- The current president is Carlos C. Revillo (2017–)
See Also
- LDS Church in the Philippines
- Philippines List of Stakes of the Church
- Mormon Temples List
- Manila Temple - ChurchofJesusChristTemples.com - Photo Gallery / Temple District
- Manila Temple - LDS.org - Operating Schedule
- Manila Temple - 7 Fun Facts - TheMoroniChannel.com
- Manila Temple - YouTube Video Tour
- Bombs, Bullets & Rockets - How the Manila Temple escaped Rebel Occupation - In early December 1989, a rebel force attempted to overthrow Philippine President Corazon Aquino. The rebels, mostly consisting of members of the nation’s army and marine corps, were eventually pushed back by government forces. (TheThirdHour.com)