A Date At Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House

By Jeanbeltran // , , , , , // 2 Comments


Yesterday was a tiring yet amazing day, James and I celebrated the 35th month of our relationship and it was a lovely day to go out and spend the day with each other. We first thought of going to Taoist Temple in Lahug, I was still four I guess when I visited that place together with my family and the picture of the place is vague now. James has been there when he was still in secondary school so yeah, we planned to get there that day. Unfortunately, we have no hold of what the weather would be and surprise! It rained again, bummer! But my prayers were still granted because it was just a light rain compared to the other day's. So while James, I and her sister (yeah, he brought a chaperon, hehehe) were having lunch at Jollibee-P. Del Rosario branch, we decided to cancel out the Taoist Temple and just look for something else near our spot. 

The rain stopped before we finish eating but the sky was still dark and sad so we just went our way to this museum featured in one of those local TV shows we watch. We actually have no idea on its name, all we know is that it is near the National Heritage. So, from P. Del Rosario we walk towards San Carlos University and rode a Jeep route 01B to Parian. On National Heritage's left we found the museum itself!


Short History about the house:

The Yap-Sandiego Ancestral House is a Bahay na Bato ug Kahoy (house of wood and coral stones), located in the corner of Mabini and Lopez-Jaena Sts. in the Parian District of Cebu City. It was built during the late 17th century by Chinese merchants and is considered to be one of the oldest existing residential structures in the Philippines.

This was the house of Don Juan Yap and Maria Florido, the earliest known occupants and passed on to their siblings: Maria, Eleutorio and Consolacion. The eldest daughter, Maria Florido yap, married Don Mariano Avendaño Sandiego, a Cabeza de Barangay of Parian in the 1880's. At preset, this ancestral house was handed down to a noted heritage advocate and dance maestro, Val Mancao Sandiego and his wife Ofelia Zozobrado Sandiego.

The house was made of narra and other hard-woof and roofed wih wooden tiles was already was restored by Val Sandiego and was opened to public viewing last December, 2008. Since then, the ancestral house has been a tourist spot.


Camels placed outside were used every December for the Three Kings event. 
For Php 50.00 only, you can go inside and travel back to how the Filipinos lived 300 years ago. There is a guests book inside, everyone is pleased to sign in for documentary purposes. I checked the visitors and I was super amazed because there are guests from all over the globe! If I can still recall, I saw someone from California, Canada, Norway and etc. There are a lot of Filipinos who came to visit it as well, some were from Batangas, Makati and from the Visayas. The only info missing there was the dates when they visited place. I regret not putting a date next to my name, I wish I had. :(




Now here are the ancestral things and stuff I saw inside the house. Most of the stuff you can view inside are collections of the house owner. What I love about it are the paintings, there was this painting of four ladies in Filipiñana painted in the window wall. It was so nice. 


Most of the views inside caters old table and chairs. The lamps are also a kind of stuff that most of us don't use anymore. 
When I saw the lamps, I remember Doctor Jose Rizal's stories. That story of an insect which was advised by her mother not to go near the lighted lamp. I rarely see this kind of lamps now a days.
Another table with old stuff in it . The chairs' design is astonishing.
The painting above is such a masterpiece! Kodus to the painter, I never had the chance to ask who painted it but it was wonderful. I wish to have my picture painted in one of my future house's windows.
Old clock! This type is really old. There was a sungka as well and the glass with a printed name on it is a bit heavy. 
Lovely old stuff we found at the second floor, I saw three sets of sungka. Sungka is a kind of game where that carved wood and stones are used. We usually play that when I was still a kid, I am not sure if our new generation knows how to play that too, so saddening. I also found three sets of harp. I wonder how that sounds. Our ancestors are blessed to learn how to play it. It seemed to be an ordinary instrument before, if we can compare it to any of the instruments now, it can be compared to guitars.
Beautiful lights at the window stand, old kitchen stuffs I saw were the water dispenser made of mud.
Beautiful old glass sets. 
Photos of the house owner. There was no label on who they were but I guess they are the owner's family.
Different table sets.
Chinese stuff.

Nice chandelier and yet it is old with a Chinese design, look at the roof. The owner who restored the house constructed the roof himself with the help of a friend carpenter.

These ancestral stuffs are indeed our treasure. Let's help restore it by spreading the information about it. This is a worth keeping, a legacy we can pass on to our next generation.

Visit the museum today!

xoxo,

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