Anyone who has
entered an old house, especially a well-preserved ancestral home, can compare
the experience to visiting a museum. As one observes a piece of furniture, a
painting adorning the wall, or an eye-catching design detail, including the
very architecture itself, a rich narrative unfolds—one that stretches across
decades and, in certain instances, even a century.
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| The ancestral house of Dr. Luis Santos in Malolos is just one of several heritage houses in the city's Kamestisuhan District. |
This argument alone
strongly advocates the restoration or preservation of old houses. However, the
shift to modernity has made many of our historical houses become casualties and
are either left to rot or demolished to give way to newer structures. The original
owner's lack of interest in funding the maintenance of these houses is another
contributing factor. Made mostly from wooden materials, stones, and corals,
these call for a hefty price tag when it comes to upkeep.
Fortunately, aside
from Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan, which uproots unkempt old
houses and transports them to their property before attempting to rebuild each
wood-by-wood, stone-by-stone, to its original architecture, a somewhat
controversial practice that elicits mixed reactions from heritage
advocates—there are still several districts scattered throughout the country
that have a vast collection of ancestral houses that have been well preserved.
When discussing
ancestral homes, the first thing that comes to mind is the cobblestoned street
of Calle Crisologo in Vigan, Ilocos Sur; with its rows of Spanish-era houses,
it makes up a huge part of Vigan’s Historic City designation that was inscribed
as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Unbeknownst to most people, there are
other heritage districts all over the country that boast of well-preserved old
houses, with at least a dozen in a single neighborhood.
There are ones in
Taal, Batangas; Gapan, Nueva Ecija; Calle Real in Iloilo; Dapitan, Zamboanga
del Norte; Pila, Laguna; the collection of Bahay na Bato in Juban,
Sorsogon; and Silay and Talisay in Negros Occidental, to name a few, not to
mention those in Metro Manila in Santa Ana, Escolta, Binondo, and even Malabon.
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| A lot has been written about this historic neighborhood in Malolos City |
One of the
favorites of this writer can be found in Malolos City, specifically in what is
known as the Kamestisuhan District located in the downtown area of
Bulacan’s capital city.
Malolos’ Kamestisuhan District
The city of Malolos
played a key role during the Philippine Revolution, becoming the capital of the
First Philippine Republic from September 10, 1898 until March 29, 1899, when
the Malolos Cathedral and its convent functioned as the Palacio Presidencia and
Office of President Emilio Aguinaldo.
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| In front of Barasoain Church on an earlier bike ride to the city |
The Malolos
Cathedral and the nearby Barasoain Church, an equally historic church where the
Malolos Constitution was written by the First Philippine Congress, otherwise
known as the Malolos Congress, that convened on September 15, 1898, signals the
boundary of the Kamestisuhan district of the city.
The Kamestisuhan District gained its name due to the influx of wealthy Spanish and Chinese mestizo families who constructed numerous exquisite residences beginning in the late 19th century. During the First Philippine Republic, Aguinaldo used many of these residences as government offices. Apolinario Mabini used the Maria Reyes House as his abode when he served as chief adviser to Aguinaldo, while the Erastro Cervantes House functioned as the Interior Department office and the Jose Bautista House temporarily transformed into the Department of Public Works office.
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| A group of young cultural performers in front of Malolos Cathedral after a performance |
The National
Historical Institute (NHI) declared the district a National Historical Landmark
and a Heritage Town in 2001. The NHI identified more than 20 establishments,
including at least 15 ancestral houses, along with a few other centuries-old
landmarks such as the Barasoain Church and the Malolos Cathedral, which form
the heart of the Kamestisuhan District.
Heavily
concentrated around Pariancillo Street, a stone's throw from the neoclassical
Malolos City Hall Building, the number of heritage homes in this district
surpasses even the ones in Vigan’s Calle Crisologo.
When tourists,
residents, heritage advocates, and even historians stroll through this historic
district of Malolos, they are bound to identify their personal favorites. Some
people find the Alberta Uitangcoy-Santos House, now known as the Museum of the
Women of Malolos, as their personal favorite. This museum honors the 20
Filipinas who daringly went against the will of the Spanish friars and handed a
petition letter to then Governor General Valeriano Weyler, demanding
educational institutions for women. Others may prefer Casa Tribunal de Malolos,
the Jose Cojuangco House, the Don Ramon Gonzeles House or the Don Fausto Chiong
House and so on. However, this writer's personal favorite is the former
residence of the late Dr. Luis Santos.
Dr. Luis Santos x
Francisco Amorsolo x Guillermo Tolentino collab
The
1932-constructed Dr. Luis Santos House has an Art Nouveau architectural
style that harmoniously blends with elements from the Art Deco movement.
Originally constructed as a residence and clinic for Dr. Santos, a prominent
optometrist in the city, this house gained an additional layer of fascination
due to the exquisite artwork found inside and outside of its walls—a couple of
which were created by none other than two National Artists of the Philippines.
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| Fernando Amorsolo's masterpiece covers almost the entire ceiling of Dr. Luis Santos' living room. |
Dr. Santos chose to
build his family house just a few blocks from his parents' home, the Alberta
Uitangcoy-Santos House, on F.T. Reyes Street. Dr. Santos was the second child
of Paulino and his wife, the de facto leader of the Women of Malolos, Alberta Uitangcoy-Santos.
Today, the wonderfully restored house attracts the attention of passersby and
has even become a favorite stop for tourists and cyclists visiting Malolos.
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| The sight of it instantly amazes me. |
On my previous two
visits here, I only caught a sight of the house’s exterior, and the sculptured
fountain created by Guillermo Tolentino on the lawn ground.
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| Outside in the garden rests Guillermo Tolentino's sculpture creation. |
Malolos native
Guillermo Tolentino (1890-1976) received the National Artist for Sculpture
title in 1973. He was credited as among the luminaries who shaped Philippine
art with iconic works blending history and nationalism. Creator of the
Bonifacio Monument, the powerful UP Oblation, the seal of the Republic of the
Philippines, and numerous busts of Filipino historical figures—including that
of Jose Rizal at the Palma Hall of UP Diliman and the bronze image of President
Manuel Quezon, Tolentino's masterpieces echo the Filipino spirit.
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| A small altar inside the house of Dr. Luis Santos. |
Given that the
majority of Tolentino's works are either on exhibit at the National Museum or
at other landmarks, universities, or government buildings, seeing one of his
creations on the grounds of a private residence adds a sense of wonder to
onlookers like myself.
A sculpture by
Guillermo Tolentino in the garden, together with the spectacular architecture,
would be enough to make a passerby like me stop and admire the late Dr. Luis
Santos' residence. However, when I discovered that the house houses another
artwork by Fernando Amorsolo, another National Artist, it made me fervently
hope that my next visit would allow me to see it firsthand.
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| A collection of priceless old books. |
By chance, I
happened to be in the Kamestisuhan district of Malolos during a procession that
marked the beginning of Simbang Gambi last month. Only a pre-arranged tour
allows entrance to the Dr. Luis Santos House, and occasionally, the heirs of
Dr. Santos open the house during public events.
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| Classic and stylish bathroom fixtures |
This time, the
Department of Tourism's Philippine Experience Central Luzon contingents, led by
the Department's Secretary Christina Frasco, also visited Malolos City and made
a stop inside the house.
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| Amorsolo's painting from another angle |
As one of the media
members covering the event, this also led me inside, where, not even making a
dozen steps, I already found myself on the staircase, staring upwards at the
ceiling painting, the one I’ve been wanting to lay eyes on since I first learned
about it: Fernando Amorsolo’s artwork entitled Bounty Harvest.
Fernando Amorsolo
(1892-1972) was the first-ever individual to receive the National Artist of the
Philippines honor in 1972, a year before Guillermo Tolentino. Through his
luminous brushstrokes, Fernando Amorsolo immortalized scenes of Filipino
countryside and way of life, as well as references to Philippine history.
Masterpieces like Dalagang Bukid, Sunday Morning Going to Town, Planting
Rice, Defense of a Filipina Woman's Honor, and The Making of the
Philippine Flag, just to name a few of his estimated thousands of works,
all capture a nation's charm and resilience. Celebrated as the "Grand Old
Man of Philippine Art," Amorsolo painted a golden vision of Filipino
heritage.
Given that Dr. Luis
Santos completed his home in 1933, it took nearly four decades for both artists
to achieve national artist status. One could only appreciate Dr. Santos' eye
for talent in the arts when he commissioned both men to create an artwork for
his former home. Another painting, El Kundiman, a 1930 creation by Amosolo's
uncle and mentor Fabian dela Rosa (1869-1937), hangs over the piano, further
demonstrating the doctor's love for art.
The presence of
works by two National Artists within Dr. Luis Santos House, along with the
successful preservation of several ancestral homes and historical landmarks in
the Kamestisuhan District of Malolos, make this part of Malolos City a
must-visit for anyone seeking a glimpse of our history within the very walls
where it unfolded.
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| Inside one of the rooms of Bautista Ancestral House |
As I walked outside
the gate to Sto Nino de Malolos Chapel, passing by Palacio Real de Sto Nino and
turning to another well-preserved old home, the Bautista Ancestral House, I
felt a sudden rush of fulfilment having the chance to make new
discoveries—highlighted by Amorsolo’s ceiling artwork. Because of the continuous
collaborative effort that prioritizes the preservation of this historic
district, people like me are able to experience and learn from this remnants of
the past, particularly from a period of significance in our country’s history.
An edited version of this article first appeared on SpotPH.
