About St. Michael the Archangel Exorcism Center

The story of the St. Michael Exorcism Center started long before the building was even built. It goes all the way back to when Rev. Fr. Darwin A. Gitgano was still a deacon. During his time as a deacon, his parish was asked to help a woman who was believed to be possessed by an evil spirit. She was brought to Our Lady of Light Parish in Loon, Bohol. His parish priest asked him to take care of her. Naturally, he was very afraid. He had never been taught how to handle this kind of situation in the seminary, so he felt completely unprepared. Still, he obeyed his parish priest, trusted in God’s grace, and went to help. Before he left, the parish priest gave him holy water, a crucifix, and a rosary. While praying over the woman, Fr. Gitgano saw something that changed his life forever. The woman reacted strongly to these holy items, especially the holy water and the cross. Right then, he clearly saw the spiritual power that Jesus Christ gave to His Church. That experience gave him a deep respect for the Church's work in spiritual healing and driving away evil.

A Growing Need for Help

Years passed, and Fr. Gitgano became an ordained priest. More and more people started coming to his parish looking for spiritual help. Seeing this growing need, the parish set aside a special room just for people facing serious spiritual attacks. In that room, they could receive prayer, guidance, and spiritual support. Later on, Fr. Gitgano was moved to Holy Infant Parish in Valencia, Bohol. There, the number of people asking for help grew even larger. With the support of the parish and the Diocese, an official group was formed to help these people. This group eventually became the St. Michael Exorcism Center. However, in its early years, the Center only operated out of a rented building.

A Permanent Home

Four years later, when the Diocese reassigned its priests, God opened new doors for this work. Through God’s plan and the great kindness of the Maria Linda Ytem Family, over one hectare of land was donated to the Diocese of Tagbilaran. This land became the permanent home of the St. Michael Exorcism Center. This wonderful gift was a major event in the history of the Diocese. What started as Fr. Gitgano's single meeting with one suffering woman had grown into an official church mission. Its goal was to bring Christ’s healing, mercy, and freedom to many people.

The Center Today

Today, the St. Michael Exorcism Center stands proudly on its own land in Malinao East, Lila, Bohol, Philippines. It serves as the official center for the Diocese of Tagbilaran to handle spiritual warfare, healing, teaching the faith, and performing exorcisms following the strict rules of the Catholic Church. Making this dream a reality was possible because of the strong support and fatherly guidance of Most Rev. Alberto S. Uy, D.D., who was the Bishop of Tagbilaran at the time. The Center was officially blessed on August 31, 2025, marking an important day in the Diocese's history.

Most importantly, the story of the St. Michael Exorcism Center is not just about a building or a program. It is proof of God’s care, Christ’s power over evil, and the kindness of good people. It highlights the Church’s ongoing mission to show that Jesus Christ came "to destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8) and to set His people free. Today, the Center stands as a clear sign of Christ’s victory over evil. It continues to be a safe place of healing and care for many believers seeking the mercy and freedom found in Jesus Christ.