Goldenberg Mansion (City of Manila, Metro Manila)

Posted on 30 April, 2026 by Benjie Layug — 2 Comments ↓

Fifth Part of NCCA Heritage Tour

The historic Goldenberg Mansion, a stately 19th-century residence nestled in the heart of Manila, beside the Teus Mansion, stands as a timeless symbol of elegance, boasting a rich historical background. This beautifully restored ancestral home now serves as a venue for cultural events, art exhibitions, and official receptions. This heritage house’s grand architecture, intricate details, and rich legacy offers a glimpse into the opulence of the colonial era while continuing to play a vibrant role in the country’s contemporary cultural landscape.

Check out “Teus Mansion“

It was built in the 1870s by the affluent Eugsters, a Spanish merchant family who owned the trading company Eugster, Labhart y Cia. It was later purchased by Spanish lawyer, writer, and colonial official (he previously served as the Oidor de la Audiencia or Hearing Officer of the Real Audiencia of Manila) Jose Moreno Lacalle who revamped it, heavily incorporating Moorish Revival style into the design and infusing elements of his native region of Granada.

Philippine Historical Committee plaque (1957)

Constructed using indigenous materials such as Philippine hardwood, alongside European materials such as pre-fabricated steel from Belgium, Italian marble, and bricks and tiles from Spain, the mansion showcases window sashes using capiz shells, an arcaded veranda, a paved courtyard, and a splashing circular fountain.

Over the course of the next 53 years, the house underwent several changes in ownership, being leased to various government and military offices. Between 1897 and 1898, it was rented to the Spanish Navy, serving as the residence for Admiral Patricio Montojo, its commanding officer, and housing the exclusive Spanish Navy Club’s headquarters.

After Admiral Montojo’s defeat at the Battle of Manila Bay and the surrender of Manila to the Americans under U.S. Navy Commodore George Dewey, it became the residence of Gen. Arthur MacArthur Jr. (father of Gen. Douglas MacArthur), the battalion commander, until his appointment, in 1900, as Military Governor of the Philippines, after which, he moved to Malacañang Palace. Responsible for maintaining public order of the city of Manila, Gov. MacArthur Jr. established the Metropolitan Police Force of Manila in 1901, with himself as its inaugural chief, and the police force was initially stationed on the mansion’s grounds.

The year 1903 marked the mansion’s initial role as a museum when it functioned as the office of the Philippine Preliminary Exposition to the International Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri, exhibiting artifacts before their transfer to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904. Before shipping the items to the United States, the mansion hosted the first public exhibition of Philippine art, featuring works by Felix Resurreccion-Hidalgo, Fabian dela Rosa as well as Juan Luna’s famous The Blood Compact, which now resides in Malacañang Palace’s collection.

Glass chandelier bordered by intricate wooden fretwork

In 1908, it was the inaugural location of the Philippine School of Commerce (now the Polytechnic University of the Philippines) and, by 1915, the property was acquired by Ricardo Esteban Barretto, whose family established the San Miguel Brewery. On October 16, 1916, it hosted the first session of the Senate of the Philippines. In the 1930s, it also housed the Adamson School of Industrial Chemistry (the present Adamson University main building, in San Marcelino, was inspired by the mansion’s architecture).

Intricate wooden bas-reliefs at the walls

During World War II, it served as the residence of a Japanese general. After the war, it was converted into the Ye Olde Mansion, a restaurant-nightclub for American troops. In 1950, the mansion was acquired by cosmetic magnate, businessman and philanthropist Michael Goldenberg (1889–1963), an American of French-Jewish descent, who initially arrived in the Philippines as a young boy in 1896 (he personally witnessed the execution of National Hero Jose Rizal in Bagumbayan).

The main hall with checkerboard tile pattern

Amassing his wealth in retail, Goldenberg founded the Goldenberg Department Store situated in Escolta and held exclusive distribution rights, in the Philippines, for distributing Helene Curtis Shampoo Plus Egg beauty products.

Receiving area with wooden parquet flooring

A keen stamp collector and a trailblazer in organized philately in the Philippines, Goldenberg amassed a collection of over 4,000 books, journals, maps, old photographs, pamphlets, and other ephemera on the Philippines and, subsequently, established the Goldenberg Filipiniana Library, a private institution dedicated to the study of Philippine history and culture. As a consequence, the mansion came to be known as the Goldenberg Mansion.

In 1966, following Goldenberg’s death in 1963, the Goldenberg Mansion was acquired, from his heirs, by First Lady Imelda Marcos as one of the Marcos mansions. Subsequently, it became the offices of the Marcos Foundation and, after undergoing extensive restoration and renovation of the interiors by National Artist for Architecture Leandro Locsin, served as the office and guest house of the Marcos Foundation and renamed Ang Maharlika.

As a guesthouse, it hosted notable dignitaries such as King Hussein and Queen Alia of Jordan; Prince Juan Carlos and Princess Sofia (later King and Queen) of Spain; Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India; Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau of Canada; UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim; celebrated American pianist Van Cliburn and renowned ballerinas Dame Margot Fonteyn and Alicia Markova.

Sculpture of a reclining nude female figure

After the People Power Revolution of 1986, ownership of the Goldenberg Mansion and other properties within the Malacañang Palace complex transferred to the Government of the Philippines, with restricted public access. From 2022 to 2023, following the initiative of First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, the Goldenberg Mansion underwent renovation to be made into a cultural center and events space. A glass house, designed and conceptualized by Jonathan G. Matti (an in-demand interior designer with a background in architecture), was also added on the grounds of the Goldenberg Mansion. The mansion was reopened to the public as a cultural center and events space.

On May 12, 2023, President Bongbong Marcos issued Executive Order No. 26 to conserve and protect cultural heritage sites around Malacañang Palace, including the Teus Mansion and the Goldenberg Mansion. The supervision of these properties was transferred, from the former Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for General Administration, to the Social Secretary’s Office.

In April 2023, the Goldenberg Concert Series, part of the “Konsyerto sa Palasyo,” was launched. In March 2024, Araneta Marcos’ inaugural concert, starring the Manila Symphony Orchestra musicians, was held there. The Series, featuring exceptional Filipino performing artists, especially the youth, was the brainchild of Stella Goldenberg Brimo (daughter of Michael Goldenberg). In April 2024, Indak ng Musika, a piano concert, was performed by alumni of Santa Isabel College’s Conservatory of Music. In the fourth event violinist Adrian Ong and pianist Jet Chong performed for former First Lady Imelda Marcos, and her sister-in-law Irene Marcos-Araneta.

In addition to the Goldenberg Mansion’s library, the mansion housed Imelda Marcos’s extensive art collection and a significant collection of oriental ceramics and artefacts, including Chinese jade furniture, excavated porcelain and pottery, and Ban Chiang pottery from Thailand.

Its interiors features a living room with wood filigree arches and chandeliers; tapestries depicting Diana the Huntress; a “Della Robbia” style mirror (which once belonged to Catherine de Medici); several paintings by the American artist Grandma Moses (forfeited, in 2019, by the Sandiganbayan in favor of the Government); a 16th-century European devotional altar adorned with ivory figures depicting the life and martyrdom of Catherine of Alexandria; and Persian rugs adorning the floors.

Goldenberg Mansion: 838 Gen. Solano St., San Miguel, Manila. Tel: (02) 8249 8310 local 8188. E-mail: goldenbergevents@op.gov.ph. Wensite: www.goldenbergmansion.gov.ph. Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9 AM to 6 PM. Coordinates: 14°35′30″N 120°59′22″E.

How to Get There: The mansion can be visited, by the public, upon reservation, via socsec@malacanang.gov.ph.

National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA): NCCA Bldg., 633 General Luna St., Intramuros, Manila, 1002. Tel: (632) 8527-2192. E-mail: info@ncca.gov.ph. Website: www.ncca.gov.ph.

Teus Mansion (City of Manila, Metro Manila)

Posted on 30 April, 2026 by Benjie Layug — 2 Comments ↓

Fourth Part of NCCA Heritage Tour

The stunning, Spanish-Era, Neo-Gothic-style Teus Mansion (beside the Goldenberg Mansion), preserving the legacy of Philippine leadership by displaying rare portraits and historical memorabilia of the nation’s 17 Philippine presidents (that were previously shown in the Kalayaan Hall Presidential Museum and Library), takes its name from Valentin Teus Yrissari (1832-1909), a Spanish businessman, of Basque descent, from Navarra (at the foot of the Pyreness), who arrived in the Philippines in 1847 at the age of 15.

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In 1856, Teus acquired a local distillery in Hagonoy, Bulacan, owned by Elias Menchatorre. Later, he merged his operations with Ynchausti y Cia, a company supplying equipment and abaca rope (for ship’s rigging) for steamships, which evolved into the renowned Tanduay Distillers.

In 1871, Valentin became alcalde primero of the Ayuntamiento (City Council) de Manila and, the following year, was honored as Comendador de la Real Orden de Isabela la Catolica. He later married Teresa Ferrater Ponte (1847 – 1892), the niece of the capitán general. Following Ponte’s demise, Valentin, now 62, married Maria Dolores Menendez Valdes de Cornellana Ferrater, Teresa’s 20-year old niece, at San Miguel Church. They had 4 children: Valentin Jr. (who died young), Concepcion (known as Concha), Valentin III (or Tito), and Dolores (affectionately called Lolin).

Busts of presidents lining the main hall

Initially residing in Binondo, Valentin, in a gesture of affection, surprised Dolores with Teus Mansion in the 1890s, a new residence, in the fashionable arrabal of San Miguel, built on the ruins of an older convent probably destroyed during the 1880 earthquake. He and his family would occupy this residence in Manila but, periodically, every five years, Valentin would journey to Spain. In 1909, Valentin unexpectedly died, leaving Dolores to manage the household and the family affairs. After Dolores’s own demise, the family eventually relocated to Spain by selling their interests there.

Presidential staff assistant Mr. Ronnie W. Balastigue touring media guests around the museum

The mansion was inherited by Concepción Teus, the eldest child, who rarely visited it, leaving an old man as caretaker. The once proud mansion deteriorated. The kitchen roof fell in and the attic became home to a bat colony. In 1974, Concepción opted to sell the mansion (none of her 7 children and 48 grandchildren were interested) to First Lady Imelda Marcos. In 1975, she engaged British interior designer Ronnie Laing and antique dealer Viring de Asis to renovate the Teus Mansion as a guest residence, becoming one of the Marcos mansions.

The former dining room was made into two bedrooms and partitions, in another bedroom, were taken down to create a spacious living-dining area. Bathrooms and closets were cleverly added, their entrances cleverly camouflaged behind aparador (cabinet) fronts. The original downstairs carriageway now serves as an entrance hall. The rest were transformed into 12 bedrooms which, with the existing five upstairs, gave the old home a total of 17 bedrooms. Notable guests at the Teus Mansion included the Italian-American socialite Cristina Ford, who was close associate of Imelda.

After the People Power Revolution of 1986, the Teus Mansion, and other properties within the Malacañang Palace complex, became possessions of the Government of the Philippines but was left unused and remained closed to the public.

On May 12, 2023, President Bongbong Marcos issued Executive Order No. 26 to conserve and protect cultural heritage sites around Malacañang Palace, including the Teus Mansion. That same year, the Teus Mansion underwent renovations, overseen by First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos, to house collections from the Presidential Museum (formerly located in Kalayaan Hall). The supervision of these properties was transferred to the Social Secretary’s Office from the former Office of the Deputy Executive Secretary for General Administration.

The rooms were transformed into galleries exhibiting artifacts, personal belongings, clothing, souvenirs, gifts, photographs, and memorabilia of Philippine Presidents, from Emilio Aguinaldo to Rodrigo Duterte. One or two rooms is devoted to each president,. Wall text and photographs sustain the main narrative. Memorabilia from government collections and loans or gifts from presidential families include medals and decorations, commemorative coins, and miscellanea like eyeglasses, a golf club, chess pieces, automobile license plates, a buntal hat and a cap, flyers from long-ago elections, souvenirs of EDSA I, and sculptures like one of President Ramos’ head puffing on a cigar.

Suits of Emilio Aguinaldo and Manuel L. Quezon

Barong tagalog of Jose P. Laurel and suit of Sergio Osmena

The Osmeña Room has a Philippine flag signifying that the Republic was then at war, with the red section above the blue. Barong Tagalog and/or suits of most of the presidents, on mannequins, provide an unintended history of Philippine men’s fashion. The main hall is lined with busts of presidents and there is also a gallery with portraits of First Ladies.

Suits of Manuel A. Roxas and Elpidio Quirino

Casual attire of Ramon Magsaysay and suit of Carlos P. Garcia

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

The two-storey façade, with Neo-Gothic windows (flanked by paired and single flat pilasters), on the upper floor, and quadrilateral windows, on the ground floor, features a protruding central section, topped by a triangular pediment (flanked by 8-petalled finials and topped by an acroterion), holding the porte cochere below. Below the windows are grilled ventanillas. The massive wrought iron gate of the mansion opens up to a stone courtyard with a circular fountain.

Grand piano at the main sala (living room)

The Osmena flag with the red section above the blue signifying that the country was at war.

Teus Mansion: Gen. Solano cor. J. Nepomuceno (formerly Tanduay) Sts., San Miguel, Manila. Tel: (02) 8249 8310 local 9009. Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 10 AM to 6 PM. Admission is free. E-mail: tours_mht@op.gov.ph. Website: www.teusmansion.gov.ph. Coordinates: 14°35′30″N 120°59′22″E.

National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA): NCCA Bldg., 633 General Luna St., Intramuros, Manila, 1002. Tel: (632) 8527-2192. E-mail: info@ncca.gov.ph. Website: www.ncca.gov.ph.

Bahay Ugnayan (City of Manila, Metro Manila)

Posted on 30 April, 2026 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Third Part of NCCA Heritage Tour

The Spanish Colonial-period Bahay Ugnayan (Tagalog word for “connection” or “relationship”), formerly a compound for priests, was built around the 1800s though not much is known about it. Located meters away from the Teus Mansion, it was donated to the government, by the Madrigal family, shortly before World War II, making it one of the first, if not the first, of the mansions outside the Malacañang complex that came into government possession.

Check out “Teus Mansion“

For many years, it served as a government office, for various agencies under the Office of the President (such as the Presidential Complaint Center and the 8888 Citizens’ Complaint Center), until May 12, 2023, when President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. issued Executive Order No. 26 to conserve and protect cultural heritage sites around Malacañang Palace, including the Bahay Ugnayan, Teus Mansion and Goldenberg Mansion. That same year, the mansion underwent renovations, overseen by First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos.

Check out “Goldenberg Mansion“

Presidential Staff Assistant Mr. Ronnie W. Balastigue (upper left, facing camera) touring media guests around the museum

Bahay Ugnayan, reimagined as a dynamic museum, has been designated as a “changing” museum, which would showcase the life and accomplishments of the current president, in this case that of the “Road to Malacañang” exhibit of Pres. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.. which houses memorabilia from his childhood to his 2022 campaign.

Exhibit of photographs and the president’s childhood toys

Items in its carefully curated displays and artifacts include the red Ford F-150 pickup he frequently used during the campaign period; copies of the original documents submitted during his electoral protest against former Vice-President Leni Robredo after the 2016 elections (the Supreme Court junked Mr. Marcos’ electoral protest against Robredo in February 2021) and a piece of barbed wire tied with a yellow ribbon, a prominent symbol during the People Power Revolution that led to the ouster of the President’s father and namesake in 1986.

Exhibit of photographs of father and son and desk name signs

Whoever succeeds Marcos Jr as president in 2028 will be showcased in the Bahay Ugnayan venue by then, while the memorabilia of Marcos Jr. will be moved to the Teus Mansion. As it stands, the Bahay Ugnayan not only showcases the life of the current president but also serves as a political statement of sorts.

Apart from the campaign materials used during the elections, one can find the certifications about Marcos Jr.’s college education (a controversial topic that props up from time to time) as well as a section dedicated to his electoral protest which came about after his loss in the vice-presidential race in 2016.

Ford F-150 Pickup the president used during his 2022 campaign

Bahay Ugnayan: Jose P. Laurel Sr. St., (fronting Gate 2 of the Malacañang Palace), San Miguel, Manila, 1005. Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 10 AM to 4 PM. Admission is free. Website: www.bahayugnayan.gov.ph. For private guided tours, please email to arrange separately tours_mht@op.gov.ph.

National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA): NCCA Bldg., 633 General Luna St., Intramuros, Manila, 1002. Tel: (632) 8527-2192. E-mail: info@ncca.gov.ph. Website: www.ncca.gov.ph.

Arch of the Centuries (University of Santo Tomas, Manila)

Posted on 13 March, 2026 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

The Baroque-style Arch of the Centuries, the arched gate at Plaza Intramuros, University of Santo Tomas (UST), is a landmark which symbolizes UST’s role as a “gateway in history to the finest breed of Filipinos.” It is one of the few relics left from original UST campus in the walled city of Intramuros which was destroyed in 1945 during the Battle of Manila in World War II, leaving the 17th-century campus completely destroyed. This arch door, called Puerta del Colegio, faced the first Benavides Statue, which was located at Calle Postigo and Calle de Santo Tomas.

In 1927, the university transferred here at its present Sampaloc site and the central lower section of the original facade of the first campus in Intramuros (the side facing the UST Main Building), built in 1680, was dismantle, piece by piece, in 1953, under orders of UST rector Jesus Castañon, by Carmelo Flavier Pablo of C.F. Pablo and Son, a precast contractor, and transferred to the present campus, taking a year to complete. Carmelo Flavier Pablo also did the other half of the current structure (the side facing España Boulevard), a replica of the arch door inaugurated in 1954, as well as the statues, and the bas-relief panels. The arch became formally known as the Arch of the Centuries.

On January 25, 2010, , along with the UST Main Building, the UST Central Seminary Building, and the university field, it was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines. On January 18, 2015, during his visit to the university, Pope Francis passed through the arch.

Check out “UST Main Building”

One of the cultural icons of the University of Santo Tomas, it is often the site of important campus events such as the Thomasian Welcome Walk, UST’s tradition of welcoming the freshmen to the university by passing through the arch. The passing through also signifies the completion of their student life in the university when, after the baccalaureate Mass, the candidates for graduation exit through the arch during a parade. There is an urban legend that claims prematurely exiting the arch, before graduation, would lead to a student’s debarment.

Commemorative plaques, on its lower pillars, facing España Boulevard, honors two distinguished alumni, Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon (1878-1944), on the right and José Rizal (1861-1896), on the left. The bronze marker, on the side of the left pier, tells the history of the arch. The words underneath it read, Gateway to the history of the finest breed of Filipinos, a reference to the UST alumni.

The statue of Thomas Aquinas, above the attic storey, portrayed as a young and energetic man seated on a chair (a depiction similar to the painting by Justus van Gent and Pedro Berruguete), was inaugurated on December 21, 1955. Flanking it are two female figures, the one facing west holding a cross, in her right hand, and an admiralty pattern anchor in her left hand while the one facing east holds a torch, in her left hand, while her right arm rests on a winged wheel.

These two figures correspond to the Fountain of Divine Wisdom (also called the Fountain of Divine Wisdom) and the Fountain of Human Wisdom (Fountain of Knowledge) that flank the arch. The Fountain of Wisdom, surrounded by four deer and open shells, consists of a barbed, quatrefoil-shaped basin featuring a sculpture of a lady standing on top of a lotus flower (its bowl carried by four phoenixes) while holding a Bible who’s cover depicts the image of the Lamb of God. The Fountain of Knowledge, surrounded by four owls of Athena and open shells, also features a sculpture of a lady (standing on a cylindrical pedestal adorned by the early disciplines offered in the university) on top of a lotus flower (its bowl carried by four sphinxes) while holding a globe.

The main inscription, directly above the arch, is different on both sides. Four bas-relief panels, depicting the life of Thomas Aquinas, flank the main inscriptions. The southwest panel depicts two angels giving him the girdle of chastity; the southeast panel depicts Thomas Aquinas speaking to an icon of the crucified Christ; the northeast panel depicts Thomas Aquinas and the Eucharist; and the northwest panel depicts Thomas Aquinas taught by Saints Peter and Paul.

Bronze plaque that tells the history of the arch

A coat of arms, below the main inscription, features a double-headed eagle similar to the one used by Charles I, the King of Spain when the Philippines was discovered. The main façade consists of two columns, of the Doric order, on each side of the archway and the spandrels consists of Baroque reliefs.

Arch of the Centuries: Plaza Intramuros, University of Santo Tomas, Manila.

Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Candles (Silang, Cavite)

Posted on 4 May, 2025 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Church of Our Lady of Candles

This church, under the Diocese of Imus, is the oldest existing stone church in the province of Cavite, having been completed in 1639. The church and school was first built in 1585 by Franciscan missionaries through forced labor but was destroyed by fire on August 30, 1603. That same year, the church was then rebuilt in wood by Jesuit friars, damaged by an earthquake and rebuilt in stone by Fr. Juan Salazar from 1637 to 1639 and was dedicated to the Nuestra Senora de Candelaria (Our Lady of Candles) in 1640.

During the July 1880 earthquake, the fourth storey of the belfry was destroyed and, during the Philippine Revolution, the church was used by the Guardia Civil (Civil Guards) until they were expelled by Gen. Vito Belarmino on from September 5-6, 1896. In 1937, the original wooden floor was replaced by red clay tiles. Due to a fire in 1950, the ceiling was replaced one meter away from the original location. In 1989, the bell tower restored to its original height. On February 3, 2017, the church and retablo of the Our Lady of Candelaria Parish was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines and, on May 4, 2021, the church was elevated into a Diocesan Shrine.

National Historical Institute plaque (2008)

The church has a cruciform plan with lateral walls supported by buttresses. The two-storey convent, adjacent to the church, is located on the northeast.

AUTHOR’S COMMENTS:

The church’s simple, two-level Baroque façade, without any elaborate and magnificent ornamentation, is divided, horizontally, by moldings. It has a semicircular arched main entrance with large wooden doors at the first level, a semicircular arched niche, flanked by rectangular windows, with a statue of the patroness, and a triangular pediment with a centrally located rose window and topped by a cross. The massive pilasters at the ends are topped by urn-like finials. The four-storey belfry, connected to the main church, has a quadrilateral first floor while the rest of the floors are octagonal.

The church’s four-storey bell tower on the right

Inside are three ornate Baroque-style altars, with distinct, Rococo-influenced retablos with multi-level platforms – one main altar (retablo mayor) and two side altars (colaterales) in each side of the transepts which are mirror images of each other. All are noted for the presence of local styles such as plants, fruits, flowers, volutes or circular designs and millipedes; and decorative motifs of foliage, angel heads, acanthus crenelations, cartouches and empty rectangles.

National Museum of the Philippines plaque

The altars, built from 1643 to 1663, were restored, through application of varnish, during the 1970s by Talleres de Maximo Vicente. In 1989, revarnishing, for preservation, was done. In 2002, the original pastel color of the retablo was restored by carefully removing layers of lacquer, modern varnish, paraffin and soot. In 2004, to complement the modern-day adobe wall-cladding, the golden pillars were restored to beige, with a hint of avocado green, and its rouge flowers to pink. The ceiling height was also restored to its original location. During the 21st century restoration, a statue of St. Paul holding a sword, located at the right-most portion of the retablo, was stolen, never recovered and a replica was used to replace the original statue.

The churc’s interior

The two three-level side altars have fluted Ionic columns and Corinthian columns; statues of angels, holding shields, on top of the altars; and three niches, at the first and second levels, and a single niche at the third level. They contain reliefs except for the central niche of the second storey. One side altar is dedicated to women saints, saints in the New Testaments and martyrs, while the other is dedicated to the Jesuit saints.

The main altar and retablo

The three-level altar mayor, the largest and highest altar among the three altars, has six reliefs; seven alternating niches for saints; reliefs and same divisions like the side altars; and garlanded Corinthians and salomonicas, separating the retablo sections, instead of fluted Corinthian columns.

The left side altar

The six reliefs, depicting the story of Jesus in the life of Mary based on the Mysteries of the Holy Rosary are Ang Pagbisita (Visitation of the Angel Gabriel to Mary), Ang Panunulúyan (Re-enactment of the journey of St. Joseph and Mary in search for lodging in Bethlehem), Ang mga Mago (The Three Kings), Ang Presentasyon sa Templo (The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple), Ang Koronasyon (The Coronation of Mary) and, on the topmost level, a relief of the Sto, Niño de Ternate. At the central niche of the first level is the image of the Nuestra Señora de Candelaria (Our Lady of Candles), the patroness of Silang. Found in the mountains, the statue would always get lost. When she was transferred, she was then called La Anuncieta.

Diocesan Shrine and Parish of Our Lady of Candles: J.P. Rizal St., Poblacion, Silang, 4188 Cavite. Tel: (046) 414-0352. Feast of Our Lady of Candles: February 2.

How to Get There: Silang is located 63.3 kms. (a 1.5-hour drive) from Manila and 19.7 kms. (a 30-min. drive) from Trece Martires City.

Church of St. Bartholomew the Apostle (Malabon City, Metro Manila)

Posted on 18 April, 2025 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Church of St. Bartholomew the Apostle)

This church, one of the most beautiful examples of Spanish ecclesiastical architecture in the country, was first built in 1621 by Fr. Diego de Robles and Fr. Francisco Valencia added the transept in 1835. In 1854, Fr. Raymundo Cueto added the two lateral aisles and the barrel vault (media naranja) dome under the direction of Architects Viña and Urquiza. The construction of the Parthenon-like facade and the two bell towers was supervised by Father Martin Ruiz and directed by Architect Luciano Oliver.

Historical plaque installed by the National Historical Commission in 2015

The church was heavily damaged during World War II and its facade was restored in 1951 by Filipino secular Fr. Trinidad. In 1958, the dome, transept, main altar and bell tower were repaired by Father Reyes. The church measures 70.14 m. (230.1 ft.) long, 20.05 m. (82.2 ft.) wide and has a central nave, two lateral aisles, a transept and a barrel vault dome topped by a campanile.

The entrance porch with imposing colonnade

Its Graeco-Roman temple facade has an entrance porch supported by an imposing colonnade with eight Ionic columns which, in turn, supports a protruding triangular pediment. Above the main entrance (a Jubilee door decorated with wood carvings) is the inscribed Augustinian symbol and the year “1861.”

The church interior

Two three-storey bell towers, with seven bells, flank the recessed front facade. One bell is dedicated to St. Rita of Cascia, another to St. Bartholomew the Apostle while another bell has the name of Fr. Guillermo Diaz, OSA (minister of Tambobong from 1881 to 1885) inscribed on it.

The numerous paintings, framed with gold leaf, lining the church ceiling

The church ceiling is lined with numerous paintings framed with gold leaf. The sanctuary has a simple yet elegant retablo with an image of St. Bartholomew the Apostle above which is the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the tabernacle below, and the images of St. Augustine and St. Nicholas de Tolentine on both sides.

The main altar and retablo

Church of St. Bartholomew the Apostle: Rizal Ave. Extension, Brgy. San Agustin, Malabon City. Tel/Fax: (632) 281-1266. Feast of St. Bartholomew the Apostle: August 24. Coordinates: 14°39′32″N 120°57′05″E.

How to Get There: Malabon City is located 10.1 kms. (a 25-min. drive) north of Manila, 6.3 kms. (a 20-min. drive) from Navotas City and 5.5 kms. (a 15-min. drive) from Valenzuela City.

Cathedral Parish of St. Roch (Caloocan City, Metro Manila)

Posted on 18 April, 2025 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Cathedral Parish of St. Roch

Commonly known as Caloocan Cathedral, it is the cathedral or seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kalookan. The cathedral, dedicated St. Roch (San Roque in the Philippines), started as a small visita (chapel-of-ease) initiated by Manuel Vaquero (assistant priest of Tondo, Manila) in 1765 in Libis Aromahan (Sitio de Espinas), one of the districts of Caloocan. In 1819, a new and bigger church was constructed by Vicente de San Francisco Xavier on its present site in Paltok, an elevated district in the town of Caloocan, and was finished in 1847 under Cipriano Garcia.

Historical plaque installed by the National Historical Commission in 2022

During the Philippine Revolution against the Spaniards, San Roque Church served as the meeting place of the Katipuneros coming from the west coast of Manila going to Balintawak. On February 10, 1899, during the Philippine–American War, the church was partly destroyed by US forces when Gen. Antonio Luna sought refuge at the church.

The main entrance

After its capture, the Americans used the whole area around the church as a field hospital. In 1900, American Gen. Arthur MacArthur, Jr. invaded Caloocan and San Roque Church was made caballeriza by the regiment of Col. Frederick Funston.

Entrance portico and driveway

In 1914, after the war, the church was reconstructed by the Confradia de Sagrado Corazon de Jesus under the administration of parish priest Fr.Victor Raymundo.

In 1934, Eusebio Carreon put black and white tiles along the aisles and, in 1947, Pedro Abad renovated the façade. In 1962, Pedro Vicedo built additional wings on both sides of the church. In 1979, Fr. Boanerges “Ben” A. Lechuga renovated the church and, on November 30, 1981, it was blessed by Manila Cardinal Jaime Sin.

The new cathedral wing

In the Jubilee Year 2000, San Roque Church was declared one of the Jubilee Churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila. After the new Diocese of Kalookan was created by Pope John Paul II on June 28, 2003, the church was elevated to a cathedral. On December 11, 2015, a relic from the bone of St. Roch, a gift from Pope Francis for the 200th anniversary of the parish, was brought out for public veneration in a vigil and deposited to the altar table during the dedication rite of the cathedral. On August 13, 2017, another bone relic of St. Roch was given to the cathedral from the Chapel of the Holy Relics in Cebu.

1899 photo of the church facade

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

The 1947 and 1979 renovations may have made a number of changes to church’s 1899 Baroque-style façade. The first level still features statued niches and Tuscan and flat pilasters. However, the entrance portico and flanking undulating walls and wings are new additions. The portico features Composite columns and is topped by a triangular pediment with a raking cornice topped by a balustrade. The main entrance, formerly semicircular arched, now has a segmental arch.

The second level, with its original massive flat pilasters, now features semicircular arched windows instead of rectangular ones. The pediment still has its massive, central, two-level bell tower with semicircular blind and open windows. The second level, with a balustrade, houses the bell. However, the tower is now topped by an empty niche and a cross.

The cathedral interior

Cathedral Parish of St. Roch: cor. of 10th Ave. and A. Mabini St., Poblacion, 1400 Caloocan City, Tel: 8288-5252 and 8287-3693. Feast of St. Roch: August 16.

How to Get There: Callocan City is located 27.7 kms. (a 50-mins. drive from Manila, 19.2 kms. (a 45-min. drive) from Malabon City and 10.5 kms. (a 35-min. drive) from Valenzuela City.

Church of St. Charles Borromeo (Mahatao, Batanes)

Posted on 5 December, 2024 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

From Maydangeb White Beach, we again boarded our van and continued on our way, traveling the remaining 2.4 kms. (a 5-min. drive), to Mahatao town proper, and making a stopover at the town’s Spanish-era Church of St. Charles Borromeo.

Check out “Maydangeb White Beach”

The first church, made with light material and completed by Dominican friars in 1789, was destroyed by a strong typhoon in 1872 and the present structure was rebuilt, with stone and lime, in 1873 by Father Crescencio Polo, OP (who also remodeled the stone and mortar convent attached to the church). On September 19, 1898, during the Philippine Revolution, the flag of the Katipunan was raised in the campanille and the church was ransacked (the original gold Episcopal crosier of the image of San Carlos as well as the gold jewelry pieces of the Lady of the Rosary and the Santo Niño were stolen).

2008 National Historical Institute (NHI) historical plaque

In the 20^th century, the cogon roof was replaced with galvanized iron and, sometime in 1990, the choir was removed. On July 31, 2001, the church was declared as a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines.

It has an espadaña-style façade similar to Basco Cathedral and the Church of St. Vincent Ferrer in Sabtang, with two round arches at roof levels for the bells (one of which is dated 1874). The outer walls have uneven wall thicknesses due to the addition of massive step buttresses that serve as stairways for servicing its then cogon-covered roof.

Check out “Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception” and “Church of St. Vincent Ferrer”

The church’s Baroque style interiors showcases floral designs with sunburst ornaments painted in polychrome and gilt, lending a golden glow among the statuary. On the center of the main retablo is the statue of St. Charles Borromeo (the patron saint) surrounded by statues of St. Joseph, St. Dominic de Guzman and St. Rose of Lima. Two side altars house the statue of the Our Lady of the Rosary, on the right, and of the Holy Child on the left.

The second floor of the church convent, on the right side of the façade, is not the typical volada (cantilevered gallery) for convents in the Philippines but an open extended deck. At the back of the convent are remains of an old circular well.

Within the church’s courtyard is a stone structure that once housed the beatario. Elsewhere in the courtyard and the elementary school are Spanish-era stone lampposts said to have been used as guiding lights to guide fishermen and early mariners safely to the anchorage just beyond the town’s seaport.

Church of St. Charles Borromeo: National Road, Brgy. Uvoy (Poblacion), Mahatao, 3901 Batanes. Mobile number: (0921) 766-2282. Feast of St. Charles Borromeo: November 4.

How to Get There: Mahatao is located 13.4 kms. (a 30-min. drive) south of Basco.

Provincial Heritage and Tourism Office (PHTO): Mobile number: (0929) 230-5934. Website: www.breathtakingbatanes.com.

Church of St. Charles Borromeo (Mahatao, Batanes)

Posted on 5 December, 2024 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

Church of St. Charles Borromeo

From Maydangeb White Beach, we traveled the remaining 2.4 kms. (a 5-min. drive), to Mahatao town proper, making a stopover at the town’s Spanish-era Church of St. Charles Borromeo.

Check out “Maydangeb White Beach”

The church complex

Plaque installed by National Historical Institute in 2008

On September 19, 1898, during the Philippine Revolution, the flag of the Katipunan was raised in the campanille and the church was ransacked (the original gold Episcopal crosier of the image of San Carlos as well as the gold jewelry pieces of the Lady of the Rosary and the Santo Niño were stolen).

Plaque installed by National Commission for Culture and the Arts in June 2005

The church’s interior

Check out “Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception” and “Church of St. Vincent Ferrer”

The main altar

Right side altar housing statue of Our Lady of the Rosary

Two side altars house the statue of the Our Lady of the Rosary, on the right, and of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the left.

Left side altar housing statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

The church’s convent

One of two Spanish-era stone lampposts

Church of St. Charles Borromeo: National Road, Brgy. Uvoy (Poblacion), Mahatao, 3901 Batanes. Mobile number: (0921) 766-2282. Feast of St. Charles Borromeo: November 4.

How to Get There: Mahatao is located 13.4 kms. (a 30-min. drive) south of Basco.

Provincial Heritage and Tourism Office (PHTO): Mobile number: (0929) 230-5934. Website: www.breathtakingbatanes.com.

Church of St. Joseph the Worker (Ivana, Batanes)

Posted on 5 December, 2024 by Benjie Layug — Leave a reply

This church, first built as a chapel in 1787, was rebuilt, with stone and lime, by Father Francisco de Paula Esteban, OP, in 1795 and the bell tower was built by Father Jose Fausto de Cuevas, OP, from 1814 to 1817. In 1844, it was renovated and, in 1854, its nave was shortened with the rear portion closed (today, ruins of the abandoned portion can still be seen). From 1866 to 1869, the façade was repaired by Father Fabian Martin, OP.

On September 18, 1898, Filipino revolutionaries hoisted their flag after renouncing their loyalty to Spain. On July 16, 2000, a magnitude 7 earthquake partially destroyed the church and, in 2001, Father Gumersindo Hernandez, OP, had it repaired.

The unusual buttresses of the separate bell tower

In 2008, the church was declared as a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. This church, with three-meter thick walls, is the only one in the province not built in the espadaña style.

Historical plaque installed by the National Historical Institute (NHI) in 2008

AUTHOR’S COMMENTS:

The church’s façade, with Baroque and Moorish architectural influences, has a semicircular arched main entrance with jambs formed in a series of receding molded planes, with alternating semicircular and Moorish arches. Flanking the entrance are blind semicircular and Moorish arches, framing statues on corbels, and massive flat pilasters (which rise up to the pediment) topped by pyramidal finials. The undulating pediment has a rectangular window topped by a Moorish arch and flanked by blind rose windows.

Its separate fortress-like, three-storey square bell tower, on the church’s right, is the only one of its kind in the province. It is supported by unusual buttresses, at the base, and has segmental arched openings, with balusters, and a crenellated top.

Due to its elevation, the church offers a panoramic view of the sea and the surrounding countryside. The convent, part of the church complex, has unusual circular masonry work near the stairway.

Church of St. Joseph the Worker: National Road, Barangay Tuhel (Poblacion), Ivana, 3902 Batanes. Mobile number: (0977) 120-3307. Feast of St. Joseph the Worker: May 1.

How to Get There: Ivana is located 13.85 kilometers (a 15-minute drive) south Basco. The church is located in front of the town’s port.

This travel blog, a diary of the author’s local and international travels, aims to provide the reader with news and information on people, places and events that would interest the avid traveler and tourist. But, it also aims to be much more, providing insights on the wonders of this beautiful country, as well as the world, beyond the strict confines of the city. Have a BLAST seeing old churches, exotic temples, educational museums as well as palm-fringed islands; white sand beaches; thundering waterfalls; placid lakes; fiery sunsets; turquoise seas; cathedral-like caves; swirling rivers; majestic mountains; stupendous, amphitheater-like rice terraces; awesome volcanoes and the like. Get to know the movers and shakers in the tourism industry; find out where to titillate the palate; rejuvenate your body; feed your adrenalin, unwind and relax; satisfy your craving for history and culture; and find out what's being celebrated and where.

BENJAMIN “BENJIE” LAYUG, an architect by profession (he finished his B. S. Architecture degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman in 1982), is also a copy editor for two publishing houses; travel writer; blogger; architectural historian; author; concert. movie and musical reviewer (for www.pep.ph); and a motivational speaker.

As a free-lance travel writer, he has, in the past, contributed articles to Travel Update, Philippine Daily Inquirer, COLORS, TODAY, 7107 Islands Magazine, Business Day and Bluprint. He currently writes for Artplus Magazine and the Business Mirror.

He is also the author of the following travel books:

A Philippine Odyssey (New Day Publishers, 2005)
Pathfinder’s Travel Guide: Boracay (Great Books Trading, 2006)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Churches (New Day Publishers, 2007)
A Tourist to Notable Philippine Historical Landmarks, Monuments and Shrines (New Day Publishers, 2010)
A Tourist Guide to Notable Philippine Museums (New Day Publishers, 2012)

Some of his books now appear in the local library shelves of the National Library of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, University of Sto. Tomas, U.P. Diliman, Centro Escolar University, San Sebastian College, Miriam College, Silliman University, to name a few, as well as internationally at the National Library of Australia and the University of California Berkeley Library.

Now a senior citizen, he is probably one of the oldest, if not the oldest, active travel blogger in the country today. He also has a lifestyle blog called F.Y.I.:Firing Your Imagination (www.firingyourimagination.blogspot.com). Benjie has traveled to two-thirds (53) of the country’s 81 provinces and over 20 countries in 4 continents.