Ancestral houses of the Philippines

Ancestral houses of the Philippines or Heritage Houses are homes owned and preserved by the same family for several generations as part of the Filipino family culture.[1] It corresponds to long tradition by Filipino people of giving reverence for ancestors and elders. Houses could be a simple house to a mansion. The most common ones are the "Bahay na Bato". Some houses of prominent families had become points of interest or museums in their community because of its cultural, architectural or historical significance.[2][3] These houses that are deemed of significant importance to the Filipino culture are declared Heritage House by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), previously known as the National Historical Institute (NHI) of the Philippines.[4] Preservation is of utmost importance as some ancestral houses have come into danger due to business people who buy old houses in the provinces, dismantle them then sell the parts as ancestral building materials for homeowners wishing to have the ancestral ambiance on their houses.[5] These ancestral houses provide the current generation a look back of the country's colonial past through these old houses.[6]

The ancestral house of Emilio Aguinaldo, declared a National Shrine in 1964

Current logo for the Philippine Registry of Cultural Property
Beaux-Arts style mansion Lopez ancestral house in Jaro, Iloilo City

National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009
Guagua mansion
Main article: National Cultural Heritage Act

In 2009, the Congress of the Philippines passed the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 or Republic Act. no. 10066 to further the protection the cultural treasures of the country which include houses under Built heritage. Ancestral houses that are declared Heritage House by the NHCP are still owned by their owners. The government is only declaring the heritage value of the structure, provide funding for its protection and preservation.[7] Ancestral homes that have figured in an event of historical significance like the Bonifacio Trial House in Maragondon, Cavite,[8] or houses of national heroes of the Philippines like the Juan Luna Shrine[9] in Badoc, Ilocos Norte are included among the categories National Shrines or National Historical Landmarks.[10][11] Historical markers are placed on the houses by the commission to indicate their significance.[12] The Philippine Registry of Cultural Property registers all cultural properties of the country.[11]

Bahay na bato ancestral houses being used for commercial purposes.

List of Heritage Houses of the Philippines

Partial list of ancestral houses declared as Heritage Houses by the NHCP, some with declaration dates, grouped according to the regions in the country.[13] many are of Bahay Na Bato architecture.

Region I

In the Ilocos Region the historic city of Vigan is the best preserved Spanish Colonial settlement in the country. It was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

Region III
Oldest house in Batanes a Sinadumparan

In Central Luzon, There are two historical town centers declared by National Historical Commission of the Philippines as historic town centers in the region namely the Malolos Heritage Town in Bulacan[14] declared on August 15, 2001, and City of San Fernando Heritage District in Pampanga declared in 2004.[15]

Main article: Malolos Historic Town Center

Malolos Heritage Town NHL

San Fernando Heritage Zone San Fernando, Pampanga

National Capital Region

The central part of Metro Manila was heavily bombed in World War II destroying historical structures and homes. Somes pockets of old homes can still be found in Binondo and Quiapo which were not affected by the war.[16]

Region IV-A

In the Calabarzon region, the center for ancestral houses can be found in the streets of Taal, Balayan, and Calaca, in Batangas and Sariaya in Quezon provinces. The town center of Pila, Laguna, with its Spanish and American-era houses, was declared a National Historical Landmark in 2000.

Further information: Pila Historic Town Center

Region IV-B

Declared Heritage House in Mimaropa region.

Region V
Pedicabs or pedal cabs crossing a street near Manalang Gloria Ancestral House
Oldest existing and the biggest house in San Pascual, Masbate

In Tabaco City, the Manalang Gloria ancestral house, formerly the Smith, Bell and Company House, is a prominent heritage house.

In San Pascual, Masbate, the ancestral house of Lazaro family is the oldest existing and the biggest house.

Region VI

The Western Visayas region contains the largest number of ancestral homes in the Philippines.

The Ruins in Talisay, Negros Occidental.jpg
The Ruins in Talisay, Negros Occidental

Bacolod

Iloilo City

Iloilo City is known as the "City of Mansions", having the most number of Heritage Mansions in the country.

  • Arroyo House in Iloilo City Proper
  • Camiña Balay nga Bato in Arevalo
  • Casa Mariquit in Jaro
  • Casa Rizaliana in Molo
  • Celso Ledesma Mansion in Iloilo City Proper
  • Concepcion Chalet in Jaro
  • Don Roque Locsin Sanson Mansion in Molo
  • Eusebio Villanueva Mansion, formerly known as Don Julio Ledesma House, in Iloilo City Proper
  • Joaquin Ledesma Mansion in Jaro
  • Juan Ledesma Mansion in Iloilo City Proper
  • Kilayko Mansion in Iloilo City Proper
  • Lizares Mansion in Jaro
  • Locsin Ancestral House in Molo
  • Lopez Boat House in La Paz
  • Lopez-Vito Mansion in Jaro
  • Loring House in Iloilo City Proper
  • Magdalena Jalandoni House in Jaro
  • Mansion de Lopez (Nelly's Garden) in Jaro, considered as the "Queen of Heritage Houses in Iloilo"
  • Montinola-Jaen House in Jaro
  • Pison Ancestral House in Molo
  • Rosendo Mejica House in Molo
  • Sanson y Montinola Mansion in Jaro
  • Sinamay House in Arevalo
  • Yusay-Consing Mansion, popularly known as Molo Mansion, in Molo

Roxas City
  • Laserna House
  • Pres. Manuel A. Roxas Ancestral House

Silay City
Benita Jara House

Silay City in Negros Occidental has the most number of declared Heritage Houses in the country.

  • Alejandro Amechazura House
  • Torogan of the Maranao people
    Amelia Hilado Flores House
  • Angel Araneta Ledesma House
  • Augusto Hilado Severino House
  • Benita Jara House
  • Bernardino Lopez Jalandoni Ancestral House
  • Carlos Arceo Ledesma House
  • Claudio Hilado Akol House
  • Delfin Ledesma House
  • Digna Locsin Consing House
  • Dr. Jose Corteza Locsin Ancestral house
  • Felix Tad-y Lacson House
  • Generoso Reyes Gamboa House
  • German Lacson Gaston House
  • German Locsin Unson House
  • Jose Benedicto Gamboa House
  • Jose Corteza Locsin House
  • Jose Ledesma House
  • Kapitan Marciano Montelibano Lacson House
  • Manuel de la Rama Locsin House
  • Manuel Severino Hofileña House
  • Maria Ledesma Golez House
  • Modesto Ramirez Hojilla (Carlos Javelosa Jalandoni) House
  • Severino Building/Heritage House
  • Soledad and Maria Montelibano Lacson House
  • Teodoro Morada House
  • Vicente Conlu Montelibano House
  • Victor Fernandez Gaston House or Balay Negrense

Talisay City
  • Mariano Ledesma Lacson known as The Ruins (mansion) is the remains of the ancestral home mansion. The mansion was built in early 1900s and inspired by Italian architecture.
  • General Aniceto Lacson house in Hda. Matab-ang, is a fine example of a bahay na bato built in the 1880s that has a balcony that wraps around the entire 2nd floor giving a panoramic view of the surrounding hacienda as well as having its own chapel at ground level.

Other Heritage Houses in Region VI

Region VII

Heritage Houses in Central Visayas region:

  • German Ferraren y Geronimo Ancestral House in Ginatilan, Cebu
  • Ferolin Ancestral House in Ginatilan, Cebu

Region VIII

Heritage Houses in the Eastern Visayas region:

Region X

Heritage Houses in the Northern Mindanao region:

National Shrines and National Historical Landmarks

Partial list of ancestral houses declared as National Shrine or National Historical Landmark by the NHCP:[10][13]

Other ancestral houses

References
  1. "Filipino Culture" Archived November 30, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Filipino Planet. Retrieved on October 26, 2011.
  2. "Best Filipino Ancestral Houses". Traveler on Foot. Retrieved on October 17, 2011.
  3. Tacio, Henrylito D. (October 12, 2010). "Ancestral Home in the City" Archived October 29, 2010, at the Wayback Machine. Manila Bulletin. Retrieved on October 26, 2011.
  4. "Republic Act No. 10066 – National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009". Ivan about Town. Retrieved on October 27, 2010.
  5. Henares, Ivan (July 19, 2006). "Stop the sale of ancestral homes!". Ivan about Town. Retrieved on October 29, 2011.
  6. "Villavicencio's Ancestral House: Taal's Gift House". Lantaw. Retrieved on October 29, 2011.
  7. (2010-09-03). "No ownership change in ‘RA 10066 declaration’". Inquirer.net. Retrieved on October 26, 2011.
  8. "Bonifacio Trial House". National Historical Commission. Retrieved on October 27, 2011.
  9. "Juan Luna Shrine". National Historical Commission. Retrieved on October 27, 2011.
  10. "Shrines and Landmarks". National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Retrieved on October 26, 2011.
  11. Bonvito (April 23, 2010). "Text of the Philippine National Cultural Heritage Law" Archived December 24, 2011, at the Wayback Machine. Time Traveling. Retrieved on October 26, 2010.
  12. "Touring the Ancestral Houses of Silay, Negros Occidental". Travelog Philippines. Retrieved on October 26, 2011.
  13. (2010-04-01). "Philippine Registry of Cultural Property – Built Heritage". Ivan About Town. Retrieved on October 26, 2011.
  14. "National Registry of Historic Sites and Structures in the Philippines: Historic Town Center of Malolos".
  15. (2005-04-15). "San Fernando: a city rich in architectural heritage". Indung Kapampangan: Preserving our Kapampangan Heritage. Retrieved on October 29, 2011.
  16. Gardner, Robert (2006–04). "Philippine architecture from bahay kubo to bahay na bato". derkeiler.com. Retrieved on October 29, 2011.
  17. Philippine News Agency (September 11, 2011). "Historical marker on Aquino ancestral house in Tarlac unveiled" Archived November 29, 2014, at the Wayback Machine. News 5 InterAksyon. Retrieved on October 27, 2011.
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