Elder Andersen Dedicates Bacolod Philippines Temple

Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dedicated the Bacolod Philippines Temple on Sunday, May 31, 2026.

The Bacolod Philippines Temple is the sixth operating temple of the Church in the Philippines and the second in the Visayas. Its dedication marks the third temple dedicated in the country in the first five months of 2026, following the Alabang Philippines Temple in January and the Davao Philippines Temple in early May.

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A House of Peace, Power and Revelation

In his message before offering the dedicatory prayer, Elder Andersen encouraged Latter-day Saints in the Bacolod Philippines Temple district to worship often in the new house of the Lord and more frequently receive the blessings of sacred temple ordinances and covenants.

“We know that Bacolod is known as the ‘City of Smiles’ and we are all smiling today,” Elder Andersen said. “But more than just us, heaven is smiling, for today we will dedicate this beautiful building, and it will be our Savior’s sacred house, a house where He can come, where His Spirit will dwell.”

The Apostle taught that the temple would be “a house of prayer, a house of peace, a house of power and revelation,” where sacred ordinances would bless both the living and those who have passed on.

Elder Andersen also emphasized that temples are prepared for all of God’s children, including the rising generation.

“This house of the Lord is built for you who are younger,” he said. “This magnificent building is for you. You need to think about how this house will be important for you.”

Elder Andersen also referred to Negros Occidental, the Philippine province where Bacolod City is located, as the “Sugar Bowl of the Philippines.” He taught that the peace found in the temple is sweeter than anything the province is known for.

“The house of the Lord brings the sweetness of peace like nowhere else, and it helps to clear our view of this life and eternity,” he said.

He taught that in the temple, members can better understand the purposes of mortality, grow their faith in the Savior Jesus Christ and trust in His promises.

“And we obtain the courage to better experience the tests and trials and disappointments of this life, knowing as we keep the commandments and trust in our Savior, He will consecrate our afflictions for our gain,” Elder Andersen said.

He added, “Remember, we are the covenant people of the Lord, and the sweetness of His holy house is greater than all the sugarcane in the Philippines.”

Elder Andersen Offers the Dedicatory Prayer

During the dedicatory prayer, Elder Andersen dedicated the Bacolod Philippines Temple as a house of the Lord and asked for divine blessings upon those who would worship and serve there.

“We are thankful for this choice land of the Philippines,” Elder Andersen said in the prayer. “We are grateful for the freedom that is here to worship Thee and to construct this Thy house.”

Elder Andersen also prayed that those who enter the temple would feel God’s love, presence and comfort.

“Let Thy sons and daughters who enter Thy house feel an abundance of Thy love for them,” Elder Andersen prayed. “Allow them to feel Thy presence and the presence of Thy holy angels. Bring Thy power and Thy comfort to these sacred rooms.”

He also asked for blessings specifically for the youth who would worship in the temple. “We pray especially for the youth who enter these doors that their faith in Thy Son might increase and that they will be strengthened in keeping Thy commandments,” he prayed.

Dedicatory Session Broadcast Across the Temple District

Elder Andersen was accompanied by his wife, Sister Kathy Andersen. He was also joined by Elder Steven R. Bangerter, Executive Director of the Temple Department, and his wife, Sister Susan Bangerter; Elder Chi Hong (Sam) Wong, Counselor in the Philippines Area Presidency, and his wife, Sister Carol Wong.

Bacolod Philippines Temple President Gregorio Lagaña and his wife, Sister Maria Luisa Lagaña, who will serve as temple matron, also attended the dedicatory session.

The dedication was held Sunday morning in a room inside the Bacolod Philippines Temple and broadcast to meetinghouses and stake centers throughout the temple district.

The session was also recorded for an afternoon rebroadcast, allowing more members to participate. Members who viewed the broadcast in meetinghouses were instructed to treat the experience with the same reverence as if they were on temple grounds.

Members Share Gratitude for the New Temple

Local Latter-day Saints who participated in the dedication expressed gratitude for the new temple and the blessings they believe it will bring to families across the temple district.

Sheena Mae Petero-De Guzman of the Bacolod Philippines Stake, who helped lead temple communication efforts, said the temple will help members better serve their families, fellow Church members and communities.

“As we receive peace, guidance and spiritual strength from the temple, we are better able to serve our family, Church members and community with greater love, compassion and understanding,” she said. “The temple inspires us to look beyond ourselves and find ways to bless the lives of others through service and ministering.”

Jandessa Mahayahay, a 28-year-old young single adult from the Bacolod 1st Ward of the Bacolod Philippines Stake, said the temple helped her look forward to building her own family one day.

“When I entered the temple, I was amazed by the beauty of the sealing room,” she said. “It reminded me that families can be together forever. It helped me see the kind of family I want to have someday, an eternal family sealed together in the house of the Lord. That is my ultimate goal.”

Joselito Estrera, 38, a father of two young children from the Iloilo Central Stake and a counselor in the stake presidency, said the temple gives his family peace as they strive to follow Jesus Christ.

“We are so blessed to have a temple here in Bacolod,” he said. “We feel more at peace knowing that the temple will help us learn more of God’s plan to help us care for and safeguard our children.”

Kensh Chua, 12, of the Bata Ward, said he felt peace even before entering the temple.

“I felt peace even before going inside the temple,” he said. “I want to tell other people about the gospel of Jesus Christ. The temple inspires me to prepare to become a worthy missionary someday.”

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A New House of the Lord for the Visayas

The temple will serve Latter-day Saints in Western Visayas and nearby areas, bringing temple worship closer to many who previously traveled to Cebu or Manila to participate in temple ordinances for themselves and their families. For many, that journey required significant financial preparation because of transportation, food and lodging costs.

With the Bacolod Philippines Temple now dedicated, Latter-day Saints in the area will be able to worship more frequently in a house of the Lord closer to their homes.

Since the temple was announced by then Church President Russell M. Nelson in October 2019, Latter-day Saints across the temple district have helped prepare their communities to welcome the temple.

Earlier this year, about 3,800 Latter-day Saints across the temple district volunteered during the public open house. For over 20 days, they welcomed more than 37,000 guests from national and local government, business, education, interfaith, civic, and other sectors.

The Church in the Philippines

The dedication of the Bacolod Philippines Temple adds to a period of significant temple growth in the Philippines.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been in the Philippines since 1961. Today, the Church has more than 905,000 members nationwide, making the Philippines one of the countries with the fastest-growing Church membership outside the United States.

The Philippines now has six operating temples in Manila, Cebu, Urdaneta, Alabang, Davao and Bacolod. Eight more temples are under construction or in planning in Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Laoag, Naga, San Jose del Monte, Santiago, Tacloban and Tuguegarao.

For Latter-day Saints, temples are houses of the Lord where faithful members make sacred covenants with God and participate in ordinances that draw individuals and families closer to the Savior Jesus Christ.