Announcement of the Tacloban City Philippines Temple
President Russell M. Nelson, 17th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, announced the Tacloban City Philippines Temple on Oct. 3, 2021, during the Sunday afternoon session of October 2021 general conference. An eighth house of the Lord for the Philippines was among 13 announced worldwide during this conference.
Filipino Latter-day Saint Edgar Galura was overjoyed at the news of a house of the Lord for the City of Tacloban. “This is wonderful news because travel can be expensive even inside of the country,” he said.
However, Galura was not surprised that another sacred edifice will be added to the growing list in his Asian island nation. The gospel’s message, he related, has long resonated with his people. “Filipinos are humble and have strong beliefs in God and family.”
Ground will be broken for the Tacloban City Philippines Temple on Jan. 18, 2025, with Elder Michael B. Strong — a General Authority Seventy and second counselor in the Philippines Area presidency — presiding.
Timeline of the Tacloban City Philippines Temple
The Tacloban City Philippines Temple was announced by Church President Russell M. Nelson on Oct. 3, 2021. Details about the temple’s groundbreaking have not yet been released. Just over three years later, ground will be broken for the temple on Jan. 18, 2025, with Elder Michael B. Strong presiding.
Architecture and Design of the Tacloban City Philippines Temple
According to site plans released by the Church on March 25, 2024, the Tacloban City Philippines Temple will be a two-story building of approximately 21,407 square feet. The edifice will stand on a 6.99-acre site along the Tacloban Bypass Road near the barangays (barrios) of Utap and Caibaan in Tacloban City.
Architectural renderings of the house of the Lord show an off-white exterior surrounded by tall, rectangular windows, with a tall, arched entrance. A two-story tower with a pointed spite stands above the entrance of the building. Palm trees and flower gardens adorn the grounds.