When the doors of the Davao Philippines Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opened to the public on March 26, the people of Davao and Mindanao came in families, in groups, in quiet ones and twos. By the time the open house concluded on April 10, Friday, 29,317 visitors had walked through its rooms, toured its spaces, and carried something of its spirit home with them.
The public open house ran from March 26 to April 10, 2026, excluding Sundays, from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily. It was preceded by a contractors' day, a media day, and invited guest tours in the days immediately before the public opening. Admission was free and open to all. The event offered the community a rare and final opportunity to tour the interior of a Latter-day Saint temple before its formal dedication on May 3, 2026, when it will be reserved for members of the Church who hold a temple recommend.
For Davao City, and for Mindanao, the open house was more than a public event. It was an introduction to a sacred space that Latter-day Saints in the region had waited decades to have in their own backyard.
A Place That Speaks for Itself
The visitors who came to the Davao Philippines Temple did not need much explaining. Many described the same experience independently: a quietness they did not expect, a sense of calm that settled the moment they stepped inside, and a feeling that the space itself was doing something to them.
Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte was among the prominent guests who toured the temple during the open house period. Her words after the visit captured what many others struggled to put into words.
"It was so serene and so calm and so peaceful that I felt as if my thoughts were being spoken," she said. "We would like to thank you for accepting us and welcoming us today here in your community."
That welcome was extended across faiths. Reverend Dr. Deepak Kataria of Ori-El Shalom Ministries joined the interfaith visitors who came through the temple's doors and reflected on what united those present regardless of denomination.
"We all are striving towards knowing the Lord Jesus personally," he said.
The Voices of Davao
Elected officials from across the region came to see the temple and left with reflections that went beyond the civic.
Davao City Councilor Hon. Melchor Quitain Jr. spoke of the moment's larger significance for a city navigating the noise of the present.
"While obviously now there's so much chaos happening in the world and in the Philippines... in this time you need to find solace," he said. "Going through this open house tour, I think it will help give you peace of mind because inside it's so serene and peaceful."
Councilor Hon. Temujin "Tek" Ocampo went further, describing the experience of the celestial room, the most sacred space visitors were permitted to see, in a way that was both deeply personal and universal.
"It's every man's wish to have peace, especially peace given by God," he said. "Isa sa mga pinakapaborito kong lugar dun sa temple is yung celestial room (One of my favorite place in the temple was the celestial room). It was really a place where you can meditate, commune with God. Iba ang feeling (The feeling was different), napakaquiet (so quiet), very solemn, and really you can connect to the Lord."
Councilor Hon. Bai Hundra Cassandra Dominique "Sweet" Advincula described a visit that prompted not just reflection, but understanding.
"We have to take a pause within ourselves para makareflect ta unsaon nato maatubang usab atong mga problema (so we can reflect on how we can also face our problems)," she said. "You'll have a sense of strength. I have a deeper understanding of what the church represents, what the congregation represents. Nakita nako na (I have seen) everything that the church does is intentional."
For Hon. Joel Mayo Almario, Mayor of Mati City, one room stood apart from all the others.
"The room that meant a lot for me is the sealing room," he said. "You connect with ancestors and you see the family, husband and wife and the children. It gives so much value to the family."
What the Temple Is For
Temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are distinct from the Church's meetinghouses and chapels, where Sunday worship services are open to everyone. Temples are considered sacred houses of the Lord, where members of the Church participate in ordinances, including baptism for deceased ancestors, marriage, and the sealing of families for eternity. These ordinances form the center of the Latter-day Saint belief in the eternal nature of families and their relationship with God.
The Davao Philippines Temple is the fifth operating temple in the Philippines and the first on the island of Mindanao. It stands as a two-story structure of approximately 18,450 square feet at the corner of Ma-a Road and Anahaw Road in Barangay Ma-a, Davao City. Its interior draws from traditional Filipino piña embroidery, a textile woven from the fibers of the pineapple plant, woven into its design motifs alongside the region's native tropical flora.
For Latter-day Saints in Mindanao, the temple's completion ends years of long-distance travel. Members across the island had previously journeyed to Cebu City or Manila to attend temple services. With the Davao Philippines Temple now awaiting its dedication, those blessings will be a short drive away.
A Shared Thread
Across the 29,317 visitors who came to the Davao Philippines Temple during its open house, a common thread ran through nearly every account: the experience of peace.
It was peace described in English and in Bisaya, in the words of elected officials and in the quiet comments of ordinary visitors. It was felt in the celestial room and in the sealing room, in the baptistry and in the hallways. It arrived without announcement, without instruction, and without effort.
The Davao Philippines Temple was not built to be an attraction. But for two weeks, it opened its doors to a city and let the space speak. What the visitors heard, they carried with them when they left.
The temple will be formally dedicated on Sunday, May 3, 2026, by Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. A single dedicatory session at 10:00 a.m. will be broadcast to all Church units in the Davao Philippines Temple district and rebroadcast at 2:00 p.m. Once dedicated, the temple will serve Latter-day Saints throughout Mindanao as a sacred place of worship.
