The Augustinians were the pioneering missionaries to formally evangelize the Philippines in 1565. Since then, they had been the custodians of the miraculous image of the Holy Child, Señor Santo Niño. When the image was found on April 28, 1565, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi entrusted to them the spiritual care of the islands. Its finding is considered a providential message to start the conversion of the natives into Catholicism and spread the Word of God to the islands. With the intention to establish a permanent settlement, they had to build a church and a convent for the friars. Thus, the first Augustinian community in islands was created with Fray Diego de Herrera, OSA as the first prior. The succession continued up to the present and here’s a look of all the priors from 1565-1965 and rectors from 1965 to present.

2021 –                – Rev. Fr. Nelson Zerda, OSA (Rector)
2016 – 2021      – Rev. Fr. Pacifico Nohara, OSA (Prior/Rector)
2012-2016       – Rev. Fr. Jonas Mejares, OSA (Rector)
2008-2012       – Rev. Fr. Rodolfo Bugna, OSA (Prior/Rector)
2004-2008       – Rev. Fr. Andrew Batayola, OSA (Rector)
2000-2004       – Rev. Fr. Jerome Mesina, OSA (Prior/Rector)
1998-2000       – Rev. Fr. Edgardo Lazo, OSA
1996-1998       – Rev. Fr. Bernardino Ricafrente, OSA
1994-1996       – Rev. Fr. Bernardo Coleco, OSA
1992-1994       – Rev. Fr. Rosalio Paderog, OSA (Prior/Rector)
1988-1992       – Rev. Fr. Apolinario Mejorada, OSA
1982-1988       – Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Galindez, OSA
1978-1982       – Rev. Fr. Medardo Durmiendo, OSA
1974-1978       – Rev. Fr. Restituto Suarez, OSA
1973-1974       – Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Galindez, OSA
1970-1973       – Rev. Fr. Sulpicio Enderes, OSA
1967-1970      – Rev. Fr. Gregorio Liquete,OSA
1965-1967      – Rev. Fr. Casimiro Garcia, OSA
1960-1965      – Rev. Fr. Restituto Suarez, OSA
1957-1960      – Rev. Fr. Mariano Sapiña, OSA
1951-1957      – Rev. Fr. Pablo Alava, OSA
1946-1951       – Rev. Fr. Manuel Blanco, OSA
1940-1946       – Rev. Fr. Juan Mendiluce, OSA
1935-1940       – Rev. Fr. Manuel Canceco, OSA
1924-1935      –
1918-1924      – Rev. Fr. Pedro Medina, OSA
1912-1918      – Rev. Fr. Rodrigo Valerio, OSA
1906-1912       – Rev. Fr. Juan Fernandez, OSA
1897-1906       – Rev. Fr. Jacinto Albarran, OSA
1897-1897       – Rev. Fr. Jorge Romanilla, OSA
1893-1897       – Rev. Fr. Manuel Ibeas, OSA
1889-1893       – Rev. Fr. Mauricio Alvarez, OSA
1885-1889       – Rev. Fr. Mateo Diez, OSA
1877-1885       – Rev. Fr. Meliton Tolegon, OSA
1873-1877       – Rev. Fr. Gregorio Ros, OSA
1869-1873       – Rev. Fr. Gabriel Gonzales, OSA
1867-1869       – Rev. Fr. Arsenio Camo, OSA
1865-1867       – Rev. Fr. Antonio Manglano, OSA
1861-1865       – Rev. Fr. Fernando Magaz, OSA
1861-1861       – Rev. Fr. Nicolas Lopez, OSA
1857-1861       – Rev. Fr. Juan Alonso, OSA
1854-1857       – Rev. Fr. Prospero Puerto, OSA
1851-1854       – Rev. Fr. Casimiro Herrero, OSA
1939-1851         (NO DATE AVAILABLE)
1829-1839       – Rev. Fr. Bernardo Giganto, OSA
1818-1829       – Rev. Fr. Julian Bermejo, OSA
1815-1818       – Rev. Fr. Ambrosio Otero, OSA
1806-1815       – Rev. Fr. Juan Chacel, OSA
1786-1806       – Rev. Fr. Bonifacio Gascon, OSA
1782-1786       – Rev. Fr. Bonifacio Gascon, OSA
1780-1782       – Rev. Fr. Antonio Pardo, OSA
1762-1780       – Rev. Fr. Francisco Espina, OSA
1756-1762       – Rev. Fr. Luis Torreblanca, OSA
1748-1756       – Rev. Fr. Ignacio Cleopera, OSA
1744-1748       – Rev. Fr. Andres Puertas, OSA (Commissioned the biggest bell of the Basilica. Año 1570)
1740-1744       – Rev. Fr. Pedro Sanchez, OSA
1735-1737        – Rev. Fr. Juan de Albarran, OSA (lead the construction of the present church)
1732-1740       – Rev. Fr. Jacinto Pico, OSA
1731-1732       – Rev. Fr. Jose Trivinio, OSA
1728-1731       – Rev. Fr. Jose Bosqued, OSA
1719-1728       – Rev. Fr. Manuel Castro, OSA
1716-1719       – Rev. Fr. Pedro Lijolde, OSA
1713-1716       – Rev. Fr. Manuel Gonzales, OSA
1698-1713       – Rev. Fr. Nicolas Cuadra, OSA
1693-1698       – Rev. Fr. Jose Gil, OSA
1690-1693       – Rev. Fr. Nicolas Barruete, OSA
1689-1690       – Rev. Fr. Francisco Toledo, OSA
1686-1689       – Rev. Fr. Juan Olarte, OSA
1680-1686       – Rev. Fr. Julian Zapata, OSA
1674-1680       – Rev. Fr. Miguel Rubio, OSA
1672-1674       – Rev. Fr. Juan Bover, OSA
1671-1672       – Rev. Fr. Juan Caballero, OSA
1668-1671       – Rev. Fr. Juan Ponce, OSA
1659-1668       – Rev. Fr. Jose Duque, OSA
1657-1659       – Rev. Fr. Geronimo Serrano, OSA
1653-1657       – Rev. Fr. Juan Borja, OSA
1650-1653       – Rev. Fr. Gonzalo de Palma, OSA
1645-1650       – Rev. Fr. Antonio Carrion, OSA
1641-1645       – Rev. Fr. Francisco Villalon, OSA
1639-1641       – Rev. Fr. Francisco Avilla, OSA
1638-1639       – Rev. Fr. Antonio de Porras, OSA
1637-1638       – Rev. Fr. Miguel Suarez, OSA
1629-1637       – Rev. Fr. Diego de Ordaz, OSA
1626-1629       – Rev. Fr. Lorenzo Figueroa, OSA
1623-1626       – Rev. Fr. Juan de Medina, OSA
1622-1623       – Rev. Fr. Juan de Montemayor, OSA
1619-1622       – Serrano Garcia, OSA
1614-1619       – Lucas Agustin, OSA
1613-1614       – Rev. Fr. Eustaquio Ortiz, OSA
1611-1612       – Rev. Fr. Agustin de la Rios, OSA
1609-1611       – Rev. Fr. Francisco Bonifacio, OSA
1607-1609       – Rev. Fr. Francisco Lopez, OSA
1607-16-07      – Rev. Fr. Agustin Peralta, OSA
1606-1607       – Rev. Fr. Alonso Baraona, OSA
1605-1606       – Rev. Fr. Bernabe Villalobos, OSA
1603-1605       – Rev. Fr. Juan Pineda, OSA
1599-1603       – Rev. Fr. Pedro Aguirre, OSA
1596-1599       – Rev. Fr. Juan de Villalba, OSA
1593-1596       – Rev. Fr. Pedro Arce, OSA
1584-1593       – Rev. Fr. Miguel Seguenza, OSA
1582-1584       – Rev. Fr. Bartolome Alcantara, OSA
1577-1582       – Rev. Fr. Cristobal Tarique, OSA
1570-1577       – Rev. Fr. Alfonso Jimenez, OSA
1565-1570       – Rev. Fr. Diego de Herrera, OSA