As they joined the nationwide earthquake drill on Thursday, residents of Panay town in Capiz were reminded of one very big warning device—the bell at the Sta. Monica Church.
Touted as the biggest church bell in Asia and the third biggest in the world, the Sta. Monica carillon hangs from the church’s five-story belfry, and its clarion ring could be heard in towns kilometers away.
A huge antique bell surrounded by eight smaller bells, the big ringer is 7 feet in diameter, is 5 feet tall, and weighs 10.4 tons. Local lore says it was cast from 76 sacks of coins believed to have been contributed by the citizens of the town in 1878.
The inscription on the bell reads: “I am the voice of God which will echo and praise from the beginning until the end of this town of Pan-ay, so that the faithful of Jesus Christ will come to this house of God.”
Panay’s “dakong lingganay””•as locals call it”•has emerged in importance anew as the government has staged quarterly disaster drills to prepare locals in the event of the so-called “Big One” earthquake that may strike the country anytime.
Last August, Panay hosted the earthquake drill for Region 6 (Western Visayas), where over 12,000 volunteers participated, according to the Office of Civil Defense in the region.
That drill simulated a magnitude 8.1 earthquake generated by the West Panay Fault, with the Villareal Stadium used as the evacuation center.
The most damaging earthquake so far generated by the West Panay Fault happened in Jan. 25, 1948″• also at magnitude 8.1″•that totally collapsed the church of Cuartero, Capiz and damaged the churches of Dumalag and Dao towns.