Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar Heritage Tour

As a heritage conservation fan who’s been to old Manila, Vigan and Iloilo and ooh’d and ahh’d at the sight of ancestral homes, going to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is at the top of my bucket list. Jerry Acuzar, the architect owner of the place bought several decrepit houses and transferred them to Barangay Pag-Asa in Bagac, a sleepy coastal town deep in Bataan. Some conservationists die hards are against this move since they believe that conservation should be in its original location and the close proximity to the sea might be detrimental for the centuries old structures in the long run.  But still I wasn’t prepared for the beauty of the place. I’ve seen it on countless features online and in print but nothing compares to the real deal.

Coming from San Fernando, Pampanga my son Rye and I took a mini bus going to Balanga city. It was a 2 hour trip and at the terminal, the jeepneys bound for Bagac are already waiting for us. The ride to Bagac was a pleasant surprise since I saw the numerous Death March markers for every kilometer on the wayside. The infamous Death March of Fil-Am soldiers started in two locations, one in Mariveles and in Bagac. When I saw Kilometer 00, I had goosebumps. Aside from heritage history, I was a World War 2 historian wannabe. Just a month ago, Rye and I went on an epic calesa tour of San Fernando City and got introduced to the old train station where the Death March kilometer 102 is seen. This was too epic to be just a coincidence. I said a prayer to all the victims of this horrendous 5 day walk from Bataan to Pampanga and then the final destination was Camp O Donell in Capas, Tarlac.

I reserved an overnight stay in Bagac Bay Beach Resort which is just about a 10 minute tricycle ride away from the town proper so we checked in early before proceeding to Las Casas. Bagac Bay has powdery black sand and high waves this time of the year. 

The tour begins at 8:30am on an hourly basis until the last schedule at 4:30 pm. Our tour guide Sarah met us near the hotel reception area and showed some houses patterned after the ancestral homes in Binondo. 

We proceeded to the La Puesta del Sol or a small bridge where a Venice-like setting took my breath away. According to her, this was a replica of Binondo during the Spanish times, with boats gliding about Pasig River. In this area, all the structures were based from the historical archives and the houses are used for accommodation and private functions.

Sarah mentioned that the original houses were transferred “brick by brick, plank by plank” to the 400 hectare Bagac property and there are issues arising from these acquisitions. Jerry Acuzar, the owner-architect of New San Jose Builders rescued some of these historical houses from demolition and further decay. When I attended a heritage walking tour of Binondo last year, there are policies and guidelines which make it difficult for owners to make their house restored using government funding. Hence, their option is to sell or go for adaptive re-use if they have resources.

Before going there, I specifically didn’t read about the houses so I’ll have a surprise effect. I recalled some details I read in the past but I was ready to be wowed and Las Casas certainly exceeded my expectations.

The first house that caught my fancy was Casa Hagonoy from a prominent couple in Bulacan where the husband built such an elaborate house to fulfill his wife’s dream but they ended up poor because of it. One tip is to wear flipflops since footwear needs to be removed upon entering the houses.

Hotel de Oriente was built in 1889 and considered the best accommodation in Manila at that time. Situated near Pasig River and Escolta, it was the first class hotel where Americans used to stay.*

We went to check it out but there’s a function inside so I was able to just take a photo of the grand lobby with gold design. It seemed like we were in Europe with its elaborate wall fixtures. 

We then passed by Tulay ni Lola Basyang, patterned after San Nicolas bridge in Manila.

My top favorite houses were the following:

Casa Binan (18^th century)

 “Casa Biñan’s history throws shade on the mother of Jose Rizal, Teodoro Alonzo, whose mother was the second wife of the third-generation scion, Don Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo, of the family who owned the house. Don Lorenzo Alberto’s son Jose Alberto became a Philippine ambassador to Spain, and his long absences drove his wife Teodora Formoso to have an affair with the captain of the Guardia Civil. When her husband found this out, he came home and locked her in their bedroom, and Rizal’s mother was tasked to bring her food everyday. Formoso wrote in a letter, which she threw out of the window, that Rizal’s mother was slowly poisoning her. The letter reached the captain and some say this was the true reason Teodora Alonzo was imprisoned.”**

Casa Binan had a rich history with elements of drama in Rizal’s family. Rizal stayed here for a year during his childhood. The house through the years became one of the most prominent landmarks in the province of Binan, Laguna. However due to the passage of time and lease to various businesses such as a bank, movie house and supermarket. The current owner Gerardo Alberto wanted to donate what was left of the original materials to Acuzar however municipal officials of Binan and heritage advocates are still protesting this proposed plan.  The original structure still remains in Binan but a model house is displayed in Bagac. This model house was made famous for being the location of Antonio Luna’s murder scene in the film Heneral Luna. The guide also mentioned that the bed and room of Teodora Formoso came from the original house.

Casa Byzantina (1890)

 “The penultimate house we visited was Casa Byzantina, the first three-story building in Binondo. The first story is made of adobe stones and bricks and the two upper stories are of sturdy wood. The roof is galvanized iron because in those times, many people died during earthquakes when heavy roofs crashed on their heads. For five years it was the Instituto de Manila, an elementary and high school that later transferred and became the University of Manila. The house was badly neglected and was inhabited by informal settlers. Las Casas discovered real gold leaf in the architecture of the third story but badly damaged. The house is now a first class hotel that can accommodate 16 people.”**

Last year I had the privilege to join a free walking tour of Binondo and saw some of the best bahay na bato structures in the city but sadly, most of them are in various stages of neglect. Casa Byzantina stuck to my mind since we saw the place where it used to stand, now a factory. The guide mentioned that it was already in Bagac. According to some articles, it was the home of 50 informal settlers before Mr. Acuzar bought it.

Casa Hidalgo (1867)

Casa Hidalgo was designed by the first Filipino to practice architecture in the country during the Spanish era, Felix Roxas y Arroyo for the family of Rafael Enriquez. Originally located at the corner of Hidalgo Street and Callejon de Carcer in Quiapo, the house was considered the most elegant in the whole Philippines.

It was also the first school of Architecture in the Phils. – UP Fine Arts. Young artists such as Juan Luna and Felix Resurrecion Hidalgo and later Fernando Amorsolo, Guillermo Tolentino Carlos Francisco and Tomas Mapua learned about their craft in this establishment. In 1927, after the operations of the UP Fine Arts transferred to Padre Faura street, the house had various repairs and used for other purposes like a bowling alley, boys and girls’ dorms, sex live shows and abortion clinic.

Among all the houses in Las Casas, I felt a tremendous energy in this place. For someone who’s scared easily and does not watch horror films, I was drawn to it and after the tour we want back to it and Rye didn’t want to go inside. I was all alone in its halls and I couldn’t explain how I felt. I prayed for all babies who must’ve died there and all bastardly acts that happened there. I also felt in awe of the place where the Filipino masters once walked and learned how to do their artistic styles.

We stayed 4 hours and I still think it wasn’t enough. If not for the heat, our tired feet and this kid who can’t wait to go swimming, we would have stayed longer. This trip reinforced my passion for heritage conservation, something, anything has to be done to help in restoring and preserving our national treasures.

Filipinos seem to have a short term memory loss like Dory when it comes to these important cultural matters. Centuries old houses are supposed to be treated like gold or diamond. I think this way probably because I used to live in a pre-war Art Deco building – Belair Apartments, designed by National Artist Pablo Antonio. But that’s another interesting story.

Expenses per Head:

San Fernando Pampanga to Balanga – P75 (non-aircon bus)

Balanga to Bagac – P47

Trike to Bagac Bay –- P10

Bagac Bay Resort – P1,500 overnight stay (aircon, single bed and toilet & bath)

Trike to Las Casas – P120

Las Casas entrance fee – P999 with day tour, cold towel and welcome drinks, 50% off for kids 12 yrs and below

Food at Bagac town market – P50

Sources:

* Lougopal.com

**http://thestandard.com.ph/lifestyle/destinations/209564/las-casas-filipinas-de-acuzar-restoring-the-lost-glory-of-old-filipino-houses.html

Rappler.com

Las Casas brochure

For details, visit www.lascasfilipinas.com 

City of San Fernando Pampanga Calesa Tour

I chanced upon the free calesa heritage tour in the Facebook page of the City Tourism of San Fernando. Originally slated for August 14 but due to the Habagat torrential rains, it was rescheduled to August 21. This initiative was due to the twin celebration of the city as 112^th anniversary as provincial capitol and 262nd founding anniversary this month. It was a great bonding time for me and my son on a Sunday morning. We went to the City Hall fronting the Metropolitan Cathedral and registered our names. The City Hall was built in 1874. It was burned by General Antonio Luna due to the advancing American forces and was rebuilt in 1917. A number of calesas are already lined up past 8:00 am. Our tour guide Kelvin is the president of the Fernandino Student Tour Guides and they are actively involved in promoting local tourism and heritage.

Kelvin introduced us to Kuya Elmar, the kutsero and Matikas the brown horse assigned as our ride for the day. We were off for an hour of exciting adventure.

Hizon Paras House also known as Balai Matuwa. This house has a tall wall surrounding it so just a fraction of the house can be seen. Former presidents visited this abode and Ninoy Aquino.

Henson – Hizon House – also known as Casa Nicolasa was owned by Don Saturnino Henson y David, who was gobernadorcillo of San Fernando and first tesorero municipal and Maria Lacson. It is considered the 1^st Bahay na Bato in the city.

Near this house is a monument of Nicolasa Dayrit Panlilio – the one featured in Heneral Luna movie who helped Katipuneros who were wounded and mediated between Luna and Tomas Mascardo.

We made our way to the highlight of the tour, the visit to the San Fernando Old Train Station & Museum. Before we reached the station proper, there’s the Kilometer 102 Death March marker where the old railroad tracks used to be situated. The train station is the end point of this barbaric war event. Around 2,500 to 10,000 Filipino and 100 – 650 Americans died during the death march from Bataan en route to San Fernando before they reached their final destination in Capas, Tarlac. The 97 kilometer walk consisted of brutal physical abuse and later on categorized as a Japanese war crime.

The Old Train Station is a defunct PNR railway line in Luzon starting from Tutuban terminal. Inaugurated by Governor General Eulogio Despujol and Archbishop of Manila Bernardino Nozaleda on February 23, 1892, the San Fernando Train Station stood witness to historic events. On June 27, 1892, Jose Rizal debarked from the station and the next day en route to Bacolor. On April 1942, KM 102 was the ending point of the Bataan Death March. From with Filipino and American prisoners-of-war were hauled to Capaz, Tarlac to Camp O’Donnell.

Inside the museum we met Jude, one of the volunteers who’s a university professor. He told stories of the efforts of volunteers to maintain and restore the station. He also provided trivia on famous people who arrived in the station: Rizal to visit Leonor Rivera in Tarlac and to recruit member for La Liga Filipina and the arrival of the first Ms. Universe on the town.  The museum features life-sized statues of Death March Filipino and American soldiers, copies of war headlines from various newspapers here and abroad, photos of the Japanese regime, an old train ticket, war memorabilia and prewar photos of the train station.

We then went around the Provincial Capitol where an important battle took place between guerilla forces and the Japanese Imperial Army in the site during the Second World War.

Our last destination was through the Heritage district along A. Consunji street where famous ancestral homes are located, some are restored while others in pitiful condition.

Hizon - Ocampo House – Leoncia Hizon inherited the house from parents Anacleto Hizon and Victoria Singian de Miranda. She married Basilio Ocampo, gobernadorcillo of San Fernando. Among their children was famous architect Fernando H. Ocampo who designed the San Fernando Metropolitan Cathedral, Manila Cathedral, Admiral Apartments (Hotel) in Malate which was torn down last 2014, Regina and Calvo Buildings in Escolta. It’s just sad that this house is not preserved and in its decrepit state.

Lazatin House – owned by sugar farmer Don Serafin Lazatin y Ocampo and built in 1925. During the Second World War, it served as residence of the 14th Army Commander of the Japanese Imperial Army, General Masaharu Homma.

Consunji House  - used to be the residence of Antonio E. Consunji, the gobernadorcillo of San Fernando in 1892. He was removed from office by the ruling Spanish government because of his attendance when Jose P. Rizal visited the town in June of that year. He became the presidente municipal of San Fernando during the Philippine Revolution from 1898 to 1899.

Tabacalera House – Built by Tabacalera owned by Don Ramon Lopez. The first floor of the house served as the office of Tabacalera. The property was owned by Simeon Ocampo. During the Japanese Occupation, it was sequestered by the Japanese Imperial Army together with other residences in San Fernando, and served as the headquarters of the Kempeitai or the Japanese police.

Santos-Hizon House - the turn-of-the-century Victorian-style house was built by the couple Teodoro Santos, Jr. and Africa Ventura. The house was later purchased by Maria Salome Hizon, a nurse of the Pampanga Chapter of the Philippine Red Cross during the Philippine Revolution. The property was acquired by her brother Ramon Hizon and is currently owned by the heirs of his son Augusto Hizon.

The Hizon-Singian House was the second house of couple Don Anacleto Hizon and Victoria Singian de Miranda y de Ocampo. During the 1896 Revolution, the house was occupied by Spanish General Antonio Ruiz Serralde. It was appropriated by the Japanese Imperial Army to serve as a military hospital and barracks from 1943 to 1944. The house also served as headquarters of American General Walter Krueger of the 6th American army during the liberation period until 1945.   

We also passed by Sotero Baluyot Bridge, formerly known as Puente Colgante, the Spanish era bridge was reconstructed in 1896 using iron and stone. It was damaged during the Philippine-American War and then bombed in the last World War. Using Baluyot’s design thesis completed at the University of Iowa in 1909, the bridge was restored, becoming an attractive arch bridge made of reinforced concrete. It was at the time, the only road that was accessible going to Manila.

The last landmark was the Pampanga Hotel just across the cathedral and one of the oldest structures in town, wherein General Douglas Mcarthur stayed overnight.

The tour lasted for only over an hour but the memories will linger for a long time. It’s a privilege knowing the city which welcomed and adopted me with open arms. This is just the beginning.

For more updates, visit the Facebook page of the City Tourism of San Fernando: https://www.facebook.com/itsmorefuninsanfernando/?fref=ts