Category Archives: American-Era Structures

The Ancestral Houses of Pila (Laguna)

Posted on by — 2 Comments ↓
Pila Municipal Hall

Past the town of Victoria, we soon reached the Pila town proper (87 kms. from Manila) and its plaza lined with shady, giant talisay trees.  Surrounding it are quaint early 20th century, American-era ancestral houses and, finding them interesting, decided to make a long stopover here to explore the town further.  I parked my Toyota Revo at the Municipal Hall, a heritage building built in 1931 and faithfully restored by Mayor Edgardo Ramos.

Town Plaza

Pila is cited as one of the few intact examples of Spanish colonial town planning where the center of the town was the plaza complex surrounded by the church, tribunal, school and large ancestral houses of the town’s leading citizens.  On May 17, 2000, as a consequence of these efforts, Pila was declared as a National Historic Landmark (a status also enjoyed by Vigan City in Ilocos Sur, Silay City in Negros Occidental and Taal in Batangas) by the National Historical Institute (NHI) .

Pila’s ancestral homes

Unlike nearby Sta. Cruz and Pagsanjan towns which were reduced to rubble by American bombing, Pila survived the ravages of World War II because American bombers failed to spot it.  Because of this great piece of luck, Pila still boasts of 36 19th century and turn-of-the-century structures, 28 of them ancestral homes.  Mostly located in Brgy. Sta. Clara, many of these ancestral homes, a good number of which belong to the Agra, Alava, Dimaculangan, Relova and Rivera families, have withstood the test of time and are still well-preserved, with fresh coats of paint with pastel and cream colors.  These home owners take great pride in town’s old world charm and their rich and varied heritage.  Once parked, Jandy and I strolled along the town’s plaza and its quiet streets, enjoying up close or from afar, the experience of seeing these stately structures that reflect a rich and varied architectural history.

Jose Agra Ancestral House

This lakeshore town, founded by Franciscan missionaries in 1580, has been given the moniker Lupang Pinagpala (“The Blessed Land”) and there are a number of reasons for this. In 1610, in recognition of the noble Pileños refined manners and genteel customs, this town steeped in history and culture was conferred the special status of La Noble Villa de Pila (“The Noble Town of Pila”), one of only five towns in the country accorded this honor by Spain (the others being Cebu, Vigan in Ilocos Sur, Libon in Albay and Oton in Iloilo). The town also survived the ravages of World War II because American bombers, on a bombing run to flush out Japanese soldiers, failed to spot it.  Nearby Sta. Cruz and Pagsanjan towns were not so lucky, both being reduced to rubble.

Relova Ancestral House

In December 1993, the Pila Historical Society Foundation was established to preserve and maintain these remnants of a gentler way of life.  The foundation raised funds and, with the cooperation of the late Mayor Querubin Relova and the Sangguniang Bayan, undertook the huge task of demolishing and relocating new structures that detracted from the beauty, purpose and historical relevance of the original town plan.  Pila is cited as one of the few intact examples of Spanish colonial town planning where the center of the town was the plaza complex surrounded by the church, tribunal, school and large ancestral houses of the town’s leading citizens.

Rudolfo Relova Ancestral House

Many houses built during the Commonwealth Period reflect a shift in architectural styles, evolving from the massive bahay na bato (stone house) to the charming American chalet-style houses with touches of Spanish design elements, decorative Art Deco or Art Nouveau treatments.  Using more Philippine hardwoods and cement, all provide comfort, a respite from the tropical heat and a general feeling of airiness with their high ceilings; tall and wide capiz or paned-glass windows that allow the breeze to come in and woodcarvings on the ventanillas that allow for good cross ventilation. The living and dining rooms, on the second floor, are accessed by stairs that figure prominently in the facade.  The ground floors of many houses facing the plaza, formerly used as storage areas, now house cafeterias and shops.

Pila Historical Society Foundation: tel: (049) 559-0382 (Ms. Cora Relova).

Home of "The Other Rizal" (Los Banos, Laguna)

Posted on by — Leave a reply
The Paciano Rizal Shrine

My next stop in my Laguna (Calamba City to Sta. Cruz) joy ride with my son Jandy was the charming resort town of Los Banos.  The town is famous for its hot medicinal sulfur springs that flow from the foot of Mt. Makiling and its present name is derived from the Spanish word for “The Baths.” These thermal springs were discovered in 1590 by Franciscan martyr St. Peter Baptist (San Pedro Bautista).   Today, most of the sulfur springs are piped into the pools and baths of the many hot spring resorts that line the National Highway.  This is the Los Banos that most people know and not many people know this town’s association with “the other Rizal.”

The old Los Banos Municipal Hall

To find out, I parked my Toyota Revo at the old municipal hall (a new one is being built along the National Highway).  Beside the town’s fire station is the inconspicuous retirement home of Paciano Mercado Rizal, Jose Rizal‘s elder (and only) brother who was also a revolutionary general (he led the defense of Laguna) and Emilio Aguinaldo‘s first Minister of Finance.  Though not as popular as the Jose Rizal Shrine in Calamba, this shrine, jutting out to Laguna de Bay, was built atop a hot spring in 1927 by Andres Luna de San Pedro (son of master painter Juan Luna) when Paciano’s original nipa hut was destroyed in a typhoon in 1926.

The back of the house

Rizal lived here, as a gentleman-farmer, with 2 helpers (with occasional visits from his grandsons, from daughter Emiliana, Franz and Edmundo), until his death from tuberculosis on April 30, 1930.  First buried in Manila North Cemetery, his remains were later transferred here, with full military honors, in 1985.  A historical marker was installed here on April 13, 1983 and the house was declared as a National Historical Shrine by the National Historical Institute on July 31, 1992.

Laguna de Bay

This modest American-style, one-bedroom bungalow was turned into a Japanese garrison during World War II, resulting in the loss of much of Paciano’s personal effects. Still around are some photos of his grandchildren, binoculars he used during the revolution, a pair of his shoes and a Quiroga bed.  Rizal’s spinster sisters Josefa and Trinidad are also buried in the sprawling garden which has a bronze statue of Paciano Rizal, on a pedestal, in his general’s uniform.  The shrine has a view of Talim Island. At the back of the house is the Paciano Rizal Park.

A Walking Tour of Mauban (Quezon)

Posted on by — 1 Comment ↓
The Municipal Hall

We finally arrived at Mauban, at the midst of its Maubanog Festival, by 4 PM and we made a stopover at the municipal hall were we all dropped by the Municipal Tourism Office and paid a courtesy call on Mayor Fernando Q. Llamas, the uncle of our good friend Lee Llamas.  Prominently displayed outside the municipal hall is an old cannon, 1 of 3 (the other 2 are at the Museo ng Mauban) bestowed by Spanish Gov.-Gen. Rafael Maria Aguilar to the town as a reward for the rescue efforts done for the Spanish friars captured by Moro pirates. The cannon were later used against the Spanish to effect the surrender of Tayabas to the revolutionaries in 1898.  All 3 were  restored on April 16, 2004.  

Traditional Mauban products

After our courtesy call on the Mayor, we  all dropped by the Mauban Product Development Office, beside the municipal hall, to check out the town’s traditional products such as finely-crafted nilala woven hats, baskets, slippers, wallets, bags, boxes, caddies, etc.;  delicacies such as pinangat, binalawan, pinais, tikoy, kalamay, pastillas, botarts, mazapan, suspiro, etc.; and nipanog, wine made with sasa (toddy palm nectar) instead of coconut and available in different flavors such as liputi, katmon, guyabano, mango, pineapple, guava, jackfruit, kalamias, tamarind and santol. Being a fiesta, booths selling these products, and more, were found in front of the municipal hall as well as along the major streets. 

Church of St. Bonaventure

While they were checking out the products, I took time out to visit the town’s present, modern Church of St. Bonaventure (the town’s patron saint).   This church underwent a lot of rebuilding since it was first built in 1647 and demolished in 1769.  The second structure, built in 1773, was badly damaged during the 1830 earthquake and rebuilt between 1836 and 1845.  The church collapsed during the July 1880 earthquake and the present church was built in 1891.  The bell tower, built in 1773, was seriously damaged during the 1880 earthquake and the portion that remained was partially destroyed again during the August 20, 1937 earthquake. 

Gat Uban Park

With the sun still up, we still had time to make a walking tour to Gat Uban Park, at the end of Gomez St., along the sea wall.  The park has a seaward facing statue the legendary Dumagat warrior and leader Gat Pangil who defended the town against ruthless Moro attacks.  Gat Pangil was also known as Gat Uban because of his gray hair (uban).  Accordingly, the town was named after the fact.  The well-lighted promenade area, with its gentle sea breeze, is a favorite meeting place for Maubanons. 

View from Rizal Hill Park

It was near sunset when we dropped by Rizal Hill Park (locally called Calvario Hill), along San Buenaventura St. in Brgy. Rizaliana.  To get to the top, we had a  choice of taking the shorter route (climbing a steep concrete stairway) or the longer route via a winding ramp skirting the hill.  Of course, we chose the latter.  At the top of the hill is a statue of National Hero Jose Rizal, erected on December 1912 by the Mauban Circle Association of Students.  The  park offers a panoramic view of the whole town.  In olden times, the hill was used as a sentinel post and a place for religious activities during the Spanish era, as headquarters by American troops, as an outpost by the Philippine Constabulary during the Japanese Occupation and, after the war, by the Civilian Emergency Administration.

Rizal Hill Park

Soon after our arrival,  Mr. Ludovico Badoy and Ms. Carminda R. Arevalo, Executive Director  and Officer-in-Charge (NHCP Research, Publications and Heraldry Division), respectively, of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), formerly the National Historical Institute (NHI), also arrived.  They supervised the installation of a historical marker recognizing the hill for its historical significance.  The marker was to be unveiled the next day, with Mayor Llamas and Mr. Badoy leading the ceremony.  It was now evening when we left the hill and, after dinner at the house of Mayor Llamas, we were billeted for the night at the nearby Llamas ancestral house.

Municipal Tourism Office – Municipal Hall, Poblacion, Mauban, Quezon.  Tel: (042) 784-1205 and 713-0314.  E-mail: gat_uban@yahoo.com.

Rufino Pabico Ancestral House (Daet, Camarines Norte)

Posted on by — 4 Comments ↓
Rufino Pabico Ancestral House

The Pinyasan Street Dancing and Marching Band Parade, along Vinzons Ave., had now passed us by and, before leaving, Lee, TJ, Bernard and I decided to drop by the two-storey, maroon and white  Rufino Pabico ancestral house, the only remaining relic of early 20th century architecture in Daet.

Check out “Pinyasan Festival 2011“

On hand to welcome us was the 75 year old Francisco Pabico Timoner, the grandson of the original owner. Mr. Timoner, I would later learn, is a retired General Manager of  the Camarines Norte Electric Cooperative (CANORECO) and a acquaintance of my father-in-law, Mr. Manuel L. Sta. Maria, retired Deputy Administrator of the National Electrification Administration (NEA).

Francisco Temoner at the grand staircase

Built in 1917 and the scene of high-society balls in the 1930s, the grand Rufino Pabico house was still well-preserved.  Within its well-manicured front yard is an octagonal fountain.  Like many typical bahay na bato (stone houses), it has a masonry ground floor and a wooden second floor.  Arches are predominant in front; from the ground floor colonnaded front porch, with its fluted square columns, all the way up to its second floor sliding capiz (oyster shell) windows, its arches decorated with intricate lacy (calado) woodwork.  That same woodwork can also be found above the windows and in the eave fascias. Between the window sill and the floor are ventanillas with sliding wooden shutters for additional ventilation.

The well-preserved interiors

The interiors are just as well preserved.  The grand stone staircase, with its marble steps, still has its rococo-style carvings while the alternately dark and  light-hued hardwood floor still retain their shine.  The ceiling is covered with wood carvings.  All these are complemented by a Cornish piano, pre-war chandeliers, wall paintings, vintage family photos and antique wooden furniture including silohiya (wickerwork)-covered chairs.  Novelties here include a now-unused wood-fired stove and a free-standing antique, enamel-covered cast iron bathtub.

According to Mr. Timoner, during World War II, the house was used as a headquarters for the Japanese Imperial Army and, later during the Liberation, by American forces.  In 1995, a strong typhoon partially destroyed the house but it was soon restored to its original look. The house hit the limelight when it was featured in an article at the Philippine Daily Inquirer, written by our media colleague Amadis Ma. Guerrero.  Since then, it has been included in the list of places to see in Daet as well as in the province.  On June 19, 1997, the house was conferred the “Provincial Cultural Treasure Award,” as indicated by a plaque installed at the porch wall.   During the 2009 Pinyasan Festival, the Daet Kiwanis Club, the Daet Senior Citizens Federation and Reina Daetena hosted the Grand Tertulia de Daet at this house.

Rufino Pabico Ancestral House: Vinzons Ave., Poblacion, Daet, Camarines Norte

Cape Bolinao Lighthouse (Pangasinan)

Posted on by — Leave a reply
Cape Bolinao Lighthouse

After our visit to Bolinao Marine Laboratory, we were invited by our host for lunch at Bolinao‘s Tourist Center.  After lunch, we next drove up a 107–m. (351-ft.) high promontory in Brgy. Patar called Punta Piedra Point. On top was the century-old Cape Bolinao Lighthouse, built by American, Filipino and British engineers in 1903 and one of 5 major lighthouses in the country. The original apparatus was made in England and its lantern, with three wicks and chimney, was imported from France.  This 30.79-m. (101-ft.) high lighthouse, the second tallest lighthouse (after Cape Bojeador Lighthouse in Burgos, Ilocos Norte) in the country and 1 of 2 in the town (there is another small lighthouse in Guiguiwanen, Brgy. Luciente 1), guards the entrance to Lingayen Gulf and its light, could be seen 44 kms. (26 miles) out.  It is operated by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Destruction wrought by typhoon Emong

During the lighthouse’s first 80 years of operation, it was fueled by kerosene . When the Pangasinan I Electric Cooperative extended its power lines to Patar, the lanterns were powered by electricity.  Just like my first visit in 2005, I wasn’t able to climb its 134-step winding stairway as its gate was locked and the caretaker nowhere to be found.  It was also depressing to see the destruction wrought by Typhoon Emong which unroofed its administration building.  Solar panels which recharged its two beacon lights, set up via a 1999 loan package extended by the Japanese government, were also destroyed.  Just the same, the lighthouse still remains an attraction by itself. Spectacular sunsets and the deep blue sea can be watched at its view deck.  

Adaptive Reuse in Silay City (Negros Occidental)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Victor Fernandez Gaston Heritage House (Balay Negrense)

Most of the heritage houses in Silay City are still residential homes, lived in by the descendants of the original owners or bought by others who continue to live in them and not open to the public. However, a few of  them have been converted to museums, a bakery, restaurants, shops or city government and private offices in an action called adaptive reuse, referring to the process of reusing an old site or building for a purpose other than which it was built or designed for.

Check out “Silay City’s Ancestral Houses“

Hofilena Museum (Manuel Hofilena Ancestral House)

Three ancestral houses have been opened for visitors – the Victor Fernandez Gaston Heritage House (Balay Negrense), the Manuel Severino Hofileña Heritage House (visits by appointment) and the Bernardino and Ysabel Lopez-Jalandoni Ancestral House (a lifestyle museum, commonly called The Pink House). The first two are located along Cinco de Noviembre Street while the latter is along Rizal Street.

Check out “Balay Negrense,” Ramon Hofilena: The “Father of Heritage Conservation” in Silay City and the “Bernardino-Ysabel Jalandoni Museum”

Bernardino-Ysabel Jalandoni Museum

NOTE:

A number of ancestral houses have also been converted into bed and breakfasts. On June 11, 2016, the charming, two-storey German Unson Heritage House was opened as a bed and breakfast with four spacious rooms – German-Fe Room, Lourdes Room, Rene Room and the Carmen-Cristina Room. The house was built in 1938 and was restored in its original design in mid-1970s. On April 6, 1993, it was declared as a heritage house by the National Historical Institute.

The Generoso Reyes Gamboa Twin House, owned by Generoso and wife Olympia Severino, both heroes of Cinco de Noviembre, was built for their sons Ernesto and Generoso Jr.  In 2020, the present owners have now converted the house into the 1898 Casa and Restorante, a bed and breakfast with 5 bedrooms on the ground floor and a main dining room at the second floor. It is considered to be the first twin house in the Philippines, with both houses (the one beside it) being mirror images of each other.  The house is embellished with beautiful, ornamental Art Nouveau pierced screens or “calados” (ornately carved room dividers depicting stylized flowers, lyres and anahaw leaves) and cast-iron brackets.

 

Generoso Gamboa Twin House

Two ancestral houses, along Generoso Gamboa Street (formerly Plaridel Street), were bought by the Silay City government and were converted into offices – the Angel Araneta Ledesma Ancestral House (now the Arts and Culture Office) and the Benita Jara Ancestral House (now the Sangguniang Panglungsod building). The former, a Colonial Plantation-style heritage house called the Green House (Balay Verde) by the locals, was built in the 1930s and features American clapboard with material sourced from the Araneta family’s lumber business.

Benta Jara Ancestral House (Sanggunian Panglungsod)

Also along this street is the Alejandro Amechazura Heritage House, now the office of Celsoy Agro-Industrial Corporation. This simple and graceful house, built between the 1920s and 1930s, is a good example of American Period architecture. It has an entrance porch with double columns on a concrete base.  Repetitive pointed arches on the lower floor hints at a Neo-Gothic influence. 

Maria Golez Ledesma Ancestral House

A lot of adaptive reuse can be seen along Rizal Street, the city’s main road, where a number of ancestral houses were converted to commercial establishments. The regal Maria Ledesma Golez Ancestral House, an excellent example of adaptive architectural reuse, was purchased by Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) in 1992.  RCBC remodeled the interiors while the exterior was preserved. The first floor was converted into their Silay branch while the second floor is used as a storage area.  Embellished with masques, caryatids and lion heads, Art Deco elements are prevalent, especially in the archways and corner entrance.  On April 6, 1993, it was declared as a Heritage House by the NHI.

Lino Lopez Severino Ancestral House

Another heritage structure that has been converted for commercial use is the Lino Lope Severino Building, the first department store in Negros. This Art Deco structure is now owned by two separate individuals, the left wing of the building, rented by a religious group, was bought by an Indian businessman while the right wing, a pension house (Baldevia Pension House) with function rooms available for rent at the second floor, was bought by the Baldevia family.

NOTE:

In 2013, a MacDonald’s Fries and Sundae Station was opened in the building (now called the Baldevia Building).  Also on the ground floor are a pawn shop outlet, a drug store and a Chooks-to-Go branch.

 

Antonio Novella Sian Heritage House

The Antonio Novella Sian Ancestral House, at cor. of Rizal and Zamora Streets, features traditional media agua (canopy over a window) and sliding ventanillas on the second floor, also has a suite of shops at the ground floor – barber shop, convenience store (Mayflor & Me Minimart) and a bakery.

NOTE:

In October 2019, a MacDonald’s branch was opened at the Antonio Novella Sian Ancestral House

 

El Ideal Bakery

The Cesar Lacson Locsin Ancestral House is home to El Ideal Bakery which started operations in 1920, making it one of the oldest bakeries in the country. It specializes in homemade breads (pan gasiosa), biscuits (quinamoncil, biscocho prinsipe, broas, sinambag, favorita, lubid-lubid, quinihad, etc.) fresh lumpiang ubod (made of fresh young coconut trunk sauteed in pork, shrimps and hard boiled egg, and wrapped with a flavorful garlic sauce) and cookies (angel cookies) as well as pastries such as guapple pie (a combination of apple and guava pie) dulce gatas (Silay City’s version of the pastillas, made with carabao milk and sugar) and the traditional piaya (a type of flat bread). Ms. Maritess Villanueva Sanchez, its current proprietor, is the granddaughter of Cesar.

Check out “Restaurant Review: El Ideal Bakery”

 

Kapitan Marciano Montelibano Lacson Ancestral House

The Kapitan Marciano Montelibano Lacson Ancestral House, at Rizal cor. Zamora Streets, Brgy. II, is home of New City Cafe (Kapehan Sang Silay).  The lower floor of the Josefita Tionko Lacson Ancestral House has a branch of 7-11.

Josefita Tionko Lacson House

German Unson Heritage House Bed and Breakfast: 5 Zamora Street.  Tel: (034) 432-2943.  Mobile number: (0921) 762-2359. E-mail: guheritagehouse@gmail.com.

1898 Casa and Restorante: 960 Zamora cor. Cinco de Noviembre Street. Tel: (034) 485-5566.  Mobile number: (0951)) 769-3655.

El Ideal Bakery: 118 Rizal cor. Eusebio Streets.  Tel: (034) 495-4430.

Bernardino-Ysabel Jalandoni Museum: cor. Rizal and Severino Sts..  Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9 AM-5 PM.  Admission: PhP50.  Tel: (034) 495-5093.

Balay Negrense: Cinco de Noviembre St., Brgy. III.  Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9 AM-5 PM. Tel: (034) 714-7676 and 495-4916.

Manuel Severino Hofilena Heritage House: Cinco de Noviembre St..  Visits are by appointment.  Tel: (034) 495-4561.

Silay City’s Ancestral Houses (Negros Occidental)

Posted on by
Calle Rizal

Another reason for my visit with my family to Silay City, aside from visiting my mom’s hometown and attending the 8th Locsin Family Reunion, was to see for myself Silay’s ancestral houses.  Silay, founded in 1760, became prosperous in 1846 with the cultivation of sugar cane and its new-found wealth translated into the construction of many opulent ancestral homes, located mostly along Calle Rizal.

The two-storey Antonio dela Rama Locsin Heritage House, dating back to the Spanish Colonial Period, is said to be the oldest house in Silay. This was the house where the late Architect Leandro V. Locsin (National Artist for Architecture) grew up. The house has capiz sliding windows and ventanillas.

Silay is the second city in the Philippines, after Vigan City (Ilocos Sur), to be named a museum city, making it one of the country’s top 25 tourist destinations.

The Soledad and Maria Montelibano Lacson Ancestral House, with its American-inspired look, features windows with glass panes and a galvanized iron sheet media agua, a secondary roof that helps protect windows from rain. The second floor still retains its sliding capiz windows and ventanillas.  When coming from Talisay City, this is the first ancestral house that will greet you.

Most ancestral houses in the city are named after their owners while other more famous houses are known for their unique characteristics or colors (Twin Houses, Green Hose, White House, Pink House, etc.).

The ancestral house of Jose “Pitong” Ledesma, along Cinco de Noviembre Street, was built in 1917.  It was the home of the renowned Silaynon pianist, conductor and philantrophist who was known for his sonata Tanda de Valse.” Ledesma also brought operettas de zarzuelas from Europe to Silay. The present owner of the house is Magdalena Locsin-Ledesma, piano accompanist of opera singer Conchita Gaston.

A total of 31 (some well-preserved) have been identified by the National Historical Institute (NHI, now the National Historical Commission of the Philippines) as National Treasures.  Nine of them are Level 1 (Declared):

  • Carlos Arceo Ledesma Heritage House
  • Antonio de la Rama Locsin Ancestral House
  • Delfin Ledesma Heritage House – 28 Generoso Gamboa Street
  • Juana Coloso Ledesma House
  • Amelia Hilado Flores House (owned by Jison-Alano)
  • Arsenio Lopez Jison Ancestral House – Rizal Street
  • Antonio Novela Sian House – cor. of Rizal and Zamora Streets
  • Manuel de la Rama Locsin Ancestral House – Rizal Street
  • Josefita Tionko Lacson Ancestral House

The two-storey Teodoro Morada Ancestral House, also called the “White House, was built in the early 1990s. A fusion of Spanish and American colonial architecture, this beautifully restored heritage house exudes a genteel Neo-Classical liner. It has a grand double winding staircase on the ground floor, glass paned windows, and a second set of Persiana windows behind them. Now the home of Rene and Jessica Velez Dimacali, is the favorite house in Silay of Liza Macuja.

Sadly, three Level 1 houses have already been demolished.  They are the Augusto Hilado Severino House (bought by the Iglesia Ni Cristo), the Claudio Hilado Akol Heritage House (bought by the Locsin Genealogy Foundation – balcony has been retained) and the Modesto Ramirez Hojilla (Carlos Javelosa Jalandoni) Ancestral House.

The two-storey Modesto Ramirez Hojilla Ancestral House, a Beaux Arts-style house currently owned by Carlos Javelosa Jalandoni Sr., was built in the 1920s. It is an example of an American Era adaptation of the classic bahay na bato which was influenced by 19th century “salt shaker” houses, with their wooden horizontal clipboard facades. Currently dilapidated, it is notable for its adaptation, introduced by the Americans, to Filipinos living on the ground floor.

Nineteen others are Level 2 (With Marker).  My grandfather’s house, built in the 1930s and locally called Balay Daku or “Big House, is one of these.   The others are:

  • Victor Fernandez Gaston Heritage House (Balay Negrense) – Cinco de Noviembre Street, Brgy. III
  • Alejandro Amechazura Heritage House – Plaridel Street, now the office of Celsoy Agro-Industrial Corporation
  • Manuel Severino Hofileña Heritage House – Cinco de Noviembre Street
  • Bernardino and Ysabel Lopez-Jalandoni Ancestral House – Rizal Street, Brgy. II, a lifestyle museum, commonly called The Pink House
  • Jose “Pitong” Ledesma Heritage House – cor. Jose Ledesma and Teodoro Morada Streets
  • Kapitan Marciano Montelibano Lacson Heritage House -Rizal cor. Zamora Streets, Brgy. II, home of New City Cafe (Kapehan Sang Silay)
  • Vicente Conlu Montelibano Heritage House – Zamora Street
  • Maria Ledesma Golez Heritage House  – Rizal Street, now RCBC Silay branch
  • El Ideal Bakery (Cesar Lacson Locsin  Ancestral House) – 118 Rizal Street
  • Jose Benedicto Gamboa Heritage House – Roque Hofilena Street, the Oro, Plata, Mata” (1982) house
  • Angel Araneta Ledesma Heritage House  (Culture and Arts Office of Silay) – Plaridel Street, commonly called The Green House
  • Teodoro Morada Heritage House – cor. of Cinco de Noviembre and Zamora Streets
  • Digna Locsin Consing Heritage House
  • Generoso Reyes Gamboa Heritage House (Twin Houses) – 960 Zamora cor. Cinco de Noviembre Streets
  • Soledad and Maria Montelibano Lacson Heritage House – Rizal Street
  • German Locsin Unson Ancestral House – 5 Zamora Street
  • Severino Building/Lino Lope Severino Ancestral House – cor. Rizal and Burgos Streets.
  • Benita Jara Ancestral House (ancestor of Nicolas Armin Jalandoni- last owner) –  Generoso Gamboa Street, now Silay City Sangguniang Panlungsod Building.

Check out “Jose C. Locsin Ancestral House,” “Balay Negrense,” Ramon Hofilena: The “Father of Heritage Conservation” in Silay City and the “Bernardino-Ysabel Jalandoni Museum”

The two-storey Digna Locsin Consing Ancestral House, across the Teodoro Morada Ancestral House, is also called the “Red House.” Now the home of Judge Reynaldo Alan, this heritage house displays American-Period horizontal clapboard sidings with Art Deco grillework.

There are also a number of ancestral houses that have not been declared as Heritage Houses.  They are the Felix Tad-y Lacson Ancestral House (sadly, demolished 2014), the Antonia de la Rama Locsin Ancestral House, the  Aguinaldo Gamboa House (house where Gen. Douglas MacArthur stayed), St. Theresita’s Academy and the Locsin House (Freedom Blvd, Brgy.Mambulac).

The Josefita Tionko Lacson House, the only heritage house in Silay with an elevator, has a Nativity scene show every December featuring Belen characters purchased during her many travels in Europe. Her house, propped up by Classical columns, allows the public to remain under shade.

Silay City Tourism Office: Sen. Jose C. Locsin Cultural and Civic Center, 6116 Silay City.  Tel: (034) 495-5553.  Fax: (034) 495-0848.  E-mail: silaycity_tourism@yahoo.com. Open Mondays to Fridays, 9 AM – 5 PM.  Coordinates: 10.79907,122.97658.

San Diego de Alcala Pro-Cathedral (Silay City, Negros Occidental)

Posted on by — 5 Comments ↓

During a break in the Locsin Reunion proceedings, Jandy, Cheska and I took time out to visit a beautiful Silay landmark – the  San Diego de Alcala Pro-Cathedral.  Designed by Italian architect Lucio Verasconi (he also designed the Silay Wharf, destroyed during World War II), he was commissioned by wealthy Silay resident and sugar baron Don Jose R. Ledesma, Sr. who also donated 75% of the funds needed to build the new church. The rest of the funds needed was raised through popular contribution, including fund-raising by schoolchildren.

San Diego Pro-Cathedral

This Romanesque-style church was formerly called the San Diego Parish Church or St. Didacus of Alcala (locally called San Diego de Alcala) Parish Church before its elevation to Pro-Cathedral on December 1994, the second in the country to be declared so and the only one outside Metro Manila.  Behind the cathedral are the ruins of the city’s original church, started by Fr. Eusebio Locsin in 1841 but never finished and left in disrepair.  It is now a grotto with a mini-chapel that serves as a prayer room.

The cathedral’s interior
The beautiful dome above the nave

The church was laid out in the shape of a Latin cross, with a cupola or dome rising 40 m. above the nave, the only church in the province to have one.  Groundbreaking was started in 1925 and the church was completed and inaugurated in 1927.  Freddie Ledesma, Don Jose’s grandson, did the paintings, of the Four Evangelists with their respective beasts, at the foot of the dome.  In 1938, upon the initiative of Mr. Vicente Montelibano, a clock costing PhP7,000 was installed on one of the church’s twin, domed bell towers (the one on the right).

The old church ruins

San Diego Pro-Cathedral: Rizal St., Silay City  6116, Negros Occidental.

Jose C. Locsin Ancestral House (Silay City, Negros Occidental)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

Jose C. Locsin Ancestral House

This wouldn’t be the first time I would be visiting Negros Occidental, having visited Bacolod City during a GPS mapping tour, but this would be the first time I would be visiting Silay City, hometown of my late mom.  With me was my wife Grace, my son Jandy and daughter Cheska.  Arriving at the New Bacolod-Silay International Airport, via a Cebu Pacific flight from Manila, we would be attending the 8th Nationwide Locsin Family Grand Reunion to be held from April 9 to 10.

Check out “New Bacolod-Silay International Airport”

Historical plaque installed by the National Historical Institute (now National Historical Commission of the Philippines) in 1995

Upon arrival, we were picked up at the airport by my cousins (both a generation younger than me) Neil Solomon “Solo” and Lorenzo “Enzo” Locsin.  After a short 15min. (11.2-km.) drive, we arrived at Silay City.

The living area

Upon arrival, Solo billeted us at the one-storey house of the late Tita Conchi Locsin, my mom’s first cousin and sister of the late Philippine Free Press editor Teodoro M. Locsin Sr. (father of Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr.).  Solo now resides here.  Just across is the 80 year old, two-storey ancestral house of my late maternal grandfather Dr. Jose Corteza Locsin.

Portrait of Sen. Jose C. Locsin

Born in Silay on August 27, 1891 in Silay, Jose Corteza Locsin was the third child among the five children of Domingo Locsín and Enriqueta Corteza, devout Roman Catholics who were originally from Molo, Iloilo but resettled in Silay, acquired lands there and engaged in sugarcane farming.  After finishing his primary education in Silay, José C. Locsín was sent to Manila to study, first at Liceo de Manila, obtaining his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1907, and afterwards at the Universidad de Santo Tomas where, at age 21, he graduated with the degree of Doctor of Medicine, receiving the honor “Meritissimus.”

Starting his medical profession in Silay, he established the Maternity and Children’s Hospital (later the Silay General Hospital) and was also responsible for the establishment of a Rest and Resettlement Center for Tuberculosis in the mountain barangay of Patag. He also organized several women’s clubs to run puericulture centers  and was also responsible for the establishment of the Negros Occidental Provincial Hospital (and, later, its School of Nursing). He was named representative of the Social Welfare Commissioner in Negros Occidental, elected president of the Negros Occidental Medical Association and, in 1938, he became president of the Philippine Medical Association (reelected in 1939).

Although a medical practitioner, he had an inclination for politics and, because of his service to the people of Silay, he decided to run for public office and was elected as Municipal Councilor . After that, he was elected Provincial Board Member of Negros Occidental and, in 1925, became Governor of the Province of Negros Occidental, building roads and bridges throughout the province, establishing a waterworks system and, together with the Provincial Board, initiated the construction of the Provincial Capitol building. Placing a high priority in improving the province’s educational system, he was responsible for having had more schools built during his term than all the governors before him combined.

After his three year term as governor, he ran for Congress and, in 1928, was elected Representative of the 1st District of Negros Occidental, a district whose primary means of livelihood rely on the sugar industry. He worked for the modernization of sugar centrals, increased the share of sugarcane planters in the sugar produced, and raised the wages of farm laborers. As Chairman of the Committee on Public Instruction for three years, he worked on the establishment of schools in remote barrios and well as plazas in towns to promote cultural events.

As a delegate to the 1935 Constitutional Convention, he was chairman of that body’s Committee on Nationalization of Natural Resources where he advocated safeguards to protect the national patrimony. He was responsible for the inclusion of social justice in the Constitution’s declaration of principles. He was a member of the Philippine economic mission headed by Senator Laurel which worked for the Laurel-Langley Trade Agreement of 1945.  From 1945 to 1946, Dr. Locsín served under President Sergio Osmena as Secretary of the Department of Health and Public Welfare to help people recuperate from the ravages of World War II.

From 1951 to 1957, he served the country as a senator and was chairman of two Senate committees: Account and Health as well as a member of other Senate committees. As Chairman of the Health Committee, he worked for the approval of various measures to ensure and promote the health and safety of people through the establishment of Rural Health Units, the standardization of hospital services, and the National Campaign Against Tuberculosis. In addition, he also secured appropriations for the construction of new hospitals, health centers, clinics and other health care facilities and, at the same time, worked for the improvement of salary levels of public health care personnel, especially doctors. As Chairman of the Committee on Accounts, in order to prevent any deficiency during his term, he strived to maintain the annual appropriation.

As a senator, his other achievements include sponsorship of the Rural Banks Act; authorship of the Flag Ceremony Law (which gave importance to recognizing and respecting the Philippine flag); increase of the salary of public school teachers; and passage of a measure to celebrate the centennial of the birth of Dr. Jose Rizal in an appropriate manner.  It was during his term as senator that Pres. Carlos Garcia signed Republic Act 1621 in June 12, 1957 making Silay the second town in Negros Occidental to become a city.

His greatest contribution to the upliftment of the Filipino people was during his term (from 1958 to 1961) as Chairman of the National Economic Council (NEC, now the National Economic and Development Authority, or NEDA) when he authored the bill popularly known as the “Filipino First Policy,” which gave impetus and encouragement to agro-industrial development, resulting in the establishment of more cement factories, flour mills, and FILOIL–the first of the Filipino-owned gasoline companies.

It also led to the banning of importation of plywood, the financing of irrigation and fertilizer programs, the construction of artesian wells and hydro-electric power plants in different parts of the Philippines, and the development of new industries through the Industrial Dispersal Program, and the program for social and economic development of the Mindanao Region.

At the same time that he was Chairman of NEC, he headed the National Productivity Board of the Philippines, contributing to the establishment of the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) of which he was unanimously elected its first Chairman in May 1961 during its inaugural meeting in Tokyo, Japan, an honor not only to himself but to the Philippines which he represented.

In 1961, when his term as NEC Chairman ended, he was appointed as Acting Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources where he had the licensing of forest concessions investigated which led to a marked reduction in the granting of such licenses and the filing of legal cases against illegal logging in the country.

As a staunch member of the Nacionalista Party, Dr. Locsín was a dedicated advocate of its principles and a loyal supporter of its members, supporting Ferdinand Marcos’ candidacy for president in 1965 after he switched allegiance and ran under the Nationalista Party. However, when Marcos declared Martial Law in 1972, he was disheartened and regretted having given his support to Marcos’ presidency. Although no longer active in politics during the time of Martial Law, Dr. Locsín wore a black ribbon, even on his deathbed, as a sign of protest against Marcos symbolizing his mourning of the death of democracy.

In 1974, Dr. Locsín suffered a stroke (which some say was brought about by his frustration with not being able to directly do anything about abolishing Martial Law) and, from then on, underwent several surgical procedures due to problems with his gallbladder and prostate.  In 1976, because of complications brought about by old age and his illnesses, he became bedridden and, on May 1, 1977, he died at the age of 88.

He married the former Salvacion Locsin Montelibano and had eighteen children with her (one of whom, Julio Cesar, died of typhoid at the age of four). In 1959, he experienced another loss when his wife died of cardiac arrest at the age of 61. In 1962, at the age of 70, he remarried. His second wife, Delia Ediltrudes Santiago, a social worker from Bacolod, bore him a son (Popeye) and a daughter (Marla).

 

Salvacion and Jose Locsin

Built in in the 1930s in the Art Deco style of architecture, the house, fondly called Balay Daku (“Big House”), is beautifully preserved and one of the biggest in the city.  It has been named as a Heritage Houses of the Philippines by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines on April 6, 1993 and an NHCP marker, installed in 1995, can be found outside the front door of the house.

AUTHORS NOTES:

The central façade has a Spanish Mission Revival style, with arcades (a series of arches supported by columns) on the ground floor entrance porch and the second floor balcony with its projecting vigas (exposed beams). Arches are also seen in other windows as well as moldings above the windows.  Elsewhere in the façade are huge French windows with sliding wood and glass and persiana panels, below which are grilled ventanillas with sliding wooden panels for added ventilation.

Now resided in by my elderly aunt Rosario “Charet” Locsin (sister of Conchi), it still retains most of the original furniture of the house (upright piano, aparadors, china cabinet, solihiya chairs, etc.),  baldosa (tilework) and hardwood flooring.

There were portraits of the late senator’s parents, painted by Fernando Amorsolo (National Artist of the Philippines for Painting in 1972) as well as photos of the senator with different Philippine presidents.

On the steps leading up to the second floor of the house is a haunting bronze bust of four-year-old Julio Cesar created by sculptor Guillermo Tolentino (National Artist of the Philippines for Sculpture in 1973).  At the informal dining area is a spiral staircase with exquisite fretwork patterns.

The exquisite spiral staircase

During our stay in Silay, Solo would sometimes invite us to have our breakfast there or for snacks of homemade Silaynon delicacies such as tsokolate (made from round cacao tablets and fresh carabao’s milk), bizcocho (thin slices of toasted bread much like the biscocho, but without the butter and sugar), the sweet and decadent dulce gatas (a mixture of fresh carabao’s milk and muscovado sugar reduced to a thick caramel-like concoction) and meringue prepared by my Tita Charet.

The informal dining area

L-R: Cheska, Grace, Solo and Jandy

Jose C. Locsin Ancestral House: Juan Valencia cor. J.Pitong Ledesma Sts., Silay City Heritage Zone, Silay, Negros Occidental Philippines. Coordinates: 10.7981254, 122.9741791

Sison Cultural and Heritage Center (Lingayen, Pangasinan)

Posted on by — Leave a reply

From the Provincial Capitol, Jandy, Cheska, Janet, Katrina and I proceeded to the just newly restored Sison Auditorium which was just a few blocks away. The pre-World War II Sison Auditorium, now the Sison Cultural and Heritage Center, was built from 1926 to 1927.

Sison Auditorium

Sison Cultural and Heritage Center

Formerly known as the Grand Provincial Auditorium in the 1930s, iti was a popular venue for zarzuelas and other cultural performances in pre-war and early post-war period.  The auditorium was later renamed after the late governor Teofilo Sison, the first Pangasinense to become secretary of National Defense.

Image-07Image-04Image-01

From 2008-2010, it was restored and refurbished by Gov. Amado T. Espino, Jr. and was inaugurated on April 5, 2010.  The refurbished Neo-Clasical-style auditorium, now a venue for cultural activities in the region, was meticulously designed to compete with the best cultural centers in the land.  

Cheska "performing" on stage

Cheska “performing” on stage

This beige and white colonnaded building has a 7-bay loggia  with round, monolithic columns with Classical capitals supporting a semicircular arch.  Above each column are circular tondi (roundels) set in spandrels (the space between arches). Its intricately handcrafted interiors includes state-of-the-art lighting and a majestic chandelier, imported from Austria, hanging from the highest point of the ceiling.

The majestic chandelier

The majestic chandelier

Sison Cultural and Heritage Center: Capitol Compound, Lingayen, Pangasinan