St. Therese of Avila Parish – Loctugan, Roxas City

Fr. Santiago Losada founded Loctugan, a district of Roxas City, in 1834 but it continued being a part of Capiz (now Roxas City).  On June 6, 1840, it was declared a parish by decree of General Lardizabal.  However, this decree was annulled because the people were not able to comply with the conditions imposed on constructing public buildings.  In 1844, it was definitely created a parish under the patronage of Sta. Teresa de Avila.

Since its foundation, it served the spiritual and moral needs of its parishioners. This was briefly interrupted during the Second World War when the Japanese Imperial Army used the church as a fortress while being besieged by the USAFFE guerillas.

During and after the Japanese occupation, Fr. Jesus Patino, Fr. Jose Buenaflor, Fr. Rosendo Militar, and Fr. Marcos Doloso successively administered the parish.

The late Fr. Marcos Doloso was the parish priest when Capiz became a diocese in 1951.  Fr. Felipe Almosa, Fr. Roque Laserna. Msgr. Benjamin Advincula, Msgr. Guillermo Belvis and Fr. Teodoro Tanalgo were also assigned parish priests successively.  The present parish priest is Fr.  Roque Ortencio.

Besides Fr. Losada these Augustinians also served the parish:  Fr. Mariano Ruiz (1852), Fr. Mariano Fabregas (1855), Fr. Jose Ojanguren (1873), Fr. Jose Ma. Velasco (1885), Fr. Bernardino Hernando (1892), Fr. Jose Gutierrez (1894), and Fr. Juan Corzos (1895).