Apolo welcomes Renowned Artist Willy Layug to Bohol

Apolo and his wife Crissie welcomed Maestro Willy Layug and his wife Bhaybhee to Bohol in early February 2025. The Maestro is the country's most prominent ecclesiastical artist. He is known for majestic Catholic images that stir the faithfuls' emotions and fortify devotion. In 2009, he received the Presidential Medal of Merit Award from President Arroyo. 

His works have not only captivated Filipinos, but the Vatican no less. In 2015,  Pope Francis visited the Philippines, and bestowed on the Sir Willy the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Award, the highest honor the Catholic Church can bestow on the laity, for his contributions to the Church through his art. This resulted from Layug's creation of Our Lady of Hope of Palo - a Marian image inspired by the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda.​

In 2017, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) commissioned Willy Layug to paint the ceiling of the Baclayon Church, as part of the church's restoration project. Much as the re-painting of the entire ceiling was completed eight years ago, the Maestro did not get the chance to sign his work. ​

Fortune would have it that the Tirols and Layugs met in Ormoc City in October 2024 during the inauguration of Sir Willy's work, the 13-foot statue of Our Lady of Fatima, which graces one of the city's rotundas. On February 6, 2025, the Layugs visited Bohol to participate in the Camino de Santiago in the town of Batuan. During this trip, the Maestro finally got the chance to affix his signature on the right hand ceiling of the Baclayon Church entrance, with a little help from the Tirols.  🙏 (2/5-7/25)