Category Archives: Architecture

The Forbidden City – Inner Court (Beijing, People’s Republic of China)

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The Inner Court is composed of the 3 main structures at the rear of the Forbidden City, all official residences of the Emperor and Empress and all smaller than the Outer Court halls, namely the Palace of Heavenly Purity (Qianqinggong), the Hall of Union (Jiaotaidian) and the Palace of Earthly Tranquility (Kunninggong).

Palace of Heavenly Purity

The first structure inside the inner court is the  Palace of Heavenly Purity, the largest of the 3 halls. During the Ming Dynasty, it was the residence (the large space was divided into 9 rooms on 2 levels, with 27 beds) of the Emperor and, during the Qing Dynasty, the palace often served as the Emperor’s audience hall, where he held council with the Grand Council, received ministers and emissaries, and held banquets. This double-eaved building, connected to the Gate of Heavenly Purity to its south by a raised walkway, is set on a single-level white marble platform.  At the center of the palace, set atop an elaborate platform, is a throne and a desk, on which the Emperor wrote notes and signed documents during councils with ministers. A caisson is set into the roof, featuring a coiled dragon.

Behind it is the  Hall of Union. Square in shape and with a pyramidal roof, the 25 Imperial seals of the Qing Dynasty, as well as other ceremonial items, were stored here. The third hall is the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, the emperors’ wedding room. This double-eaved building is 9 bays wide and 3 bays deep.

Exhibit Hall of Textiles and Apparel

Besides the 3 main buildings are the 6 eastern palaces and 6 western palaces, where the emperor used to handle everyday affairs, and which was the living quarters of the emperor, empresses and concubines. Those palaces have been converted into exhibition halls, where a spectacular set of imperial collections is displayed. The Exhibit Hall of Textiles and Apparel, reflecting the nomadic heritage of the rulers, showcases stately court robes plus the emperor’s accouterments.

Imperial Garden

Behind these 3 halls lies the relatively small and compact 1,2,000 sq. m. Imperial Garden (Yu HuaYuan), he private garden of the imperial family (used exclusively by the imperial family to sip tea, play chess, meditate and generally relax) and the last part of the Forbidden City. The garden was built in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty. The most typical imperial garden in China, it is an aesthetic change from the crimson and gray building complex to a colorful and luxuriant atmosphere. The garden contains several elaborate landscaping features.

Hall of Imperial Peace

Within the garden, there are about 20 structures in different styles. It is interesting how the manmade structures maintain harmony with trees, rockeries, flowerbeds and bronze incense burners in this relatively small space.  The Hall of Imperial Peace (Qin’AnDian), first built in the 15th century, is the main structure in the Imperial Garden and the only one on the central axis – it stands in the center of the garden, encircled by a rectangular wall.  In each of the four corners of the Imperial Garden there is a pavilion, symbolizing the four seasons. The Pavilion of Myriad Springs is the most famous and lies in the south east corner of the garden. It was built in 1535 and restored during the Qing Dynasty.

Pavilion of Myriad Springs

To the north of the garden is the Gate of Divine Might, the north gate of the palace (we exited here). On the left side of the Inner Court is the Mental Cultivation Hall (Yangxindian), the most important building except for the Hall of Supreme Harmony. From the time of the third emperor, Yongzhen, all the Qing emperors, 8 in total resided in this hall.

The Forbidden City – Outer Court (Beijing, People’s Republic of China)

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Upon entering the Meridian Gate, we were ushered into a large square pierced by the meandering Inner Golden Water River, which is crossed by 5 bridges. Beyond the square stands the Gate of Supreme Harmony, behind which is the Hall of Supreme Harmony Square.

Gate of Supreme Harmony

A 3-tiered white marble terrace rises from this square. Three halls stand on top of this terrace, the focus of the palace complex. From the south, these are are the Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihedian, the largest), the Hall of Central Harmony (Zhonghedian) and the Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohedian).

Hall of Supreme Harmony

The first hall we visited was the Hall of Supreme Harmony which rises some 30 m. (98 ft.) above the level of the surrounding square. It is the ceremonial center of imperial power, and the largest surviving wooden structure in China. It is 9 bays wide and 5 bays deep (the numbers 9 and 5 are symbolically connected to the majesty of the Emperor).  Set into the ceiling at the center of the hall is the Dragon Throne (Longyi), an intricate caisson decorated with a coiled dragon, from the mouth of which issues a chandelier-like set of metal balls, called the “Xuanyuan Mirror.” During the Ming Dynasty, the Emperor held court here to discuss affairs of state. During the Qing Dynasty, as Emperors held court far more frequently, a less ceremonious location was used instead, and the Hall of Supreme Harmony was only used for ceremonial purposes, such as coronations, investitures and imperial weddings.

Hall of Central Harmony

The Hall of Central Harmony is a smaller, square hall, used by the Emperor to prepare and rest before and during grand events. Behind it, the Hall of Preserved Harmony, was used for rehearsing ceremonies, banquets and was also the site of the final stage of the Imperial examination.  All 3 halls feature imperial thrones, the largest and most elaborate one being that in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Hall of Preserved Harmony

At the center of the ramps leading up to the terraces from the northern and southern sides are ceremonial ramps, part of the Imperial Way, featuring elaborate and symbolic bas-relief carvings. The northern ramp, behind the Hall of Preserving Harmony, is carved from a single piece of stone 16.57 m. (54.4 ft.) long, 3.07 m. (10.1 ft.) wide and 1.7 m. (5.6 ft.) thick. It weighs some 200 tons and is the largest such carving in China.

Northern Ramp

The southern ramp, in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, is even longer, but is made from 2 stone slabs joined together – the joint was ingeniously hidden using overlapping bas-relief carvings, and was only discovered when weathering widened the gap in the 20th century.

Hall of Literary Glory

In the south west and south east of the Outer Court are the Halls of Military Eminence (Wuyingdian) and Literary Glory (Wenhuadian). The former was used at various times for the Emperor to receive ministers and hold court, and later housed the Palace’s own printing house. The latter was used for ceremonial lectures by highly regarded Confucian scholars, and later became the office of the Grand Secretariat. A copy of the Siku Quanshu was stored there. To the northeast are the Southern Three Places which was the residence of the Crown Prince.

Upon exiting the Hall of the Preserving Harmony, we notices a huge block of marble carved with cloud and dragon designs. Past that, we entered  another gate called the Gate of Heavenly Peace (Qianqingmen), the main gateway to the Inner Court.

The Forbidden City (Beijing, People’s Republic of China)

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After about half an hour of photo ops at Tiananmen Square, it was now time for us to enter the Forbidden City (also officially known as the Imperial Palace Museum), the best preserved imperial palace in Beijing  and the largest surviving ancient palatial structure in the world.  With Brittany, our guide, taking the lead, we all crossed Dongchangan St. and entered the city via Tiananmen Gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace) where most tourists enter.  The gate has a huge portrait of Chairman Mao Zedong, widely used as a national symbol.   Our tour of the Forbidden City would take about 2 hours.

Tiananmen Gate

The 72-hectare (178-acre) Forbidden City, the seat of Imperial power for 500 years, was commissioned by Emperor Yong Le, the third Emperor of the Ming Dynasty,  and was built between 1406 and 1420.  It was home to 24 emperors of the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1911) Dynasties.  However, it  was burnt down, rebuilt, sacked and renovated countless of times, so much so that most of the splendid architecture we saw today dates from the 1700’s onwards.  In 1961, the Forbidden City was listed as one of the important historical monuments under the special preservation by the Chinese central government and, in 1987, it was nominated as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. This treasure house of Chinese cultural and historical relics is recognized as one of the most important 5 palaces in the world (the other 4 being the Palace of Versailles in France, Buckingham Palace in the U.K., the White House in the U.S. and the Kremlin in Russia).

Outer Court

The complex was so huge so it took us quite a while to walk through, especially when we  wanted to have a close look at everything. Its dimensions are huge, being 961 m. (3,153 ft.) from north to south and 753 m. (2,470 ft.) from east to west and is surrounded by a 7.9-m. (26  ft.) high city wall and a 6 m. (20- ft.) deep by 52 m. (171 ft.) wide moat. The walls are 8.62 m. (28.3 ft.) wide at the base, tapering to 6.66 m. (21.9 ft.) at the top. Altogether, it has a total floor area of approximately 150,000 sq. m. (1,600,000 sq. ft.) and consists of 90 palaces and courtyards, 980 buildings and 9,999 bays of rooms, not all of which can be visited.

Inner Court

Traditionally, the Forbidden City is divided into two parts: the Outer Court (or Front Court) and the Inner Court (or Back Palace).  The Outer Court, used for ceremonial purposes, includes the southern sections.  The Inner Court, the residence of the Emperor and his family, was used for day-to-day affairs of state and includes the northern sections. Generally, the Forbidden City has 3 vertical axes with the most important buildings are situated on the central north-south axis.

Meridian Gate

Once past Tiananmen Gate, we crossed an expansive brick-paved square until we reached the 5-arched Meridian Gate (Wumen), the largest gate and the main entrance to the palace. The gate was the place where the Emperor announced the new lunar calendar on the winter solstice.  Once through Meridian Gate, we go across Golden Stream Bridge and on to the Outer Court.

Forbidden City: No.4 Jingshan Front Street, Dongcheng District 65132255, Beijing, People’s Republic of China.  Open 8:30 AM-5 M. Admission: RMB60

National Centre for the Performing Arts (Beijing, People’s Republic of China)

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The next day, after breakfast at the hotel’s Amazing Thailand Coffee Shop, we now proceeded with our walking tour of nearby Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden City.  Along the way, we made short photo ops stops at the futuristic 12,000 sq. m. National Centre for the Performing Arts, a recognizable opera house colloquially described as “The Egg.” It’s iconic, titanium-accented and 46 m. high ellipsoid glass dome is completely surrounded by a man-made lake, said to look like an egg floating on water.

National Centre for the Performing Arts

Started in December 2001, it was finished on July 2007 and its inaugural concert was held in December that same year.  The glass dome measures 212 m. in the east-west direction and 144 m. in the north-south direction.  Its main entrance is at the north side and visitors can walk through a hallway that goes underneath the lake.  The titanium shell is broken by a glass curtain in the north-south direction that gradually widens from top to bottom.

The Man-made Lake

French architect Paul Andreau designed the center with large open space, water and trees.  It was specially designed to complement the red walls of ancient buildings and the nearby Great Hall of the People in order to melt into the surroundings as opposed to standing out against them. The center seats 5,452 people; 2,416 at the Opera Hall (used for operas, ballet, and dances), 2,017 at the Music Hall and  1,040 at the Theater Hall (used for plays and the Beijing Opera).

Entrance of National Center for the Performing Arts

National Centre for the Performing Arts: No.2 West Chang’an Ave.,Xicheng District, Beijing, People’s Republic of China

The Temple of Heaven (Beijing, People’s Republic of China)

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After our buffet lunch at the Sunshine Café at He Ping Li Hotel, we all returned to our airconditioned coach and proceeded, to the Temple of Heaven (literally the Altar of Heaven).  This 273-hectare, magnificent, grand and colorful complex of sacrificial buildings (the largest in the world), a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1998), was built from 1406-1420 AD and is situated in the southeastern part of central Beijing.  During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the complex was visited by the emperor for annual ceremonies of prayer to the God of Heaven for good harvest.

The Temple of Heaven

Upon alighting our coach, we entered the complex via the South Gate then walked along the Long Corridor (Chang Lang).  Walking along this covered walkway, with its 72 bays, took us past the Sacred Kitchen, Butcher House (Zaisheng Ting) and the Sacred Warehouse (ShenKu), where sacrificial animals (slaughtered at least 200 steps away from the altar) were kept and prepared before the rituals.

The Long Corridor

The temple’s most recognizable building, at the north end, was the majestic Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, an impressive 38-m. high and 30-m. diameter wooden building that sits on a large, circular 3-tiered white marble plinth (called the Altar for Grain Prayers). Its cone-shaped, blue roof is crowned with a gilded knob.  The magnificently decorated hall itself was built without using a single nail, truly a feat that required a high level of craftsmanship.

The Magnificent Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests

Inside the hall, with its large south facing ceremonial throne, are 28 tall pillars, each made from a single tree trunk.  The 4 pillars along the inner circle represent the 4 seasons, the 12 pillars along the middle circle the 12 months, and the other 12 pillars along the outer circle represent the 12 shichen, the ancient Chinese counting standard (1 shichen equals 2 hours, 1 day being divided into 12 shichen). The black, yellow and green colors of the inner roof represent, like everything in the altar, the Earth and the Heaven.

Interior of Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests

We exited the park via the East Gate.

Adaptive Reuse in Silay City (Negros Occidental)

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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.

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

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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

Church of St. Anthony of Padua (Macau)

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From the Protestant Cemetery, Jandy, Cheska and I walked over to the nearby Church of St. Anthony of Padua (Igreja de Santo António) at Sto. Antonio Square.  Consider to be the very first church of Macau, the original church, which marks the site where the Jesuits set up their earliest headquarters in the city, was first built of bamboo and wood before 1560. A stone church was erected in 1638, burned down in 1809 and rebuilt in 1810 and again in 1875. The present Neo-Classical church was a reconstruction carried out again in 1930.  Further construction and repair works were done on the facade and tower in 1940.

Church of St. Anthony of Padua

Previously, members of the Portuguese community would hold wedding ceremonies there, so giving rise to the Chinese name of Fa Vong Tong (Church of Flowers). The 2-storey church has a simple asymmetrical Neo-Classical facade, a 3-storey high bell tower and is topped by a boldly ornamented classical pediment. Decorative window architraves on the second level stretch the width of the building, providing additional architectural interest to the design.

Church of St. Anthony of Padua – Interior

Macau Cathedral (Macau)

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From St. Lawrence Church, Jandy Cheska and I walked over to Cathedral Square where the Macau Cathedral, Paco Episcopal Bishop’s House and Cartorio da Se and a fountain (added in the place of a car park when the courtyard was beautified from 2005-2006) are located.

Cathedral Square

Macau Cathedral (also called Se Cathedral or, simply Se) is the mother church of the Catholic Diocese of Macau, which once included the Catholic parishes in China, Japan and Korea. It was built around 1622 and repaired in 1743 and 1780. The cathedral was originally constructed with taipa (compound material consisting soil and straw).

Macau Cathedral and its Fountain

During the restoration of 1780, the religious services of the Cathedral were temporarily transferred to the old chapel of the Holy House of Mercy. The cathedral was damaged by a typhoon in 1836 and its services were then transferred to St. Dominic’s Church, until repairs were completed in 1850, following the design of local architect Tomas d’Aquino.

Macau Cathedral – Interior

The facade is characterized by a massive front entrance with pilasters and the twin bell towers in front that stand out on the streetscape. The exterior is clad in Shanghai plaster, giving the church a monolithic subdued grey appearance.  Compared to the other churches I saw in Macau, the cathedral is somewhat plain. The cathedral holds sacred relics of Japanese martyrs from the persecution of Christians in the 17th century.

Paco Episcopal Bishop’s House

To the left of the cathedral (or right, if you’re looking out from it) is the Paço Episcopal Bishop’s House.  Finished in stucco and painted cream, with white trimmings, it more like the other churches I saw in Macau. Right in front of the Cathedral is the Cartório da Sé (Cathedral Registrar) where marriage registrations, births and deaths are recorded.

Cartorio Da Se

Macau Cathedral: 1 Cathedral Square, Macau

St. Lawrence Church (Macau)

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From St. Augustine Square, Jandy, Cheska and I walked next to Rua de Sao Lourenco to visit St. Lawrence’s Church (Igreja do Sao Lourenco), one of the oldest churches of Macau. It was originally built with wood by the Jesuits in 1560, with clay in 1618 and reconstructed in stone around 1803. The present church was the result of the works carried out in 1846.

St. Lawrence’s Church

Located on a hilly part on the southern coastline of Macau, overlooking the sea, we approached the church via a beautiful stone staircase and entered it via an ornamental double swing, wrought iron gate decorated by a simple Greek cross symbol.  Also here, on the front steps leading to the church, families of Portuguese sailors used to gather to pray and wait for the return of their loved ones, hence it was given the name Feng Shun Tang (Hall of the Soothing Winds).

The Beautiful Stone Staircase

The church has a Neo-Classical facade divided into 3 sections, with the center flanked by the 2 square bell towers, each measuring around 21 m. high. The facade is filled with classical features like the pilasters and volutes over the windows and is topped by an iron cross and the symbol of Mary consisting of the intertwined letters A and M (Auspice Mari’a, a monogram of the Virgin Mary).

Facade of St. Lawrence’s Church

The central section of the main facade is characterized by a pediment interrupted in the middle by an oval emblem. The ground plan of the church is in the shape of a Latin cross, measuring 37 m. by 29 m.. The shorter arms of the building form two interior chapels. The longer extension of the building corresponds to the main nave inside.

St. Lawrence’s Church – Interior

Ornamented pillars and exquisite chandeliers create an elegant church interior, heightening its ambiance. The main altar separated by a vaulted arch and the nave is covered with Chinese tiles.