OsmeƱa House
"Since we've been talking about streets named OsmeƱa, I just remembered there is an old house a bit down this road, that many people call OsmeƱa House. Let's go see that". Everyone agreed that we even skipped entering Fuente OsmeƱa Circle (aka "fuente").
It's less than a kilometer walk (I'm sure of that), and on this festive Friday (sa Sunday na ang Grand Sinulog whatever) no one gets tired walking around "uptown". All is fun.
This is President Sergio OsmeƱa Sr.'s post-war & semi-retirement residence, built in 1947 - now also commonly referred to as the CAP House, or even CAP Building.
I say that because I read some accounts, and even heard from the caretaker herself saying highly improbable "facts" - such as "he was born and raised in this house" or "MacArthur slept here during his visits". It is an admirable old house, just the same.
What is being highlighted here (I think) are the memories of/about the ex-president, and not even the house btw. So this is still a nice visit for a peek at a slice of his life.
No fees. Just "register" on that "visitor logbook". Oist, we were tempted to conclude that "only a few visit this place" by judging from the number of people registered per day. Then again, we very well know, that not many visitors bother to "register", diba?
But, for the sheer eerie fun of it, you should register, as that book rests in front of an antique mirror. Who knows, your likeness na me sungay at buntot may appear there!
First that caught my undivided attention was that grandfather clock. It's still alive! Ah eh, time on my phone, and the exif data of my photo said 3:39PM. So that thing was about 11minutes ahead. That's common, right? But the pendulum was swaying fine.
Fine daw. It was spookily, hauntingly, bloodcurdingly singing its "tick-tock-tick-tock", we imagined a bat would suddenly fly from wherever or a heavy wooden door would creak open or close. Du! Para kaming nasa loob ng kahindik-hindik na horror movie!
Those old pictures, newspapers and books would have been nice to read or view at a closer distance. But I couldn't go near them. Nahahatsing ako! As one friend even warned, he said "hoy lumayo ka, baka isang bahing mo lang lumipad ang bubong nito".
Eto pa... they placed this thing on a pedestal that probably approximates his height.
While walking around the 'sala', you get this feeling there's somebody watching you.
This one I like... caught up with 2 of my friends debating how this 'pugon' works!
I interjected saying hindi yan lutuan, plantsa yan! After we all laughed they asked me how I knew that. I said I already saw something like that 'with description', at an old house/museum in Iloilo, that's why there is ash/soot, kasi dyan inilalagay ang uling.
One friend said bakit naman kasi itinabi sa pitsel! Another said oo nga, baka hindi rin alam ng caretaker kung ano ang mga yan! I said basta, mayaman sila, 3 ang plantsa e!
Ah, we marveled at this, not because they were wow, but because all were unkempt.
Surely, the whole wardrobe must have been in 'regal' condition when first displayed. Now they're filthy, nang-gi-gitata, dugyot, dulpet, hugaw, kangil-ad, kadiri, ka-damak!
Yet this Cadillac is relatively clean/ed, though I'm not sure if "still whole" hehehe!
I mean we didn't ask the caretaker if that car's internalities are still there. I guess 'not anymore' naman ang sagot dyan hehe! Nice memento though. Sosyal! President eh!
FYI, we did not miss looking up at the ceiling to be impressed by these...
If those are/were originals in/of this house, wow! But were chandeliers & light bulbs already like that in 1947? Maybe later additions, but ang ganda pa rin. Mala-antique.
Here's another "real wow" in this originally 2-storey house of ex-President OsmeƱa.
I mean the left panel of my collage. The door. It's an elevator door. Look at the door frame (near the knob), those are the elevator buttons. For a 2-storey house? Sosyal!
But let us note: he was already 68 or 69 years old when that house was built; he just became ex-president; and they were (still are) a wealthy clan. So elevator lang? Kaya!
Now I wonder, a year before this house was built, he lost in the presidential election against Manuel Roxas. He stayed in MalacaƱang and didn't go around the country to campaign. Baka pagod na nga, entawon. So, maybe that elevator was really a must.
Anyway, this desk displays memorabilia about his stint in Leyte during World War II.
With General Douglas MacArthur, of course. But these bounty of displays related to OsmeƱa Sr., just gave us "more questions" on the veracity of the caretaker's stories.
She said (among others) that: 1] President OsmeƱa was born & raised in this house; 2] General Douglas MacArthur was his "best friend"; and 3] the General would sleep in this house everytime he visited Cebu. Hmmn, I didn't say anything, but kept those in mind, which I then verified (bit-by-bit), once we were out of the house - until today.
So... only item 2 is highly probable to me! Yes, they might as well have been best of friends, as the circumstances during WW2 necessitated they be frequently together.
Item 1 is not only doubtful. It is false. This house was built in 1947. Eh 1946 natalo na sya ni Manuel Roxas to the presidency. Matanda na sya nang ginawa ang bahay na ito. This house was built after he was president (1944~1946). Besides, there is a historical marker erected by Philippine Historical Commission at his birthplace - here.
If anyone claims that the caretaker may have meant Sergio Jr. (Serging) mali pa rin. In 1947, he was already 30 years old. Baka si Serge (apo). No, taga-La Salle yun eh!
So, the ex-president wasn't born & raised in this house. Walang Sergio OsmeƱa who was born & raised here. At best, this was the President OsmeƱa Retirement House.
Item 3, I think, is dubious too. Why? Because, 1945 to 1951 he was already in Tokyo as Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers. Did he come to Cebu, for a vacation? I can't find any info (hoy reliable sources, please help me on that one)! Ok sige, pwede.
I do think Douglas was too busy that time. Imagine Korean War was 1950~51. Then there is tsismis that MacArthur actually sided with Roxas during the 1946 election - nilaglag si bespren Sergio! If we try to konek-konek the years, malabo na mag-visit-visit si "I shall return" sa bahay na ito para tumambay at maki-tulog with best friend!
Haay CAP, iyang si manang caretaker na inilagay nyo is hallucinating and making up stories! MacArthur Room - where mementos of President OsmeƱa, of/with General Douglas MacArthur were displayed (as a category), kasi madami. Hindi ibig sabihin diyan sya natutulog kapag bumibisita (na as if maraming beses). Ikaw manang ha?!
Anyway, one reliable source texted me (kanina lang) that in fact, MacArthur did visit OsmeƱa "one last time" in 1961 during a "farewell tour". OsmeƱa was 82 at that time, MacArthur was 81. Okay sige, pwedeng dyan natulog si Douglas although duda ako!
Oist eto drama... that farewell tour of MacArthur was July 1961. Three months after (October 1961) OsmeƱa died na. Si Douglas MacArthur, 3 years after pa (April 1964).
Hindi pa ako buhay sa lahat ng yan. I just learned about those now - umayos kayo!
Anyway again, this collage were my final two shots at this OsmeƱa House...
Syempre ako pa! I noticed, that signage was/is not made by the National Historical Institute of the Philippines. So.., this house doesn't probably pass their criteria (yet).
Whatever. It's still a nice-to-see house, of a highest-ranking Cebuano.
It's less than a kilometer walk (I'm sure of that), and on this festive Friday (sa Sunday na ang Grand Sinulog whatever) no one gets tired walking around "uptown". All is fun.
This is President Sergio OsmeƱa Sr.'s post-war & semi-retirement residence, built in 1947 - now also commonly referred to as the CAP House, or even CAP Building.
What is being highlighted here (I think) are the memories of/about the ex-president, and not even the house btw. So this is still a nice visit for a peek at a slice of his life.
But, for the sheer eerie fun of it, you should register, as that book rests in front of an antique mirror. Who knows, your likeness na me sungay at buntot may appear there!
Fine daw. It was spookily, hauntingly, bloodcurdingly singing its "tick-tock-tick-tock", we imagined a bat would suddenly fly from wherever or a heavy wooden door would creak open or close. Du! Para kaming nasa loob ng kahindik-hindik na horror movie!
Those old pictures, newspapers and books would have been nice to read or view at a closer distance. But I couldn't go near them. Nahahatsing ako! As one friend even warned, he said "hoy lumayo ka, baka isang bahing mo lang lumipad ang bubong nito".
Eto pa... they placed this thing on a pedestal that probably approximates his height.
This one I like... caught up with 2 of my friends debating how this 'pugon' works!
One friend said bakit naman kasi itinabi sa pitsel! Another said oo nga, baka hindi rin alam ng caretaker kung ano ang mga yan! I said basta, mayaman sila, 3 ang plantsa e!
Ah, we marveled at this, not because they were wow, but because all were unkempt.
Yet this Cadillac is relatively clean/ed, though I'm not sure if "still whole" hehehe!
FYI, we did not miss looking up at the ceiling to be impressed by these...
Here's another "real wow" in this originally 2-storey house of ex-President OsmeƱa.
But let us note: he was already 68 or 69 years old when that house was built; he just became ex-president; and they were (still are) a wealthy clan. So elevator lang? Kaya!
Now I wonder, a year before this house was built, he lost in the presidential election against Manuel Roxas. He stayed in MalacaƱang and didn't go around the country to campaign. Baka pagod na nga, entawon. So, maybe that elevator was really a must.
Anyway, this desk displays memorabilia about his stint in Leyte during World War II.
She said (among others) that: 1] President OsmeƱa was born & raised in this house; 2] General Douglas MacArthur was his "best friend"; and 3] the General would sleep in this house everytime he visited Cebu. Hmmn, I didn't say anything, but kept those in mind, which I then verified (bit-by-bit), once we were out of the house - until today.
So... only item 2 is highly probable to me! Yes, they might as well have been best of friends, as the circumstances during WW2 necessitated they be frequently together.
Item 1 is not only doubtful. It is false. This house was built in 1947. Eh 1946 natalo na sya ni Manuel Roxas to the presidency. Matanda na sya nang ginawa ang bahay na ito. This house was built after he was president (1944~1946). Besides, there is a historical marker erected by Philippine Historical Commission at his birthplace - here.
If anyone claims that the caretaker may have meant Sergio Jr. (Serging) mali pa rin. In 1947, he was already 30 years old. Baka si Serge (apo). No, taga-La Salle yun eh!
So, the ex-president wasn't born & raised in this house. Walang Sergio OsmeƱa who was born & raised here. At best, this was the President OsmeƱa Retirement House.
Item 3, I think, is dubious too. Why? Because, 1945 to 1951 he was already in Tokyo as Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers. Did he come to Cebu, for a vacation? I can't find any info (hoy reliable sources, please help me on that one)! Ok sige, pwede.
I do think Douglas was too busy that time. Imagine Korean War was 1950~51. Then there is tsismis that MacArthur actually sided with Roxas during the 1946 election - nilaglag si bespren Sergio! If we try to konek-konek the years, malabo na mag-visit-visit si "I shall return" sa bahay na ito para tumambay at maki-tulog with best friend!
Haay CAP, iyang si manang caretaker na inilagay nyo is hallucinating and making up stories! MacArthur Room - where mementos of President OsmeƱa, of/with General Douglas MacArthur were displayed (as a category), kasi madami. Hindi ibig sabihin diyan sya natutulog kapag bumibisita (na as if maraming beses). Ikaw manang ha?!
Anyway, one reliable source texted me (kanina lang) that in fact, MacArthur did visit OsmeƱa "one last time" in 1961 during a "farewell tour". OsmeƱa was 82 at that time, MacArthur was 81. Okay sige, pwedeng dyan natulog si Douglas although duda ako!
Oist eto drama... that farewell tour of MacArthur was July 1961. Three months after (October 1961) OsmeƱa died na. Si Douglas MacArthur, 3 years after pa (April 1964).
Hindi pa ako buhay sa lahat ng yan. I just learned about those now - umayos kayo!
Anyway again, this collage were my final two shots at this OsmeƱa House...
Whatever. It's still a nice-to-see house, of a highest-ranking Cebuano.
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