From the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Jandy and I moved on to the nearby Jose P. Laurel Museum and Library, the home of Jose P. Laurel, the president of the Japanese-sponsored Second Philippine Republic (October 14, 1943-August 17, 1945). Laurel was born here on March 9, 1891. The Laurels, being a prominent family, built their residence just walking distance from the cathedral and town hall and 100 m. from the national road.
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| Jose P. Laurel Museum and Memorial Library |
Built in 1880, this ancestral house was restored by Jose P. Laurel’s son Mariano and daughter-in-law Alicia on March 9, 1964 and was donated to the national government to serve as a public library. It also houses Jose P. Laurel’s memorabilia. The 2-storey house has a ground floor of stone and an upper level of wood with wooden posts, sliding capiz windows and a floor of brightly polished wooden planks.
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| The dining room |
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| The living room |
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| Laurel’s office |
It was a holiday (Labor Day) during the time of our visit but the caretaker gladly allowed us free rein to tour the areas of the house – the living room (with its prominent bust of Laurel), dining room (with its 8-seater dining table and mounted photo of Laurel delivering a speech) and Laurel’s bedroom (with its antique 4-poster bed) and office (with Laurel’s desk and chair). Beside an oil painting of Laurel is a wooden harp. Outside the house is an antique church bell.
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| Laurel’s bedroom |
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| A wooden harp |
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| The old church bell |
Jose P. Laurel Museum and Memorial Library: A. Mabini Ave, Poblacion, Tanauan City, Batangas. Open daily, 8 AM-5 PM.
