A TOWERING symbol of faith is set to rise in Davao City’s Samal island as a church-based organization unveiled plans for what could be one of the tallest religious statues in the world.
The proposed Divine Mercy statue will stand 150 feet tall atop a mountain overlooking the island, envisioned to be visible even from the air — a beacon of hope similar to Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer.
At night, pale blue and red rays representing Divine Mercy are expected to shine brightly, thanks to digital innovations under consideration in the design.
“This is a project we’ve waited 40 years for,” said Joji Ilagan-Bian, Lay Coordinator of the Divine Mercy Apostolates of the Archdiocese of Davao and the overall coordinator for Mindanao. “Now, in God’s perfect time, it’s finally happening.”
The shrine will be built on a 25-hectare property owned by the Archdiocese of Davao.
It will be part of a larger religious and tourism hub that will include a major church, several smaller chapels or “prayer hubs,” a gallery of saints, a Marian garden, waterfalls, retreat centers, convention halls, and a “tent city” for youth pilgrims.
“We want it to be inclusive,” Bian said. “There will be high-end accommodations for big events and simple spaces for students and ordinary pilgrims. Everyone will have a place here.”
The master plan for the site was created by architect and urban planner Felino Palafox, known for his sustainable and visionary designs. It was approved on July 18 during a ceremony attended by Palafox, Archbishop Romulo Valles, and Divine Mercy Apostolate–Davao officials.
The plan is expected to be completed by November 2025, with groundbreaking for the statue and supporting structures anticipated in July 2026, pending regulatory approvals — including those from the Civil Aeronautics Board, due to the project’s height and proximity to flight paths.
The Divine Mercy Shrine aims to serve as a spiritual home not just for devotees, but for the broader faith community, regardless of religious affiliation.
“This will benefit everyone — whether you’re a Divine Mercy devotee, a Marian follower, or just someone seeking peace,” Bian said.
The project will be launched during the 5th Philippine Apostolic Congress on Mercy, which Davao will host Aug. 28–30 — the first time it will be held in Mindanao — a symbolic milestone as the Philippines was recently consecrated to the Divine Mercy, the first nation in the world to do so.
Once completed, the shrine is expected to become a major national pilgrimage site and spiritual upliftment destination — with the largest footprint of any such site in the country.
Bian said the Davao archdiocese will co-manage the shrine through a foundation to ensure long-term sustainability and stewardship.
“This is not just a statue,” she said. “It is a promise fulfilled. A monument of mercy, of hope, and of love — built not just with concrete, but with the prayers and sacrifices of generations.”
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