Urdaneta Philippines Temple
Latest News
Recent News Articles
- March 24, 2024 – Public invited to tour new Urdaneta Temple
- March 12, 2024 – Public Invited to Tour New Urdaneta Temple
- January 17, 2024 – How 4 siblings are preparing to attend the Urdaneta Philippines Temple together
News Stories
Photo: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.
Public Tours of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple Begin Monday
The public is invited to an open house of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple. Tours will be offered daily from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. beginning Monday, March 18, and continuing through Saturday, March 30, 2024, except for Sunday, March 24, when the temple will be closed. The open house is an opportunity for people of all faiths to learn about this sacred structure of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Tours are free and last approximately one hour. No reservations are needed. The temple design reflects both the Spanish and Asian influences on the Philippines and contains design references to the mango and the sampaguita flower.
Photo: Lybert Lungay Santizo
Open House and Dedication Dates for the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
President Dallin H. Oaks, First Counselor in the First Presidency, will preside at the dedication of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple on Sunday, April 28, 2024. Two dedicatory sessions will be broadcast to all congregations in the temple district at 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Following a media day on Tuesday, March 12, and invited guest tours on Wednesday and Thursday, March 13 and 14, public tours of the temple will be offered from Monday, March 18, through Saturday, March 30, 2024, excluding Sunday, March 24.
Photo: IAHPHOTOGRAPHY
Urdaneta Philippines Temple Workers' Devotional Held
Nearly 400 Church members from the Urdaneta region met at the Urdaneta stake center on Saturday, August 5, for a devotional held for those interested in volunteering as temple workers at the Urdaneta Philippines Temple. The president and matron of both the Manila Philippines Temple and Urdaneta Philippines Temple shared inspirational messages and instruction. With the temple nearly completed, members are looking forward to an announcement of the open house and dedication dates.
Photo: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Philippines
Open House Committee for the Urdaneta Philippines Temple Meets
Members of the Open House and Dedication Committee for the Urdaneta Philippines Temple held a kick-off meeting on Saturday. Although the dates for the open house and dedication have not yet been announced, preparations for these upcoming events are officially underway. The long-awaited temple was announced almost thirteen years ago, and the groundbreaking ceremony was held four-and-a-half years ago.
Photo: Kwikie James Cutamora Pagula
The Urdaneta Philippines Temple Shines Against a Cloudy Backdrop
The lights of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple shine bright against the dark clouds of nighttime. Elder Gary E. Stevenson said, "You are never lost when you can see the temple. The temple will provide direction for you and your family in a world filled with chaos. It is an eternal guidepost which will help you from getting lost in the 'mist of darkness.' It is the 'House of the Lord.'" The Urdaneta temple is in the final months of construction.
Photo: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Philippines
Landscaping the Urdaneta Philippines Temple Grounds
Landscapers are breathing life into the grounds of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple with a beautiful mix of trees, plants, and flowers that are being planted inside and outside the main fence that extends along the highway. Grass sod has been laid in the lawn areas, and pavers stones have been placed in the entrance plaza. Construction of the temple has been underway for 50 months. Work is expected to wrap up later this year.
Photo: Family Matters - For Time and all Eternity Facebook page
Scaffolding Removed from the Urdaneta Philippines Temple Steeple
Vivid blue skies and woolly clouds render a beautiful backdrop for the Urdaneta Philippines Temple, which is no longer obscured by scaffolding around the steeple. The temple is hedged on three sides by a lush leafscape of mature trees that were preserved through the construction process. The formal grounds of the complex are becoming more green with the planting of trees and grass.
Photo: Richard Servinias
Construction Fence Removed from the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
The corrugated sheet fence that served as a safety barrier during the construction of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple has been removed, revealing the completed permanent fence. The concrete base and posts are spanned by ornamental pickets. The park strip between the fence and the highway will be cleaned up and beautified. Interior work continues on the buildings in the complex.
Photo: Elder David Holloway
Group Photograph at the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
Senior missionaries gather in front of the beautiful Urdaneta Philippines Temple for a group photograph. The much-anticipated temple was announced over 12 years ago, and construction began almost 4 years ago. It will serve Church members from the northern region of Luzon—the country's largest and most populated island. Construction also continues on two ancillary buildings.
Photo: Denis François Ruckterstuhl
Urdaneta Philippines Temple Guardhouse Erected
Bright white clouds drift over the Urdaneta Philippines Temple site where construction and landscaping efforts continue. Concrete posts have been installed for a pedestrian gateway next to the guardhouse that connects with the main fence along the highway. Ornamental trees are being planted on the grounds, joining the existing trees that were preserved at the rear of the property and between the temple and ancillary buildings.
Photo: Joseph Rosal Ramos
Urdaneta Philippines Temple Steeple Unveiled
Scaffolding is coming down from the steeple of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple, giving onlookers a better view of the beautiful stone cladding. Members have been looking forward to the completion of the temple since its announcement nearly 12 years ago at the October 2010 General Conference. It will be the third temple to be dedicated in the Philippines, joining the Manila Philippines Temple and the Cebu City Philippines Temple.
Photo: Kharen Barrera Moreno
Hardscaping the Urdaneta Philippines Temple Grounds
As installation and caulking of the stone veneer on the Urdaneta Philippines Temple draws to a close, crews are making progress on the hardscaping of the grounds. In addition to concrete curbing and walkways, an ornamental fence has been installed along the highway, featuring a high concrete base with black picketed panels between concrete columns. The temple will be the third to be dedicated in the Philippines.
Photo: Mila Dato Velasco
Safety Milestone at the Urdaneta Philippines Temple Construction Site
Construction workers at the Urdaneta Philippines Temple hold up five fingers in celebration of five million safe man-hours without lost-time injury. It is a remarkable safety achievement for the crew who have employed wise construction habits since the project began three and a half years ago. The beautiful granite cladding is in full view on the south side of the building.
Photo: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Philippines
Angel Moroni Installed on the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
A gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni was hoisted to the top of the steeple of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple today. Because of his role as a heavenly messenger to the prophet Joseph Smith, Moroni symbolizes a proclamation to the world that the Church of Jesus Christ is reestablished in these latter days and continues to be restored in its fullness through prophetic revelation. The raising event is an important construction milestone that was attended by Elder Taniela B. Wakolo, president of the Philippines Area.
Photo: Vera Vysosias
Urdaneta Philippines Temple Parapets Clad in Stone
Rounded coping stones have been secured to the parapets of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple, terminating the cladding of the main body exterior walls. The steeple frame has yet to be clad. On the three-story ancillary building, a roof deck is being attached to the trusses. The construction of the Philippines' third temple entered its third year in January.
Main Body of Urdaneta Philippines Temple Clad in Stone
Stone cladding has reached the top of the main body of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple. The light-colored stone uses bullnose trim pieces around the windows and wall corners to create smooth rounded edges. Scaffolding surrounds the steeple, which will soon be clad as well. The construction crew has reached another safety milestone of four million safe man-hours without lost-time injury.
Photo: Charmaine Llorito-Murillo
Stone Cladding Progress on the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
Stone cladding of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple has been underway for about six months, and the progress is visible behind the scaffolding that surrounds the exterior. Once the stone reaches the roofline, work can begin on the steeple. A sign over the entrance to the building celebrates the achievement of three million man-hours without lost-time injury.
Photo: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Philippines
Philippines Area Presidency Visits the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
On Monday, October 11, the Philippines Area presidency and their wives visited the Urdaneta Philippines Temple construction site to celebrate 3 million safe man-hours without lost-time injury. The building will be surrounded by scaffolding for many more months to accommodate the lengthy stone cladding process. At the beginning of next year, the temple will have been under construction for three years.
Interior Work Advancing at the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
While stone cladding is attached to the exterior surfaces of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple, work is advancing on the interior. Rooms have been framed, drywall is being hung, and door contractors have arrived to perform some installations. The building is being enclosed so that craftsmen can be introduced to the project in the coming months and carry out their work on the interior. In the ancillary building, the laying of stone and tile is getting underway.
Cladding of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple Begins
The stately frame for the steeple of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple points heavenward toward the soft white clouds and blue skies that drift over the lively construction site. Hanging brackets have been fastened to the concrete exterior walls for the stone that will clad the edifice. Cladding has begun along the base of the building and will continue upward over the next several months.
Photo: Armina DelaCruz Lopez
A Video Tribute to the Urdaneta Philippines Temple Crew
A newly published video by the Philippines Area provides highlights of the touching tribute to the construction crew of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple who recently achieved two million accident-free man hours. Elder Taniela B. Wakolo, Area President, spoke at the celebration. The video features sweeping aerial passes over the construction site and fun warm-up routines performed by the crew.
Photo: Gerald Pitzh
Two Million Safe Man Hours at the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
On Monday, March 15, the construction crews at the Urdaneta Philippines Temple celebrated the remarkable achievement of two million safe man hours without lost time injury. While work continues on the interior and exterior of the temple, construction is also advancing on a vast stormwater detention vault that will mitigate the risk of flooding. Urdaneta has a tropical climate that averages 95 inches (241 cm) of rainfall each year.
Photo: Glenn Elaog Mercurio
Scaffolding Erected Around the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
Take a drive past the Urdaneta Philippines Temple and accommodation center in a new 14-second video that gives you a glimpse of the beautiful concrete and steel structures. Since the installation of the spire frame atop the temple in December, scaffolding has been placed around the exterior of both buildings. The temple walls will eventually be faced in stone panels.
Photo: Ruth Tamin Payumo
Spire Frame Installed on the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
The frame for the spire of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple has been recently installed, guiding the eyes of onlookers heavenward as they gaze upon the sacred structure. Inside the strong concrete body of the temple, framing for the interior rooms is progressing. It will be the third temple constructed in the Philippines with two more under construction in Alabang and Davao and two others in planning for Cagayan de Oro and Bacolod.
Photo: Martin Mamaril
The Urdaneta Philippines Temple: a Temple for Northern Luzon
As a gateway to the northern Philippines, the City of Urdaneta sits at the junction of several major highways in the province of Pangasinan, home to nearly 3 million residents. The Urdaneta Philippines Temple stands directly on one of those highways, providing good access to Church members living in Northern Luzon. The concrete forms around the upper walls of the temple have been removed, but the crew continues to pour the exterior walls for the accommodation center.
Photo: Jhun Echalar Gaoat
Urdaneta Philippines Temple Roof Deck
With the main exterior walls of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple reaching their final height, crew members are laying down a solid roof deck and setting rebar for the tiered tower and raised center walls that will stretch from the front of the temple to the rear. A pitched structure will sit on the end of the building to accommodate a ceiling vault over the Celestial Room chandelier.
Photo: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Philippines
Celebrating Safety at the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
On August 8, 2020, the construction team at the Urdaneta Philippines Temple celebrated 1,000,000 accident-free man-hours. A representative from the Department of Labor and Employment attended the event and expressed his gratitude to everyone for maintaining high standards of health and safety at the construction site. The temple and accommodation center have been under construction for the past year and a half. In that time, the concrete body of the two-story temple has been built.
Photo: Herald Lyndon Aquino
Construction Moving Forward on the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
On June 16, 2020, quarantine restrictions for the province of Pangasinan—where the Urdaneta Philippines Temple is located—were eased from General Community Quarantine (GCQ) to Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), allowing all public and private construction projects to proceed under proper social distancing and safety guidelines. Crews have been back at work continuing with the structural framing for the temple and adjacent housing facility.
Photo: Marron Raven Castillo Batolina
Construction of Urdaneta Philippines Temple Paused
Construction activity at the Urdaneta Philippines Temple has been stalled for over two months since the Philippine government imposed an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on the island of Luzon on March 16, 2020, in response to COVID-19. On May 16, Urdaneta City was downgraded to a general community quarantine (GCQ), which allows only essential public and private construction projects to operate. The upper walls of the temple can be seen over the construction barrier that surrounds the site.
Photo: Maruth Valdez Rosete
Site Plan Rendering for the Urdaneta Philippines Temple
A site plan rendering has been attached to the construction barrier surrounding the site of the Urdaneta Philippines Temple. The rendering shows the temple, accommodation center, and maintenance building from an aerial perspective. Work continues on pouring the exterior walls for the temple. It will be the third temple built in the Philippines with four more announced for Alabang, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro, and Davao.