06/10/2022
Seventh-day Adventist History in Romblon Province
How The Advent Message Landed in Marble Country
The place was originally called Romren (according to the Museo et Akean), the marble capital of the Philippines.
The dawn of Adventism in Romblon [Romblon, Romblon - supplied] began gleaming as early as 1920’s as told by the oldest members available. These informers are now in their eighties, said Pr. James B. Rubrico Sr., 2005. Though their memories are somewhat dimmed by years, they can still remember some historical tidbits of the good old days of their sweet beginnings. Since recording of church activities during those early days was not much of a concern to early Adventist believers in Romblon, they have fortified the exact details of some vital informations that should be included… in the memory lanes of some gray-haired members today.
The following were earliest Foreign Missionaries who came to Romblon:
1. Elder E. M. Adams
2. Elder F. A. Mote
3. Elder Bergherms
4. Elder Rogenberg
5. Elder Armstrong
6. Elder R. Fighur
The early Filipino Evangelists to visit Romblon
1. Pastor Remegio Cahilig (the one who baptized sisters, Leonor Pirote, Lucea de Fonte, and Eufemia Madrid, in 1932)
2. Pastor Fausto Jornada
Source: James B. Rubrico Sr., “Dawn of Hope in Panay”, 2005
There was no written record of the gathering at the ground floor of the house of Florentino Montesa, to the time of the construction of the church building. The lot of the church building was donated by Florentino Montesa, one of the earliest member of Romblon SDA Church.
Then records were made from the time the church building was erected. There were three church books made when the church was formally organized up to the time when the war (World War II) broke out in 1940. These three books recorded the activities starting 1936 up to the World War II.
Meanwhile, in the year 1927- 1928, a couple Bro. Demetrio Wanelio and Sis Maria Wanelio, held an evangelistic meeting in Odiongan, Romblon. Among the first coverts were Jose Fabito, Balbina Famadico, Teodora Magallanes, Feliza Farco, Rosario Fadri (the late mother of the late Pastor Nocotades Fadri, an ordained pastor and a retired professor of Adventist University of the Philippines formerly called, Philippine Union College). They were baptized by Elder Adams. They held their worship in a rented house of Bro. And Sis. Demetrio Wanelio.
In 1929 another couple from the province of Aklan, Bro. Anatolio Alvarez and Sis. Eunilia Alvarez made another evangelistic meeting and in April 1929 another batch of people were baptized namely: Prodencio Fambabae, Hospicio Fambabae, Estanislaw Fambabae, Josefine Fadri, Lily Fadri Perez, Faustina Fabito, Paciencia Fortuna (mother of Bro. Manuel David and Sis. Natividad Fabellon). They were baptized by Pastor Pedro Diaz.
They build the First Seventh-day Adventist Church in the place called Bocana, Odiongan, Romblon. On December 29, 1929 this church was organized. In 1936 before the World War II the church was relocated at (Bagacay) Dapawan, Odiongan, Romblon until today. This lot was donated by a couple Bro. Carlos Fadri and Sis. Epifania Fiedacan.
The province of Romblon is located in the heart of the Philippine archipelago and is known as the marble capital of the country. The province is composed of islands and islets. There are seven big islands, namely: Banton, Carabao, Sibuyan, Sibale, Simara, Tablas and Romblon.
When West Visayan Mission (now Conference) was organized in 1914 and reorganized in 1962, Romblon province was included together with Aklan, Antique, Capiz and Iloilo. 1
As early as 1920’s, West Visayan Mission sent workers to the province of Romblon to spread the word of God and there were many people who accepted the truth. Some of the ministerial workers sent and who started the work were Pastor Remegio Cahilig, Pastor Teodorico B Tortal, Pastor Eugenio Tantia, Pastor Oseas B Basco, Pastor Pacifico Maypa T, Pastor Exequiel V Galve, Pastor Jimmy V. Sagulo and they were followed by young pastors.
In the late 1980’s, Romblon Federation of Seventh-day Adventist churches sent a letter to West Visayan Mission to apply for a Mission status due to two reasons. First was the distance of the headquarters because it was located in Iloilo City and the second was the barriers of dialect. But they received a negative response because the territory was very small.
III. Organizational History of Romblon Adventist Mission
On September 7, 1991, the West Visayan Mission Executive Committee 2voted to create Romblon Mission Development Committee (RMDC) effective on January 1, 1992, until Romblon will be fully established as a Mission.
On November 17, 1991, West Visayan Executive Committee 3voted Pastor Elmer P. Pagunsan to be the chairman and the field secretary of Romblon Mission Development Committee. He also served as a member of West Visayan Mission Executive Committee representing Romblon while the district pastor named Lemuel G. Berosil became the secretary. Together with them were the district pastors named Salvador J. Dieta and Orley F. Fajilan, lay members named Nocotades F. Fadri (retired pastor), Dr. Romeo F. Faeldan, Ruben F. Mindoro and Atlas Rey.
To prove to the higher organization that Romblon was ready for the Mission status, a group of lay members proposed a project of opening a secondary school. Pastor Nocotades F. Fadri, a retired veteran professor of Philippine Union College (now AUP) processed the paper of the Academy named Adventist Mission Academy of Romblon (AMAR). Edito and Lernie Solano, a benevolent couple of Gabawan Seventh-day Adventist church, donated a nine (9) hectare lot in Agpudlos, San Andres, Romblon. While the lot was under developed, the school was temporarily operating in the lot donated by Beth F. Pisuena in Odiongan, Romblon beside Odiongan SDA Elementary School.
On May 11, 1995, the Adventist Mission Academy of Romblon (AMAR) was SEC registered under the SEC registry No.1095-01783. The members of the board of trustees were Nocotades F. Fadri, Geishler F. Fadri, Hermenigildo F. Famero Jr., Mayville Gardie F. Ferrer, Lernie F. Solano, Romeo F. Faeldan and Elmer P. Pagunsan.
On April 3, 2001, West Visayan Mission Executive Committee 4voted to separate Romblon as Attached Field with Pastor Exequiel V. Galve as Field Secretary and Antonio L. Dionzon as Secretary-Treasurer.
During the Central Philippine Union Conference Annual Meeting on December 3-7, 2001, 5nominating committee was created to elect the first administrators and directors of Romblon Attached Field. The following were elected: Pastor Exequiel V Galve, Administrator/SS/PM/ Ministerial/GM/PARL; Antonio L Dionzon, Secretary-Treasurer/Stewardship/Legal & Trust Services/Auditor/Retirement; Jermelyn E Galve, Women/Children’s Ministries/Family Ministries/Education; and Jennifer L. Bucol, Publishing/SOP/Health/Communication.
On June 17, 2004, during the Central Philippine Union Conference Executive Committee meeting, it was 6voted to record the approval of the full mission status of Romblon Attached Field effective September 1, 2004, and was named as Romblon Adventist Mission (RAM) in General Luna St., Dapawan, Odiongan, 5505 Romblon, Philippines
On September 1–3, 2004, Romblon Adventist Mission called the first constituency meeting and the first Executive Committee members elected were as follows: Exequiel V. Galve, President; Ginetho A Suniega, Secretary-Treasurer; Directors – Jermelyn E. Galve, Junifer L. Bucol, Rolando J. Aquino, Jr.; and Lay Members - Ricarte Riano and Isagani Famorcan.
IV. Executive Officers Chronology
Presidents:
Exequiel V. Galve (2004 – 2007); Donald E. Zabala (2008 – 2010; Manasseh B. Sarsoza (2011 – 2015); Orley M Fajilan (2015 – present)
Today (Second Quarter, 2022):
District: 11 Districts
Church School : 2 Church Schools
Academy: 1 Academy
72 Organized Churches & 20 Company Churches = Total of 92 churches
7,899 Total Church Membership
Population: 301, 665 [PSA 2020 Projection]
Population/ Membership Ration: 7,899/301,665 = 1: 38
Ministerial Workers: 7 Ordained Pastors
2 Ordained Pastors [Officers]
2 Ordained Pastors [Directors]
3 Ordained Pastors [Districts]
8 Unordained District Leaders
Total 15 Ministerial Workers
Non-Ministerial Workers:
Treasurer: 1 [Officer]
RM Directors: 2 Directors
Staff: 3
Church School Teachers: 6 Teachers
AMAR Officers 3
AMAR Teachers 5
