"Numerous ancestral building materials which are mainly retrieved from old Spanish mansions mostly located in the North as well as other parts of the Philippines are newly arrived. Such items we carry dates back from 15th century, includes all authentic inventory of assorted HARDWOOD PLANKS and BEAMS, ADOBE, BRICK, PIEDRA CHINA, ROOF TILES, FLOOR TILES, ANTIQUE PIECES and many more. Check out this website to see what I am talking about... you will be amazed."
I checked the website at http://www.malatumbaga.com and I was not amazed. I was shocked! The last paragraph in the website gave me the goosebumps. It reads...
"Over the last decade some prominent magazines and newspapers... have featured about our special effort and labor of love for restoration and preservation of antiques and ancestral heritage in the Philippines."
And since when did preserving Philippine heritage mean taking apart centuries-old ancestral mansions to sell for scrap?
We're trying to preserve old structures but if we allow people to buy old building materials, dealers would then scavenge for rundown or possibly even well-maintained heritage buildings and take them to pieces in order to meet the demand. In fact, the statement "Let me help you find those pieces that will add character, beauty, and personality to your project!" says it all. It's tantamount to saying "Let me find a heritage structure to take apart so that I could find you those pieces that you need."
I say this for all dealers of old house parts in general. I'd salute these companies if they instead promoted the use of replicas of old house parts rather than the originals.
8 comments:
gudday!
It seems you've been to many heritage sites in the philippines. And I'm glad you've created a blog for this and your personal experiences during your travels.
I just want to ask if you have any information about the old-spanish towns in the country, which were planned according to the 'Laws of the Indies.'Any info., may help me in my project. Thank you very much. Godbless.
Hi Ivan, Thea here from Kalayaan 1997-1998. Saw your blog on yahoo groups. Wow you've been around the Philippines. I love your blog!!!! Me im blogging about American Ido haha :)
The man who owns that company is a guy named John Canterbury.
He restored many houses in Vigan and has done work for the Singsons.
He was also a member of the Heritage Conservation Society and has built a beautiful replica of a Vigan house in Alabang.
Why don't you call him up and ask what he is about before defaming his company on your blog.
I hope you hadn't commented anonymously so that I could address the issue face to face. So he restores houses in Vigan and has a replica of an old house in Alabang. But it does not erase the fact that to deal in old house parts, he has to take apart other structures in the process. I think that it would be better to restore old structures using new materials rather than getting pieces from other structures since doing that promotes the sale of ancestral houses.
It also promotes the use of old house parts on new houses, especially where people could afford it such as in gated subdivisions which the public has no access to. I'd salute Mr. Canterbury if he promoted the use of replicas of house parts rather than the originals.
Again this is my opinion. It just so happened that the company was promoting its wares on the net. And I speak about dealers of old house parts in general.
These old houses are best left where they are, in old poblacions where the Filipino nation could appreciate them.
My dear Ivan, such is the fate of the past here in the Philippines... *pats back*
Several of our well-loved family "bahay-na-bato" have disappeared because of one reason or the other: The guest [twin] house of the fabled Arnedo-Sioco ["La Sulipena"] in Sulipan, built in 1870 [the main house was built in 1848], was sold off to the Macam and transferred to adjacent Calumpit, Bulacan in 1911. As the Abela-Macam, it was demolished in the late 1990s. The one-block Gonzalez-de los Angeles in Baliuag, Bulacan, built ca. 1850s, was demolished PreWar and the property subsequently sold PostWar to the "Iglesia ni Cristo." The Armayan Espiritu-Macam in Sitio Alauli, San Vicente [Apalit], the original home of "Apung Iro," built ca. 1820s, was damaged by a typhoon PreWar, demolished, and the property subsequently sold [to Domingo Lee who set up his Central Fermentation Industries there]. At least eight "bahay-na-bato" belonging to various Arnedo, Sioco, Tanjutco, Mercado, Espiritu, Carlos, et. al. were destroyed for the construction of the Apalit Canal [to Manila Bay] PreWar. The Gonzalez-Sioco in Sulipan, built in 1881, was destroyed by American bombs in 1944. The Sioco-Rodriguez [later the Escaler-Sioco] in Sulipan, built in 1830, was neglected by the Fernandez-Escaler heirs, dismembered, and finally sold for scrap in 1988. The Rodriguez-Tuason-Bautista in Bacolor, built in 1830, was perfectly preserved by the Rodriguezes until it was inundated by lahar in 1995. The Buencamino-Arnedo [later the Arnedo-Espiritu, and then Saint Peter's Mission House] in adjacent Capalangan, built in 1870, burned down because of faulty electrical wiring [unrepaired because of feuding family factions :P] in 2002.
"Sic transit gloria mundi." :P
Was just watching a program last night on BBC2 called 'Restoration Village.' It's sort of like a reality tv show where the public is presented with various heritage sites in need of funding. The history and the community are integral to the site's importance. Most of them are located in the rural areas. The site that gets the most votes gets the funding for its restoration and preservation.
While watching it, I just thought that it was a brilliant idea to pair heritage with entertainment! I wish we could do something like that for the Philippines! Of course I am being very idealistic about the whole thing, but there's still hope!
Hi Mr. Ivan! I would like to know what is your opinion about Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bataan.
Transferring a heritage house violates international standards on heritage conservation. And with RA10066, it also violates the law. Save the Alberto House!
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