A glimpse into history: DOT’s Taal Heritage Tour

Built in 1970, the Villavicencio “Wedding Gift House” was Don Eulalio Villavicencio to his wife Doña Gliceria Marella y Legaspi for their wedding the following year. —Photo courtesy of Luisa Cabato/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — I never thought I would be able to go back in time—but I did.

It was a scorching Friday in Taal, Batangas, and was also the last day of our tour organized by the Department of Tourism (DOT).

All the guests—diplomats from neighboring countries, local officials of the province, staff from DOT regional offices, and media—were endlessly fanning themselves and wiping away sweat from the 3 o’clock sun as we walked for our Taal Heritage Tour.

READ: How Taal ‘bahay-na-bato’ is made to live into 2020 and beyond

Our royal blue shirt with “Love the Philippines” writings and our large straw hat made it very obvious to the locals that we were tourists exploring their quiet town.

In the back of my mind, I thought, “Batangas has indeed so much more to offer aside from its stunning beaches.”

Seeing structures with Spanish-style architecture was not new to me—after all, Intramuros is just a few minutes away from my house. But it was my first time stepping inside houses that were centuries old.

Our first stop—the Villavicencio “Wedding Gift House” in Marella Street.

This lavish wedding gift was a present of Don Eulalio Villavicencio to his wife Doña Gliceria Marella y Legaspi for their wedding in 1871. Built a year before it was gifted, this bahay-na-bato was also where the Luna brothers stayed while soliciting contributions throughout Batangas for the Propaganda Movement in the 1890s.

The Villavicencios donated P18,000 to the movement, and in return, Juan Luna gifted the couple their portraits.

The blue-and-yellow facade and floriated walls gave the house a vibrant and feminine look, as I would describe it. Framed pictures of the people who once lived there hung on the walls, a memento of those who once called it their home.

The Villavicencio “Wedding Gift House” boasts large capiz windows and Molave wood flooring.

Like the old houses often featured on TV, the Villavicencio “Wedding Gift House” boasts large capiz windows and Molave wood flooring. According to our tour guide, the larger the planks, the wealthier the family.

READ: Taal heritage advocates fume over ‘desecration’

The Casa Villavicencio was where the Villavicencios moved and spent the rest of their lives. —Photo courtesy of Luisa Cabato/INQUIRER.net

Next door was the Casa Villavicencio, which was the main house of the Villavicencios.

What struck me most was the abundance of capiz windows for ventilation—a signature feature of a bahay-na-bato.

One of its widest windows offered a view of the ocean to the left and lush trees to the right. From there, I gazed at the same view that Villavicencios had seen—only a timeline apart.

The house’s ceiling, our tour guide pointed out, was one of the most well-preserved among old houses in the town. I could not help but wonder about the laughter and tears that it had silently witnessed.

Casa Villavicencio was also the secret meeting place of prominent Katipunero figures such as Andres Bonifacio, Miguel Malvar, Felipe Calderon, and their men. This was where they plotted the fight for freedom from Spain.

Casa Villavicencio was also the secret meeting place of prominent Katipunero figures.

As we immersed ourselves in the rich history of the Casa Villavicencio, I realized how this experience must have been doubly exciting for the foreign envoys on our tour.

The admiration was apparent on their faces, and as they took countless photos and videos to look back on their way home.

READ: Homebound: Take a heritage tour around Binondo and Taal

Vietnamese Ambassador to the Philippines Lai Thai Binh described the town as rich in culture, mixing between the Spanish and the Philippine origins.

He told me it demonstrates the fact that the Philippines is preserving the “ideas, the interactions, and other heritage” of our ancestors, especially during the era that helped shape our nation.

Sri Lankan Ambassador to the Philippines Chanaka Talpahewa tried on a traditional “don” outfit complete with a cane and hat and posed for a photo. —Photo courtesy of Luisa Cabato/INQUIRER.net

One of the highlights of our tour was when Sri Lankan Ambassador to the Philippines Chanaka Talpahewa tried on a traditional “don” outfit complete with a cane and hat at the Casa Recuerdos de Taal.

This 1900s house, with its wooden floors, ceilings, and capiz windows, was the last stop on our Taal Heritage Tour.

Hours went by quickly after that. On our way back to Manila, despite being exhausted from all the activities, I could not bring myself to fall asleep in the van.

As I gazed through the skyscrapers of Metro Manila, I wondered, did it ever occur to people who lived in the Villavicencio “Wedding Gift House,” Casa Villavicencio, and Casa Recuerdos de Taal that future generations of Filipinos—and even foreign dignitaries—would one day visit their home?