Divine Lord and Savior Parish – Salvador, Tanauan

Long before the creation of new Mission Stations and Parishes in the Archdiocese of Palo the Barangays under the Jurisdiction of Divine Lord and Savior Parish were part of the Assumption of Our Lady Parish of Tanauan, Leyte. The parish got its name from a bust image of our Lord Jesus Christ, believed to be miraculous, and placed conspicuously just a few meters from the altar of the St. Joseph Chapel of Brgy. Salvador.

The Divine Lord and Savior Parish is situated some 7 kilometers West of the town proper of Tanauan, Leyte with its adjacent parishes as follows: on the North, St. Joachim Parish of brgy. San Joaquin Palo, Leyte, on the South, St. Anthony of Padua Parish of Tabon-tabon, Leyte, on the East by the Assumption of Our Lady Parish and St. Vincent Ferrer Parish of Brgy. Canramos Tanauan, Leyte and on the West by the St. Joseph Parish of Dagami, Leyte. It was a moment of grace for its parishioners when on June 2, 2004, thru a Decree by the Archbishop Pedro R. Dean, it was established into a Mission Station. Upon its creation as a Mission Station its territorial jurisdiction was composed of the following Barangays: Bangon, Bantagan, Binolo, Binongto-an, Cahumayhumayan, Calsadahay, Catigbian, Cogon, Guingauan, Hilagpad, Kiling, Linao, Maghulod, Pasil, Talolora, Salvador and Sitio Lay-ahan, Rec. Fr. Cipriano Rey A. Caraballa became the first Priest-In-Charge of the Mission Station, Parish Fiesta is Celebrated on the third Sunday of November or on the Solemnity of Christ the King.

Following these developments were the formation of the Parish Pastoral Council, the different Liturgical Ministries, church organizations and Confraternities. Plans for the construction pf a Parish Church were devised and the Barangay Day Care Center which sets on the lot owned by the chapel served as the Parish Rectory and Parish Office.

On June 2, 2005, exactly a year after its establishment as a Mission Station, it was elevated into a Quasi-Parish having fourteen Barangays, without the barangays of Cogon and Linao, including Sitio Lay-ahan for they became a part of the newly created Parish of St. Vincent Ferrer Parish of Brgy. Canramos, Tanauan, Leyte.

In the year 2006, the construction work of the Parish church was started. The sense of community and the virtue of solidarity among the parishioners became evident by their support to the massive fund raising. But as charity takes on different hues depending on one’s financial capability, insufficiency of funds derailed the construction work.

Periodic shift of assignments of Priest came in 2010, Rev. Fr. Norman Jose S. Manawatao became the second Quasi-Parish Priest. Transition was not so easy. It offered a setting and a framework in dealing with the development of the Quasi-Parish and in continuing the major project left unfinished. Again extensive fund raising were made until the construction became a promising structure. In fact in November2012, a Pontifical Mass has been celebrated in that unfinished structure.

In consonance to the Archdiocesan thrust of renewing the church, formation of the Basic Ecclesial Communities and Family Groupings were initiated in four Barangays, namely: Brgy. Kiling, Maghulod, Hilagpad, and Salvador. These Family Groups were nourished through the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist celebrated right on the grounds of the chosen Family Groups.

The year 2013 became a very tough year. In August 31 an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 shook the province. But it laid a precursor of a much frightening experience when in November8 Super Typhoon Yolanda with an International code named “Haiyan” bearing center winds of more than 300KPH struck the Province of Leyte, wreaking an unprecedented devastation that claimed lives and properties. The Chapel which temporarily served as the seat of the Quasi-Parish, including the unfinished structure pf the Parish Church were both reduced into rubbles. The people were at a loss and desperate. Despite this difficulties, Fr. Norman Jose Manawatao did not abandon his flock. He took an active part in responding to the challenges that confronted the situation, ditecting the relief operation in the distribution of the basic needs of his parishioners.

Indeed God has a better plan. On mid-March of 2014, Archbishop John F. Du left for Portugal, Spain and Italy to meet donors and to represent the Parish’ need for financial aid. By a stoke of pure luck, the Divine Lord and Savior mQuasi-Parish became one of the five enlisted parishes among the priority recipients in the Archdiocese of Palo.

In August of 2014, an initial fund out of the Two Million One Hundred Nineteen Thousand Four Hundred Fifty One Pesos, released in a staggard basis from the Church in need was granted to Quasi-Parish. The following month, construction workers with expertise in Pre-casting from the province of Surigao del Sur set out for its reconstruction work upon the supervision of Engr. Harvey Noel S. Manawatao. Since the amount granted was insufficient to finish the project, a need for additional funds arose. The good Archbishop wheedled its Pastor and the Parish Pastoral Council to seek financial aid in the amount of Eleven Million Pesos which greatly helped in the church realization to its full. For this, the parish would not fail to incorporate and ascribe the valuable contribution of Msgr. Bernardo Pantin who also became instrumental of the financial aids granted to the parish.

A few weeks after the historic and heroic visit of the church Pontiff, Pope Francis, amid the inclement weather condition on January 17, 2015 to the Province of Leyte, followed the reshuffling of priests. On February 18, 2015, Rev. Fr. Ariel S. Sanico took over as the third Quasi-Parish Priest. It was during his term as Priest that a computer set was acquired for the parish office to keep pace with the technological advancement. Still the construction work continued until its completion on August 2016. And due to health reason, Fr. Ariel relinquished his post early in December of that year and days before the start of the traditional Misa de Gallo, the parishioners of the Divine Lord and Savior warm heartedly welcomed the new Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Armando R. Dagsa.

During his early months in the Parish, he persuaded in the construction of the St. Joseph Chapel where the parishioners and other Lay Faithful would light candles in offering prayers.

In November2017, another significant event in the life of the Parish took place. Coming together with the 13th annual Parish Fiesta celebration on the Solemnity of Christ the King, the Quasi-Parish had its Canonical Erection into a full-pledged Parish.

Like his predecessors, Fr. Armando Dagsa tries his very best in serving his parishioners, catering their spiritual needs and continuously urging them to embrace the life of holiness, not pf mediocrity, so that their fragile ship of life will be anchored to the port of eternity where the children of God truly belongs to.