The turn-of-the-century, Victorian-style Augusto P. Hizon house

On the last day of our 5-day Lakbay Norte 2 media tour, we were to attend a cooking demonstration by local culinary expert and historian Lilian “Atching” M.L. Borromeo in Mexico, Pampanga, but we were early for once so our special Victory Liner media bus made a brief stopover at the provincial capital city of San Fernando, parking along A. Consunji St.  in Brgy. Sto. Rosario.  A number of,Spanish and American-era ancestral houses were located here so much so that a number of us, me included, alighted and made a walking tour for some photo ops while the others stayed in the airconditioned comfort of the bus.

The Lazatin House

The Hizon-Singian House, built in 1870, was occupied during the 1896 revolution by Spanish Gen. Antonio Ruiz Serralde. During World War II, it was used by the Japanese Imperial Army as a military hospital and barracks (1943-44) and, during the liberation period until the end of 1945, served as headquarters of 6th Army of American Gen. Walter Krueger.  The Lazatin residence, built in 1925, exemplifies the architecture prevalent during the American colonial period. During World War II, it served as a residence of Japanese Gen. Masaharu Homma. On January 27, 2003, both houses were declared as Heritage Houses by the National Historical Institute. Other ancestral houses along this street include the Consunji house, the turn-of-the-century, Victorian-style Augusto P. Hizon house and the Pampanga Lodge and Restaurant (the first site of the Pampanga High School when it first opened and, later, of the Harvardian College).

Finally, on my own, I visited the Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando, located in front of the City Hall.

Check out “Metropolitan Cathedral of San Fernando“