Silay Afternoon Walk
Afternoon stroll. I took advantage of whatever sunlight remained upon my arrival. I sauntered around, gravitating towards this church, even if I've seen it before. To "pay respects" as we Pinoys always say.
Still outside, I took this picture, curious what "pro-cathedral" means. I sent it to some people to ask.
Basta, this church will remain as the San Diego Pro-Cathedral for a very long long time - I think! It may even be permanently, as in for good, forever. Now, if there's "pro-cathedral", sana meron din "pro-lover"!
Oh, it was designated as a pro-cathedral in 1994, and now, the only pro-cathedral in this county. Hmm, bakit kaya? Ah for that, I'll need to research more! Oist, ang English pala ng San Diego eh St. Didacus!
New learnings again. Travel is really education!
Alright, still in front of the church, I glanced at the highway, and I remembered these two big houses.
Oh, I know that brown house was inscribed by the national historical institute (NHI, now NHCP) as one of the heritage houses of Silay. I do recall older folks referred to it as the New City Cafe, a coffee shop on ground floor. It became "Kapehan Sang Silay" that many middle-aged folks know. Now.., no coffee!
Anyway, that was just a store on the first floor, that we do not even know if owned by the owner of that house. Its official NHI name anyway is "Kapitan Marciano Lacson Ancestral House" - says the marker!
Who is he? Aba ewan! The official historical marker just say some legal (idiotic) nonsense instead of telling the historical significance of the owner and/or the house. I'll ask more, and place updates here.
Update: Marciano was a revolutionary leader (daw). He had 16 children, the 6th (Simeon) and the 7th (Ricardo) both lawyers were the founders of Philippine Law School that started in Intramuros, Manila.
Aw ah, indi lang manggaranon, well into helping educate the country too!
The bigger building at right is also a heritage house. It is called the "Anotnio Novela Sian House". Who is he, what about him what about the house? Aba ewan din. Basta me malaking bahay na bato rin sya!
That is what's missing in those historical markers. They don't say things about the owner or the house other than "declared ek ek, pursuant to ek ek ek" to which we, the visitors, would say "eh, ano ngayon"?
Update 2019: ground floor is now a McDo branch!
Anyway, after looking at those 2 big old houses, my trend of thought jumped into, well, 'big old houses' - which as you may have read in many of my previous notes, are some of the things that fascinate me.
And I instantly remembered a place that one friend told me about - The Mansion, a supposedly superb restaurant set in one of the heritage houses. I asked around, learned it was near, so I walked to find it!
Standing in front of this gate, I called up the friend who suggested this "dinner place" to me..,
I half-jokingly said 'what if the wait staff that comes out is a hunchback with eyes popping'? The reply was "te PWD na ay, let them serve you, let them earn a living, let's practice inclusivity"! And I followed that with "what if Adela sits with me"? We were loudly laughing and she said "ask her your questions"!
Ang ending.., I said 'maybe I'll just have lunch in this place tomorrow instead (to appease the friend) :)
Look at the gate. Those are sheets of Marston Mats, niftily fashioned to become the main panels, and painted black. It matches the "ancient look", all the more making me imagine creepy eerie things. Duu!
Hey, my nonsensical imagination about the place comes from something we could say as 'part of the Filipino Culture'! Have you heard about "Ang Balay Ni Adela" (Adela's House)? That is the one, mismo! Kids who studied in the nearby elementary school purportedly know about that story very well heheh!
Go ask around.., you will find that story about Adela almost like a "legend", or a "saga" or another heart rending love story that somehow stitches fact, fancy and fiction. Worthy of an era movie or 'teleserye'!
See? My "unfounded trepidation" of that place has a legit source naman pala. May pinag-huhugutan.., the sabi-sabi, the alamat, the kwento-kwento we eventually believe-in! That's already part of being us!
Update 2022: The friend called me up just to tell me that "The Mansion" is 'no more'.., it is instead now newly refurbished, with still a good restaurant (new) called Stephen's Balay Puti. She sent me pictures and links. Yes indeed it looks immaculately grand. But when she asked what I think about the place, I said "wow, it is now like a very bright... mausoleum"! Syempre ang final word... "ka-tonto ba la sa imo"!
Sorry to the owners, I do not mean to disrespect. I promise to visit the restaurant when I'm around the area (soon). And sorry to Adela. Please rest in peace and don't come visit me during the night, or day!
Anyway, those two old houses above, and the "encounter" with Adela's House, encouraged me to say "why don't I instead purposefully do a round of all these heritage houses"? Syempre pa, "kaladkarin ad infinitum plenipotentiary" tayo, so the better half of my brain immediately exclaimed "OKAY, SIGE GO"!
Unfortunately it was already dark. But I continued-on anyway, strolling, looking at big old houses.
Across the street (Jose Pitong Ledesma St.) from the above house, is this rather neglected one..,
Across the above house, on Juan Valencia St., is this, the Jose Corteza Locsin Ancestral House.
"THIS IS A HERITAGE HOUSE PURSUANT TO BOARD RESOLUTION NO. 3 DATED APRIL 6,
1993 OF THE NATIONAL HISTORICAL INSTITUTE OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPINES."
1993 OF THE NATIONAL HISTORICAL INSTITUTE OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPINES."
After I read that, and as I still snapped a few more photos, I loudly talked to my self (wala namang tao around me) blurting "who cares what number was your resolution and when, isinulat nyo dapat ano'ng significance ng bahay na'to, bakit ganyan kalaki, at sino si Jose Corteza Locsin"! Oops, I was too loud!
Yep, I guess I said that last underlined phrase exasperatedly loudly - because, as a tourist, I wanted to know the complete information ora-mismo. Nagalit na haha! But it triggered something fun and funny!
What I said somehow activated the google search on my phone (because it was too near my face as I took pictures), and it displayed a list of "results" not only about the person, but of the heritage house!
Da! So now I know, he was a Medical Doctor, Governor, Congressman, Senator, Head of NEC (now the NEDA), Secretary of Health and Public Welfare, Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, aside from also being a haciendero (sugar baron) with 18 children. Ha! Then I felt that house was too small!
Oh, the 18 children were only with the first wife. He remarried when she died and had another two. So that was a total of 20 children! Grabe ka-productive! Now I say, what a small house it must have been!
Eto pa.., as congressman, he was even part of those who crafted the 1935 Philippine Constitution. He must have been such a busy person in both public and family practice/service/whatever! Buti na lang gwapo sya, me karapatan magkalat ng lahi! If I were to face him now, I must say "grabe dok, ikaw na"!
Imagine that! Thanks to technology and thanks to google, napawi ang poot ko sa NHCP marker!
Anyway, since I was already facing the Jose Corteza Locsin Ancestral House, I continued onwards to my right, and I couldn't help but say, OMG this neighborhood, this must have been like a forbes Park of the past. OMG too! Walking amidst big old houses with no people on the streets, at dusk - kahaladlok!
The house beside, and across, and others nearby were also interesting. But it was already getting late, so I hurried to the right (Gamboa St.) so I could return to the church and find my way back to my hotel.
At the back of a big edifice that I think is their cultural center, I saw this.., a World War II Memorial?
Whether that corner has a WWII relevance or not, I think it should be moved to a more dignified area.
Anyway, a few meters more and turning right, I already reached the Silay City Hall..,
I have previously 'visited' this part of the city anyway, remember?
Tsismis 2021: I heard there is already a final plan to relocate that city hall, plus other offices to a new government complex somewhere north. Whoa! That would probably be near or beyond their hospital.
And a few steps more from the city hall, I was back at the San Diego Pro-Cathedral!
Oh, it's written in many write-ups that the beautiful church was designed by an Italian Architect named Lucio Bernasconi. But it was not as if he was just plucked out of Italy (by Don Jose Ledesma) to come build that church, then returned to Italy after that! He was married to an Ilongga and they lived in Silay.
The same accounts we see on the web tell us that this same Lucio Bernasconi was even the one who designed 'Adela's Masion' before he was asked to do the church also by Don Jose "Pepe" Ledesma, a Lolo of Adela Locsin Ledesma, the original owner of "The Mansion". Anak nya si Emilio tatay ni Adela!
I like this city.., replete with interesting stories and histories!
Anyway.., from front of the church I turned left on Rizal St. walking back to my accommodation for the night - Baldevia Pension - but let's talk about that later, I want to dwell on the good and wonderful first!
Before going up the stairs to Baldevia Mansion, that we should talk-about later, I looked up to see this:
Alright, let's cut it here in the mean time. But because of that short walk (bitin!), I decided my morning walk tomorrow should be consciously on the look out for more of those heritage houses and the likes!
Abangan ang susunod na kabanata...!
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