The Commission on Augustinian History and Cultural Heritage and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) jointly organized the Fray Martin de Rada International Conference held at the Governors’ Hall, Roxas City last November 16-18, 2017.

Friars from the different communities of the province and the Vicariate of the Orient, lay delegates from government and private sectors as well as history scholars were among those who attended in the said international congress.

The papers which were presented during the congress focused on the singular contribution of  Fray Martin de Rada to the evangelization of Panay and of the whole country.

Fray Martin de Rada, OSA was one of the first five Augustinian friars who landed in Cebu together with the Adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565.

While the leader of their group, Fray Andres de Urdaneta, left the country and returned to Mexico, Fray de Rada remained in Cebu and from 1566 – 1567 travelled to other Visayan islands such as Panay to bring the gospel to the natives there.

He was a known defender of the natives from the excesses of the conquistadores which him earned  the title “Apostle of Panay” and championed the cause of the Christian Faith in the Philippines.