Camalaniugan in Cagayan is one of the early Christian settlements in northern Luzon, and its present San Jacinto de Polonia Parish Church continues the parish established by Dominican missionaries in 1596. The current church was built after the earlier riverside structure became vulnerable to flooding and erosion, prompting the relocation of the parish site to a more secure area inland.
The church stands within the same general historical complex, positioned between the remains of the old church and the brick kiln that once supplied construction materials.
A key feature associated with the parish is the Sancta Maria bell, cast in 1595 and considered the oldest Christian bell in the Philippines. It is currently housed in a separate belfry constructed in 1998 near the church. The bell remains an important historical artifact linked to the early years of the parish.
