I saw a painting dedicated to Fr. Antonio Lobato de Santo Tomás, OP when I visited Tuguegarao Cathedral, and it immediately drew attention to a figure whose influence on the town runs deep. The artwork portrays the Dominican missionary presenting a model of the cathedral to a high-ranking Church official, a symbolic scene that reflects not only his role as a priest but also his lasting contributions as a builder and planner of Tuguegarao.

Fr. Lobato served as parish priest of what was then a vast and developing community, and he is best remembered for constructing the present-day structure of the cathedral and organizing its surroundings. His work became the model for what is now referred to as the “Tuguegarao Style” of church architecture. Beyond the church itself, he also planned the layout of the poblacion, shaping the town in a way that reflected both structure and function during the Spanish colonial period. True to the Dominican tradition, he was also a scholar who authored devotional works, homilies, and linguistic materials, including dictionaries and grammar texts in Spanish and Ibanag.

He died on March 11, 1794, while still serving the community, and was buried in the Old Campo Santo beside the church he had built. Although his tomb no longer remains, his legacy continues through the physical and cultural landscape of Tuguegarao. His contributions were once recognized by Dominican historian Fr. Julian Malumbres, OP, who wrote that he deserved a statue in his honor, a sentiment echoed years later by church leaders who sought proper recognition of his work. Today, even without a formal monument, the cathedral, the town plan, and the traditions he helped establish remain as enduring reminders of his life and service.