111. 6 ANCESTRAL HOUSES OF MAGALANG: A LIST BY LOUIE ALDRIN L. BARTOLO

KAPLISTORIAN EXCLUSIVE! Magalang is one of Pampanga’s most historic towns, and its old houses—if they could only speak—could tell endless tales of,  not only strifes and struggles, but also of progress and plenty. These 5 ancestral houses, selected by historian and teacher LOUIE ALDRIN LACSON BARTOLO, reflect the spirit of those times, when Magaleños, like all Kapampangans, built their residences as big and as grand as their dreams.

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LUCIANO HOUSE (Marbea Subdivision, San Nicolas I)

This Spanish style mansion is located behind the Magalang Municipal Hall. It was

constructed in 1925 by Dr. Andres J. Luciano. This house is marked with woodcarved designs  derived from the Spanish style and motifs. During the American period, the house, with its spacious surroundings, was a favorite venue of lavish parties sponsored by social clubs like Mountain Side Club and El Circulo Magaleño. During the Commonwealth period, President Manuel L. Quezon, a friend of Don Andres, also visited this house during his trips to Magalang. In World War II, this house was occupied and looted by the guerillas. When Don Andres died in 1959, the house was passed on to his daughter, Maria Elvira L. Luciano. In later years, it continued to be a shooting site for such films as Lino Brocka’s masterpiece, Ina, Kapatid, Anak (1979), starring Rio Locsin, Lolita Rodriguez and Charito Solis. In 2004, the horror movie, Pa-siyam, directed by Erik Matti, was also filmed in the Luciano house.

FELICIANO HOUSE (San Pedro I)

A few steps from Magalang Public Market is the beautiful Feliciano house, constructed in 1935 by the couple Don Andres Feliciano and Doña Maria Paras. The house features a  mix of Spanish and American architectural styles. During the liberation of Magalang in 1945, the house was made into a rest house of US Army Officers. When Don Andres passed away in 1947, the house was inherited by  his son, Jose P. Feliciano. This house was later used as a meeting place of elite and youth groups, like  the U-N-I Club,  composed of young Magalang professionals. When Jose passed away in 1962, the house was inherited by his American-educated son, Engr. Rodolfo L. Feliciano. The huse was restored and brought back to its former glory.

ORDOÑEZ-CALMA HOUSE (Luciano St., Sta. Cruz)

This multi-story house was built in 1929 by carpenters and artisans from Betis, commissioned by Hilariona Ordonez Calma. The house was commandeered by the Japanese military  during the war. A post-war bakery was put below and its cooking facilities are still operational to this day.  The house retains its original decorative grills and capiz windows. The historic house in a busy commercial of Magalang is now under the care of Juliet Calma Dizon.

RIVERA HOUSE (Ayuyao St. San Nicolas I)

This house with distinctive Spanish influences was built around 1893, by the couple Don Cayetano Rivera and Doña Julia Rita Dizon. The house has rich woodcarvings that feature a signature star motif, that is revealing of  Don Cayetano’s affiliation with masonry and later, with the  Katipunan. Don Cayetano’s played a key role in the early formation of the First Republic of the Philippines, being one of the signatories of Pact of Biak –na-Bato. After the Revolution, he returned to farming, and acquired vast tracts of land in Concepcion, Tarlac. He also founded one of the first sugar mills in Tarlac—the Azucarera de Rivera. In the Commonwealth years, Don Cayetano’s friend, President Manuel L. Quezon was a regular visitor to this Magalang home. During World War II, the house was made into Japanese Military Headquarters, along with the neighboring Magalang Elementary School, which was converted into a Japanese military garrison and later,  execution grounds. When the Japanese occupied the house, they looted and destroyed much of the valuables. After Don’s death, he passed on the house to his nephew, Eliseo Rivera. At present, the house is under the care of  Eliseo’s daughter-in-law, Nimfa Rivera.

LACSON HOUSE (Lacson St., San Nicolas I)

Behind the majestic San Bartolome Church, stands an ancestral house with an architectural style reminiscent of old Spanish homes. This is the Lacson House, constructed in 1923 by the couple, Don Daniel O. Lacson and Doña Lucia David. The craftsmanship of the house reflects the high level of artistry of Kapampangan artisans who worked on this fine structure. During World War II, this house served as one of the Japanese military garrisons. When Don Daniel passed away in 1948, the house was inherited by his  two daughters, Lucila and Rosario Lacson, both spinsters. When Rosario passed away in 1991, she bequeathed the house to her sister-in-law, Evangelina Hilario Lacson, the  well-known Kapampangan academician and writer. In 1995, National Historical Institute (now National Historical Commission of the Philippines), placed a historical marker in front of the house for its cultural and historical significance. After Evangelina’s death in  2008, his son, Ariel H. Lacson became the new owner, but in 2014, he, too, passed away, leaving the house to nephew, Eduard V. Lacson. The house was acquired by Mayor Maria Lourdes P. Lacson, now the present owner.

AYUYAO HOUSE (San Nicolas I)

This house that is just a next-door neighbor of the  Magalang Municipal Hall, was built in 1915 by the couple, Isidoro Ayuyao, Sr., Municipal Secretary during the American regime  and his wife, Ana David, one of the pioneers of Magalang’s sweets industry. Its  flooring or “lande” was originally made of bamboo slats, and the house topped with a roof of nipa.  In later years, it was reconstructed and made entirely of wood with ornamental carvings, galvanized roofing and concrete foundations. When Ana passed away, her son, Dr. Claro Ayuyao inherited the house, which he later expanded to include his dental clinic. During 1950s, this house was visited by prominent personalities who were invited as guest speakers during the closing exercises of Magalang Institute, founded by Atty. Isidoro Ayuyao. Among these  are future Philippine president Diosdado P. Macapagal, and brother-in-law, movie actor Rogelio de la Rosa. In 1965, the house underwent minor repairs. At present, this house is owned and maintained by the children of Dr. Claro Ayuyao.

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ABOUT OUR CONTRIBUTOR: LOUIE ALDRIN LACSON BARTOLO. Teacher, Writer, Historian and a Magaleño, Bartolo is the author of “The Magalang Book: The Historical Life and Culture of a Kapampangan Town 1605-2015”, published in 2015 by Center for Tarlaqueño Studies of Tarlac State University, made possible through an NCCA grant. He also keeps a blog,”Amlat Magaleño”, that aims to promote the local history of Magalang. Bartolo finished his Bachelor of Secondary Education Major in Social Studies at Holy Angel University (HAU)

SOURCES:

INTERVIEWS:

Luciano House; interview with Mrs. Teresita Suba, one of the former caretakers of Luciano house, June 25, 2019.

Rivera House: interview with Mr. Sean Rivera, a descendant of Don Cayetano Rivera, June 26, 2019.

Ayuyao House: interview with Dr. Nunilon G. Ayuyao and Mr. Amante M. Ayuyao; both grandchildren of Isidoro Ayuyao, Sr. and Ana David, June 26, 2019.

Lacson House: interview with the late Mr. Ariel H. Lacson (way back August 4, 2012); grandson of spouses, Don Daniel O. Lacson and Doña Lucia David.

BOOK SOURCES:

Bartolo, Louie Aldrin L. and Dizon, Lino L. (2016), The Magalang Book: The Historical Life and Culture of a Kapampangan Town (1605-2015), National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

PHOTOS: All photos from wikimedia commons, unless otherwise noted. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Old_houses_in_Magalang,_Pampanga

60. 16 IMPORTANT CULTURAL PROPERTIES IN PAMPANGA, AS DECLARED BY THE NATIONAL MUSEUM

Important Cultural Properties or cultural properties having exceptional cultural, artistic, and historical significance to the Philippines are determined by the National Museum, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), the National Library of the Philippines (NLP), and/or the National Archives of the Philippines (NAP). Pampanga is honored to have in its midst, important cultural properties that are now included in the Philippine Registry of Cultural Property (PRECUP),  the repository of all information pertaining to properties in the Philippines deemed significant to our cultural heritage.

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SAN AGUSTIN PARISH CHURCH (Lubao)

The San Agustin Parish Church is considered one of the oldest in Pampanga, having been built in 1572, in Barrio Sta. Catalina. It moved to its present site 30 years later, due to floods. Fray Antonio Herrera undertook the construction using local materials, including sand mixed with egg albumen as binder. It was used as a hospital in 1899 by American forces. Destroyed in the last war, it was restored from 1949-1952, under Fr. Melencio Garcia. It celebrated its 440th founding anniversary in 5 May 2012 with the reception of the relics of St. Augustine and St. Monica. The church was declared by the National Historical Commission as Important Cultural Property on 28 August  2013.

THE CHURCH COMPLEX OF SANTO ROSARIO (Angeles City)

The Holy Rosary Church was built by residents of Culiat and was finished in 1896. Exhibiting a European Romanesque style,  its most distinctive feature are its twin bell towers, which served as watch towers for the revolucionarios from 1898-99. The remains of Angeles founder, Angel Pantaleon de Miranda and his wife, Rosalia de Jesus, are interred at the sides of the altar. During the Philippine-American War, the church served as a military hospital from1899-1904, and was also used by the Japanese army in the 1940s as a motor pool. The adjoining building was a convent that Augustinian nuns turned into the Colegio de la Sagrada Familia.  German Benedictine nuns took ver the school in 1922 and who renamed it Holy Family Academy.

ANGEL PANTALEON DE MIRANDA HOUSE (Angeles City)

The house of Angel Pantaleon de Miranda, considered the oldest house in the city, was built in 1824, with much of the wood coming from their original 1811 house in Barrio Cutcut reused in the construction. The stately 19^th century bahay-na–bato was bequeathed to daughter, Juana de Miranda, who was married to Dr. Mariano Henson, LL.D.  It then passed on to a series of heirs, including son, Don Mariano Vicente Henson, Jose Pedro Henson, and Vicente N. Henson. Vicente’s daughter, Rosalie, married to Mr. Sergio T. Naguiat, Jr., are the current owners of the old house known today as “bale matua”.

PATRICIA MERCADO-GOMEZ MASNOU HOUSE (Angeles City)

The house of Patricia Mercado was built in 1860, paid for by Fray Guillermo Gomez Masnou, then Angeles parish priest, with whom she had 6 children, Upon his death, Mercado took over the domain until her death in 1900. Daughter Maria Teodora “Mariquita” Gomez , who was married to Don Filomeno Santos, inherited the house and rented out the ground floor to American Thomasites John  W. Osborn and Marion Huff. Mariquita’s eldest—Francisco Santos—took possession of the house upon her death in 1954; in 1986 he sold it to Mr. Jose G. Paras who restored the crumbling home to its old glory.  It currently is being used as a function hall for social and community activities.

JUAN NEPOMUCENO CAMALIG (Angeles City)

The old camalig (shed or storehouse for grains) along Sto. Rosario St. was built in 1840 by Don Ciriaco de Miranda. A descendant, Capitan Juan Nepomuceno, the town’s first post-colonial mayor, improved on the original wooden structure. The 150-year-old wooden camalig was inherited by descendant  Armando L. Nepomuceno through five generations, who owned a small pizzeria established in 1973. In 1980, he transferred his pizzeria to the camalig Now known as the Historic Camalig Restaurant, it is also billed  as ‘The Home of Armando's Pizza: Ang Pambansang Pizza'." The camalig houses many old family photos and artifacts original to the granary. Armando’s son and his family, Marc Nepomuceno, are the current owners of the place, which stands as a fine example of successful adaptive re-use for business.

JOSE PEDRO HENSON’S “DEPOSITO” (Angeles City)

This structure—which was meant to be a used as a storage and parking house for carrozas and processional santos, was built in 1899 by Jose Pedro Henson, great grandson of the founder of Angeles. It served as a jail for errant American soldiers during the Philippine-American War. One such prisoner was Pvt. George A. Raymond who was put on trial,found guilty of murder, robbery and rape, and sentenced to death by a U.S. Military Commission. After the last war, it was rented to the U.S. Army 11th Film Exchange. Once again, it was used as a jail by the U.S. military police and 13th U.S. Air Force at various times, from 1947 to 1965. It was converted into the city’s post office building form 1967-1978 and today it houses a Physical Therapy Clinic.

CIRIACO DE MIRANDA HOUSE (Angeles City)

The Nepomuceno Ancestral House  was built in 1840 by Don Ciriaco de Miranda, the first gobernadorcillo of Angeles town, and the younger of two surviving sons of the founders of Angeles, Angel Pantaleon de Miranda and Rosalia de Jesus. He was married to Carlota de Leon. As they were childless, they raised Agustina Henson, the daughter of Mariano Henson and Juan Ildefonso de Miranda, daughter of the founder of Angeles, Angel Pantaleon de Miranda with Rosalia de Jesus. On 25 July 1868, Carlota willed their house of wood, stone and capiz to their foster daughter Agustina, who married Pio Rafael Nepomuceno of Lucban, Quezon. Upon her death on 27 July 1905, her property was passed on to her heirs, children Ysabelo, Juan, Ramona, Nemesia, Maria, and her Dayrit grandchildren, from late daughter Carmen.

MARIANO LACSON HOUSE (Angeles City)

Mariano Lacson was a rich haciendero who owned most of Sapang Maisac. He had this house built around late 1930’s, it was said to be the first "architected" house in Angeles. It was commissioned to Arch’t Fernando Hizon Ocampo. During WWII, the Japanese took over the house and made it their garrison. It was occupied by the USO, an agency of the American military in the 1950s. Dr. Amelia Guiao & Dr. Luz Ayson made this house the Mother of Perpetual Help Hospital. It was then used as the site of the first OB Montessori Pre-School in Angeles—whose most famous alumni is international Broadway star, Lea Salonga.Today, this house is owned by a Cebu-based company; it is building a tall structure at the back though they promised to keep the house intact.

RAFAEL YUTUC SR. HOUSE (Angeles City) 

Along Sto. Entierro St  stands the old Yutuc House, which once belonged to Rafael Yutuc  Sr., a pharmacist , and his wife Felixberta Dela Cruz. The house, which sits on a spacious 1,647 sq. m. lot, bears traces of its 19^th century beginnings. The senior Yutuc died at an early age and a son, Rafael Jr., with wife Carolina Dela Cruz, inherited the house.   Family lore has it that the residence was so beautiful that Juan Luna was moved to make a painting of it. The house has undergone many restorations, including one in 1923. A neighbor put up a funeral parlor business just across the house;  but  as the Yutuc children apparently could not stand having a front view to funeral wakes every day, they sold the house to the Lagunilla family. The new owners solved this problem by putting up a  high wall which unfortunately hides the house—now known as Casa Lagunilla-- from public appreciation.

MUNICIPAL HALL OF GUAGUA

The heritage town hall of Guagua where the mayor and other elected officials hold office, was built in 1937. It has kept most of its original features, which is remarkable for an 80 year old edifice built in the Commonwealth years. It stands on the grounds fronting Brgy. Plaza Burgos. The old statue of the patriotic writer, Aurelio Tolentino has been moved to the front of the municipal hall.

THE CHURCH COMPLEX OF INMACULADA CONCECPION (Guagua)

The first church edifice was constructed in 1587 but was unfortunately razed by fire. The current Church structure was constructed in 1772 under the administration of the Augustinians. The Church was greatly improved in 1862 until 1870. The interiors are simple and the centerpiece attraction is the main altar, a creation of noted local artist Willy Layug. While still simple, the exteriors on the other hand, are marked by massive strength. The Cathedral-type church is located immediately adjacent to the Guagua Municipal Building and houses the Cardinal Santos Catholic Center and the Immaculate Conception Parochial School.

THE CHURCH COMPLEX OF SAN BARTOLOME (Magalang)

The 19th-century baroque church of Magalang, dedicated to San Bartolome, is located at Brgy. San Nicolas I, Magalang. Around 1725,  the Magalang convent was exempted from paying its dues to the Augustinian province, thus allowing it to save up financial resources for the erection of a more permanent church structure.  The church, as we know it, was built by Fray Ramon Sarrionandia in 1866, with the finishing touches undertaken by Fray Fernando Vasquez, who had 2 bells installed.  In 1891,  Fray Toribio Fanjul renovated the church flooring and sacristy.

MUNICIPAL HALL OF MAGALANG

The Magalang Municipal Hall is a town landmark located across the Plaza de la Libertad. Its predecessor was the old Spanish era (ca. 1866) Casa Tribunal building built after the transfer of the town from San Bartolome. Made of light materials like nipa and bamboo, it was refurbished in 1875 during the tenure of gobernadorcillo Tereso Manalo, who had military barracks (cuartel) added. More improvements were initiated by Capitan Paulino Gueco in 1896, before the revolucionarios took over who used the municipio to detain  Fr. Pedro Diez Ubierna (the last Spanish priest of Magalang) and two Spaniards. The new edifice was built in 1922 , during the presidency of Antonio Y. Luciano, and was inaugurated 2 years later. The municipal building, which survived the war and other natural calamities, was declared an Important Cultural property in 2015.

MUNICIPAL HALL OF LUBAO

The Municipal Hall of Lubao, constructed around 1937 is one of the early concrete structures erected during the Commonwealth years. It was originally a 2-storey building with stairs at the sides that was expanded over the years, eventually acquiring a neo-classic look distinctively characterized by its massive frontal columns and clean, elegant lines. Much of its original features are intact—from its wooden flooring, balustrades to its offices. In march 2016, a new municipal hall costing Php14.7 million is envisioned to rise in an eight-hectare property along Jose Abad Santos Avenue in Brgy. Santa Catalina in an area where the town traces its beginnings.

HELIOGRAPH TOWERS OF SAN ISIDRO AND STA. CRUZ (Magalang)

In Magalang, the remnants of two 20 meter high torre heliografico (heliographic towers)—one in Brgy. San Isidro, the other in Sta. Cruz--were declared as Important Cultural Properties in 2017. Of the two, the Sta. Cruz tower is better preserved—part of a series of more than 10 heliograph towers that were strategically located in Magalang, Mabalacat and Concepcio in Tarlac as stations of communications. Messages are transmitted through flashes of light generated in rapid succession by mirrors that are turned on an axis. Transmission of messages via mirror signaling was known and practiced by North American Indians.

MUNICIPIO DEL PUEBLO ANGELES

The town hall was constructed during the American regime, in 1922, under mayor Juan D. Nepomuceno, and was built from the original 1840 Casa Tribunal. A detachment of the Spanish Army occupied the Tribunal in 1897, and the Philippine Revolutionary Government took it after the Spaniards fled in 1898. It was in this building that the Americans installed Florentino Pamintuan as the town alcalde. During WWII, the Japanese used the town hall as a jail for American escapees from the Death March prior to their execution. Beginning 1999, the town hall has been converted into a museum, Museo ning Angeles, by the Kuliat Foundation. In June 2012, the Museo ning Angeles was declared an Important Cultural Property of the Philippines, the first  such structure to be given such a distinction.

SOURCES:

http://museoningangeles.blogspot.com/2008/01/heritage-sites.html

Mercado-Masnou House: The Officoial Website of Angeles City.

www.angelescity.gov.ph

Yutuc House/ Mariano Lacson House/ Yutuc House: Information and pictures c/o Joy L. Cruz

Heliograph Towers: Joel Pabustan Mallari / Louie Bartolo Lacson

Ciriaco de Miranda House: Nepomuceno, Marc: The Nepomucenos of Angeles City

Camalig: http://www.camalig.com/profile.html

Guagua Municipal Hall: Official website of Guagua, Pampanga, https://www.guagua.gov.ph/

Magalang Municipal Hall: http://iorbitnews.com/torre%E2%80%8B-%E2%80%8Bheliografico-san-bartolome-parish-church-magalang-municipal-hall-preserving-magalangs-cultural-treasures/

Magalang Church: Galende, Pedro G. (1996). Angels in Stone: Architecture of Augustinian Churches in the Philippines (2nd ed.). Manila, Philippines: San Agustin Museum. pp. 143–144

Lubao Municipal Hall: 1939 Lubao Town Fiesta souvenir program

Magalang Municipal Hall: Photo: iorbitnews

Municipio del Pueblo Angeles: http://mekeniman.blogspot.com/2013/05/20-heritage-district-of-angeles.html

35. 8 BALE MATUA (OLD HOUSES) OF PAMPANGA, THEN AND NOW.

Pampanga is home to many ancestral residences and historic houses, many of which were built during the province’s glory years, when the sugar industry turned many hacienderos into millionaires.  To show off their ascent in society, they erected homes and mansions fit for royalty. Where have all these beautiful old houses gone? These then-and-now photos tell the story.

REYES HOUSE: THEN: 1974 photo/ NOW: 2010

THE REYES HOUSE (CASA CANDABA), Candaba.

The history of the Reyes House begins with the Nicolas Castro, a former capitan of Candaba, who built the house in 1780. His great grandson. Estanislao Reyes, inherited the house and settled here with his wife and children. A typical bahay na bato, the lower part of the house is made of adobe while the commodious upstair area had five bedrooms. At its prime, the house was furnished with a Weber upright piano, German-made chandeliers, Vienna chairs, 4-poster beds, and a portrait of Castro by Hilarion Asuncion. Whenever the Spanish governor general visited Pampanga, he stayed in the Reyes House. In more contemporary times, the house was used for the shooting of the movie,”Noli Me Tangere”, a 1961 film directed by Gerry de Leon. Reconstructed in Bagac in 2005, it now stands as part of  Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, where it is known as Casa Candaba.

DE LEON HOUSE, THEN, 1950s photo/NOW: 1993

THE DE LEON HOUSE, Bacolor.
The De Leon-Joven Family was the single richest family in all of Pampanga in the 1920s, owing to their majority ownership of PASUDECO, The Pampanga Sugar Development Company. Don Jose “Pitong de Leon” (b.1867/d.1939) was married twice, first to Regina Joven and then after her early demise, to Regina’s siter, Maria Natividad. Together with other affluent Kapampangan investors, he put up the PASUDECO in 1918, which he headed as President. His large and splendid 1850s ancestral  “bahay na bato”, with its spacious azotea escalera and  sprawling gardens was the site of legendary parties thrown by the de Leons for their fellow hacendero friends and sugar barons. De Leon was gunned down along with two others in a labor dispute in 1939. The house, sadly,  no longer stands.

PAMINTUAN MANSION. THEN: 1966 photo/ NOW: 2015

THE PAMINTUAN MANSION, Angeles City.

Constructed  around 1890 by spouses Mariano Pamintuan and Valentina Torres for their son, Florentino, mayor of Angeles. Don Florentino, who became a successful haciendero, settled in this mansion with first wife Mancia Suarez, who gave him 5 children. After her death, he married again, this time to Tomasa Centeno, with whom he would have 11 more offsprings. The house could be accessed through a grand entresuelo, from where one climbed a massive stairway of solid Philippine hardwood to reach the landing.  The opulence of the second floor becomes even more apparent—from its metal ceiling with pukpok (repousse) designs to the ornamental arches and painted walls. The mansion featured modern amenities; it had running water in the bathrooms and kitchen that was hand-pumped from a well. Rooms were illuminated by liquid petrol lamps. Two separate spiral staircases led to a rooftop tower that doubled as a veranda, from where one could take in the view of the town. The Pamintuan Mansion became the headquarters of the revolutionary army under Venancio Concepcion and General Antonio Luna in 1899. It was occupied by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo and it was here that the first anniversary of Philippine Independence was celebrated on June 12. It was brought by the Central Bank of the Philippines in 1981,  and the restored residence was inaugurated in 1988. The Pamintuan was converted into the Museum of Philippine Social History in 2015.

ARRASTIA HOUSE. THEN: 1925/NOW: 2012

THE ARRASTIA HOUSE (CASA LUBAO), Lubao.

The palatial house of one of the town’s most affluent Spanish-Filipino family was built in 1920 by Valentin Roncal Arrastia, a Basque from  Spain,who found not only fortune  in Pampanga, but also a wife—Francisca Serrano Salgado of Lubao. The grand house in front of the municipio was typical of the architecture of the period—a transitional style featuring elements of the ‘bahay na bato” and modern American influences. Lavish parties were regularly hosted by Don Valentin for his friends—mostly rich hacenderos and fellow-sugar planters, including a luncheon for Mr. R. Renton Hind, a high-ranking American official of the country’s sugar industry. Daughter Juanita and husband Dr. Wenceslao Beltran Vitug, bought out the shares of her siblings when their parents died, hence the property was passed on to the Vitugs. In 2007, the Vitug-Arrastia heirs sold their ancestral home to Architect Jose L. Acuzar. It was transported and reconstructed in Bagac, Bataan as Casa Lubao, a heritage house of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar.

GUANZON HOUSE.THEN: 1933 photo/ NOW; 2014

GUANZON HOUSE (VILLA EPIFANIA), Sta. Rita.

The Guanzon house was built in 1932 by Don Felipe Pineda Guanzon for his wife Dona Epifania Alvendia- Guanzon of Sta. Rita. It is also known today as Villa Epifania. It was restored by the Guanzon heirs and descendants, many of whom have moved  to the U.S., hence the U.S. flag in front of the grand residence. The villa was used as a venue for the filming of several movies like Tinimbang Ka Nguni’t Kulang (1974)  and Tanging Yaman (2000), which raised the level of awareness for the house and made it popular among local tourists.

DE LA CRUZ TOWER HOUSE, THEN:1933 photo/NOW; 2009

THE DELA CRUZ TOWER HOUSE, Mabalacat

At the end of the Sta. Ines Expressway exit. one can find the 1932 house of the prominent sugar planter Vicente de la Cruz and wife Felipa  Lim.  It is most notable for its tower, rivalling the church belltower in height, as it once was the most visible feature of downtown Mabalacat. It was built for daughter Constancia, who had suffered from tuberculosis in her youth. The family believed that fresh air would be good for her lungs, so every day,  she ascended the tower via a spiral staircase to spend a few hours there. The roof tower fell down in 1991 due to an earthquake and a typhoon blew it off shortly after, but the owners always replaced it. Well-kept through the years, the house had only minor refurbishments; it still retains its original  80 year old Puyat furniture. A few Dela Cruz grandchildren currently live and maintain the house, the way their grandparents have lavished it with their love and care.

LOPEZ MANSION, THEN: 1933 photo/NOW: 2016

THE LOPEZ MANSION, Guagua

One of Pampanga’s most spectacular and most photographed landmarks is the Lopez Mansion, an imposing concrete residence and office built by the sugar magnate, Don Alejandro Lopez (b. 16 May 1883) of Guagua for his wife Jacinta Limson  in the early 1930s. Constructed of APO Cement, the mansion also doubled as his office. Done in the Greek Revival style, the façade is dominated by Grecian columns accented with reliefs of foliate swags flowing down from the column's capital. Sandwiched in between are glass-panelled openings that lead to individual room balconies. Concrete balusters line the building perimeter as well as the 2nd floor protruding balconies where one can stand to watch the world go by. The house was furnished with Puyat  Furniture and the grounds were  landscaped with flowering trees and greeneries.  In its time, this mansion was an object of awe and attention, hailed in publications as “The Pride of Guagua, Pampanga”. It was well kept until 2006; after which, it fell into a state of disrepair and decay due to family squabbles. Today, the Lopez Mansion is being converted into a commercial restaurant.

DISON HOUSE, THEN: ca. 1933 photo/ NOW: 2016

DISON HOUSE

The Archdiocesan Chancery is a heritage house in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga. Located along Consunji Ext. in barangay San Jose, the house was the former residence of Luis Wenceslao Dison and Felisa Hizon. Dison was a successful sugar planter, businessman and devout religious leader. It was propitious that his house was purchased by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Fernando. The 1930s house, whose main features remain intact,  is now being used as the Archdiocesan Chancery.

PHOTO SOURCES:

 Casa Candaba (2010)

Photo by Oliver Bautista, https://www.flickr.com/photos/oliverbautista/4446790929

Casa Lubao (2012)

Photo from: http://tipidity.blogspot.com/2012/05/experience-las-casas-filipinas-de.html

Guanzon House (2014):

wikipedia commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FvfSantaRitaPampanga2644_11.JPG

De la Cruz Tower House (2009), courtesy of Mr. Leo Cloma

Lopez Mansion (2016)

Photo by: https://www.jadagram.com/i/clarolee/630756744?next=1290579296553087405https://www.jadagram.com/i/clarolee/630756744?next=1290579296553087405

Dison House/ San Fernando Chancery (2016)

Photo from: http://photos.wikimapia.org/p/00/05/38/33/36_big.jpg

Pamintuan Mansion (2015): http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/images/2015/08/16/museo-ng-kasaysayang-panlipunan-ng-pilipinas-424914http://www.sunstar.com.ph/pampanga/images/2015/08/16/museo-ng-kasaysayang-panlipunan-ng-pilipinas-424914
All other photos: Alex R. Castro Archives