San Guillermo Parish Church (Half-Buried Church)
About
A church that lahar couldn't kill! In 1995, Mount Pinatubo's mudflows buried Bacolor about six meters deep and swallowed half of this old Augustinian church. Instead of abandoning it, the townspeople dug out the altar and saints and built a new floor on top. Walk through the half-height doorway, look up at a ceiling you can almost touch, and peek at the old windows sitting at ground level!
- 30 min to 1 hrTime to spend
- Any day outside Mass times; early morning or late afternoon for softer light on the facade.Best time to go
- Free entryEntrance and budget
- From Manila, take a bus to San Fernando, Pampanga, then a jeepney or tricycle to Bacolor town proper.Getting there
What to do here
- Duck through the half-height arched doorway
- See the retablo the townspeople dug out of the lahar
- Walk around the back to see how deep the lahar reached
- Pair it with a Pampanga food trip in nearby San Fernando
Know before you go
Dress modestly and keep quiet during Mass.
Check flood advisories in the rainy season; parts of Bacolor flooded in August and September 2026.
Watch your head at the low doorways.
Street parking around the church.
Free to enter; it is a working parish church, so donations are welcome.
Where it is
Cabambangan, Bacolor, Pampanga
By commuteFrom Manila, take a bus to San Fernando, Pampanga, then a jeepney or tricycle to Bacolor town proper. By car, exit NLEX at San Fernando and drive west to Bacolor.
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FAQ
Why is it called the half-buried church?
Lahar from Mount Pinatubo buried Bacolor in 1995 and filled the church about halfway, so the old doors and windows now sit close to the ground.
Is it still a working church?
Yes. Locals dug out the old altar and saints and poured a new floor on the raised ground, so Masses still happen inside.
Is this the same as the Sunken Shrine?
No. The Sunken Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes is a different church in Cabetican, also in Bacolor.