The earlier wooden church was destroyed by a fire in 1863 during the " Dominican War of Restoration " ( '' Guerra de Restauración '' ) . Construction of the present church began in 1870 under Pedro Tomás de Mena . Reconstruction of the church began in 1929 and was completed in 1956 . The reconstruction took longer than expected due to an earthquake in 1946 . In 2003 yet another earthquake damaged the structure , which was fully repaired by 2008
earthquake in 1946
1946 Dominican Republic earthquake
St. Philip the Apostle Cathedral, Puerto Plata