The separation of church and state in the Philippines has been a subject of discussion and debate for as long as I can remember. For 300 years under the Spanish rule, the separation of the church and state in the Philippines much like in Spain at the time wasn't clearly defined. The fact that our very first governments were revolutionary in nature did not help in making the two institutions less antagonistic in nature in the early history of the republic.

_{The Separation of Church and State shall be inviolable. - Art II. Section 6, 1987 Constitution}

_{No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of political rights. - Art. III, Section 5, 1987 Constitution}

_{Religious denominations and sects shall not be registered (as a political party,
organization or coalition, by the Comelec) - Art. IX, C, Section 2}

The constitution in effect in the Philippines covers the separation between the church and state quite extensively, although the same can't be said about the stand of the church in their policies. Such clauses about the separation between the two institutions exists even in the earliest constitution of the land in the Malolos Congress of 1899. The topic of the relationship between the church and state was most debated, devisive, and controversial among the issues in coming up of the new nation's charter. Not much different from the stance of the nation today. What was paradoxical in the Malolos Congress debate on the topic was that it was all happening inside the halls of the Barasoain church in Malolos, Bulacan.

_{Wax Statue of the Malolos Congress in Museo ng Republika ng 1899}

My wife @dandalion and I took a short 3 Kilometers trip from our residence to take a closer look into the rich history of my home town. This is the first of many trips to discover the role our city and our people took in giving birth to our nation. We thought the best place to start was where religion and government historical artifacts are kept.

I remember singing in the choir near these altars during my high school days. My alma mater's college campus is within the vicinity of Barasoain church. I've heard quite a few mass in this church, and little did I know that within the confines of its convent stands a museum. It was @dandalion who told me about it, and when she said she wanted to go, I couldn't say no. While the altar went through a number of renovations since I last been inside this church, it is as serene and beautiful as I remember nearly 20 years ago.

_{@dandalion admiring the beautiful altar}

From reminiscing some of the happy memories of my younger years spent inside the church, we went on looking for the museum entrance. It wasn't difficult at all considering the whole ground of the church, and the convent isn't that big.

Near the entrance to the convent, this carriage of Emilio Aguinaldo; the first president of the Philippines is displayed. The carriage was moved to Barasoain as it as declared a National Shrine by President Ferdinand Marcos on August 1, 1973 via the Presidential Decree No. 260. It was also then that the museum was opened at the old convent under the management of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines as shown in the marker next to the photo of the church.

_{Statue of Emilio Aguinaldo & Felipe Calderon}

The museum is interestingly divided into two sections; one section for the old religious relics, and one from the history of the establishment of the Republic of the Philippines. From items of the church like the altar, the first church bells used, to the baptismal records dating as far back as the 1600s. From a panorama of the President's arrival to Malolos, the wax statues of the Malolos Congress attendees, to concrete statues of prominent government officials of the time.

The museum also have the different flags used by the revolution, the revolutionary government, and the current flag of the Philippines. Also on display are copies of the constitutions from the earliest 1897 Constitution of Biak-na-Bato to the current 1987 Constitution. Between these are the Malolos Constitution of 1899, a constitution under the Commonwealth, a constitution under the Martial Law in 1973, and a provisional constitution of 1986.

In a country with a long struggle around the subject of the separation of church and state, where a great majority of the population took the religion of a colonizers, where the media highlights the antagonistic stance between the representatives of the two institutions; stands the church of Barasoain that housed both the Spanish friars and the earliest representatives of our government. The halls of the Barasoain church witnessed the history of both the church and the development of state in the Philippines. Today, the same halls house historical artifacts free for anyone to appreciate.

_{Note: All photos in this post were taken by yours truly using a Huawei P9 Lite.}