The establishment of a church building inside the mission compound of Southern Mindanao Mission of Seventh-day Adventist, dates back in the early 70’s, when a group of believers resides the area , led by the family of Elena de Vera organized themselves to build a church. The vicinity of the church building including the mission compound at that time was completely a jungle of banana plantation. No
t until in the late 80’s when the plantation was stopped and slowly the area was developed into residential blocks. Road networks, water and electricity slowly cropped in. As customary in those days, petromax, a gas powered lamp, lighted the jungle chapel during night services. Time evolved and there was a lot of changes to consider. The membership grew big and the old church was not easily accessible for transportation for it was located in the interior part of the mission lot having its front area a pond of water. The question of where to transfer was not yet evident until a sad news happened in August 19, 1981 when the old wooden mission building located at the other corner, just south of the jungle chapel was burned to ashes. This occurred during the administration of Pastor Adil, as SMM President. Immediately, a new concrete Mission Office was constructed. The realization of the new church location was not yet over. It was in 1986 when Pastor Adil was called to another ministry and Pastor Levy Baluyo Tabo came in as Mission President. Only at this time that a new church was decided to be built over the old mission building that was burned. With the encouragement and leading action of Pastor Levy Tabo and with the cooperation and enthusiasm of the members of the jungle chapel, began the construction of the new building. During the construction, however, many great evangelistic meetings were conducted all over Southern Mindanao Mission. It was a time after this that the health of Pastor Levy Tabo began to deteriorate. The immediate family members and the Organization wanted Pastor Tabo live, but Pastor Tabo knew that he was called to rest from his labor. Indeed, on October 13 1989, Pastor Tabo died. His wife, Perla later recalled the wishes of Pastor Tabo that may the money that maybe use more for his medications be used for the completion of the church building being constructed inside the mission compound. After the burial of Pastor Tabo, her sister Amelia and husband James Wong, together with the brother Dr. Romulo Tabo and another brother Atty. Mike Tabo came in to fulfill the wishes of the late Pastor Tabo, one of that was to finish the construction of the church, as it is now today. The members of the then jungle chapel, choose to name the new church as LB TABO MEMORIAL SDA CHURCH, in memory of the late leader and beloved member, PASTOR LEVY BALUYO TABO.
