Everything of great value needs preservation.
Being a witness to the transition of ages since it was found in 1850, the Enriquez ancestral house in San Jose, Bulakan, Bulacan functions not only as a tourist destination, but also, it still keeps functioning as a house.
“Hangga’t maaari pine-preserve namin dahil dito kami nakatira… mine-maintain namin na hanggang ngayon bahay ay pa rin siya,” said Boyet Enriquez, grandson of the Col. Vicente Enriquez, the real owner of the house who was an aide-de-camp of Gen. Gregorio del Pilar.
“’Yung mga lumang bahay, pangkaraniwan doon caretaker na lang ‘yung nandoon e dito hanggang ngayon dito pa rin kami nakatira,” added Enriquez.
He is also certain that the next generations of their family will continue to preserve the house because of its old age.
The Enriquez family is very particular when it comes to repairing because they want to preserve the original structure of the ancestral house.
“Kahit wala na kaming makukuhang kahoy na ganu’ng klase, ‘yung pinakasimilar na kahoy ang ipinapalit namin du’n sa mga parteng nasisira para ma-preserve ‘yung pagkaluma niya, yung itsura niya,” explained Enriquez.
“’Yung kitchen na puro kahoy na butas-butas ang sahig, ginawa na naming slab. Kaya lang hinawig pa rin namin sa dati, ginawa lang naming tiles para nagco-complement pa rin siya sa kalumaan ng bahay,” he mentioned.
In the present, some parts of the ancestral house are being used differently from its original purpose.
“’Yung parang anteroom lang siya na may nakalagay lang sa gitnang isang bilog na lamesa… ngayon e nagiging parang sala, nilagyan namin ng mga upuan para ‘pag may bisita may mauupuan sila,” cited Enriquez.
According to Enriquez who is also an architect, he has observed that the ancestral house was made of various types of wood which was probably a resolve to lack of paint during the old times.
“Sa dami ng available na kahoy, nakakapamili sila ng mga pupwede nilang gawin at doon ‘yun ang nagiging combination nila para maganda [ang] itsura,” stated the architect.
“Kunyari… ‘yung balustre gusto nila medyo dark, gagamitan nila ng itim [na kahoy]. Kung minsan gagamitin nila ng kahoy na mapupula, kung minsan madilaw, kung minsan maputi,” explained Enriquez.
Some of the woods used in the Enriquez ancestral house are narra, kamagong, palosapis, yakal and mulawin.
As various antiques and artefacts can be found in the house such as some documents of Bulakenyo hero, Marcelo H. del Pilar, it became a venue for field trips, for educational tours and for shooting of movies and documentaries. However, Enriquez said it has always been open for public viewing.
“Pinanganak ako na open na ’yung bahay e. Nu’ng maliit ako, ‘di pa masyadong uso ‘yung mga kawatan na ‘yun. ‘Di ko nakitang nakasarado ‘yung pinto ng bahay namin,” he shared.
The Enriquez’ grandson referred to robbery cases as the reason why they have to close the house during late nights.
“Isinasara namin ‘pag alanganin na oras… [pero] kahit sino naman welcome dito sa bahay e,” he said.
As the house attracts tourism, the family does not require the local government to help them in return.
“Nu’ng buhay pa ‘yung father ko, kung minsan kahit financial magbibigay sila para sa mga ganitong klaseng bahay. ‘Yung huli e ang alam ko technical ‘yung binibigay nila… kunyari igagawa ka nila ng plano,” said the architect.
Enriquez considered the recognition of the house as a heritage house as help from the government.
“Pero financially, hindi kami nakakatanggap at kung meron mang ganoong, palagay ko ‘di rin namin tatanggapin. Kaya naman namin siyang i-maintain ng kami lang,” he reasoned.
Vicente “Bong” Enriquez, brother of Boyet Enriquez and namesake of their grandfather, is a heritage advocate and director of VSE Productions who holds plays in the ancestral house. Their mother is the late food historian, Milagros Enriquez.
While the Enriquez family values the heritage and antiquity of the ancestral house, according to Alex Balagtas, cluster head of Bulacan and Zambales provinces, many ancestral houses are being sold or abandoned.
Balagtas emphasized on the importance of local government units’ initiative in preserving and protecting these ancestral houses.
“Kulang tayo sa legislation. Dapat mayroong ipinapasa ang local councils na mga batas in support of national laws,” said Balagtas.
“Dapat gumawa sila ng ordinances… magbigay sila ng incentives,” added the cluster head.
The National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 or the Republic Act No. 10066 was passed by the Congress to protect and to preserve heritage houses in the country however, Balagtas said local government units do not exert much effort in implementing this law.
“’Di sapat ‘yung batas. Pagdating sa baba, ‘di naman ipinaiimplement,” said Balagtas expressing his disappointment.
Balagtas also cited other ways on how to protect these heritage houses.
“May isang option pa, bilhin ng gobyerno kung may pondo,” the historical commission officer mentioned.
Another way, according to Balagtas is lobbying by the historical commission like what they did in the MERALCO building in Malolos, wherein they asked the Lopez family not to demolish the house, but to just restore it.
In their part, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) offers technical support to the families owning the heritage houses.
Among the other ancestral houses in Bulakan, Bulacan are the Lava ancestral house and the Rodrigo ancestral house which was recently marked by the NHCP.
More photos inside and outside the Enriquez ancestral house below:
Being a witness to the transition of ages since it was found in 1850, the Enriquez ancestral house in San Jose, Bulakan, Bulacan functions not only as a tourist destination, but also, it still keeps functioning as a house.
“Hangga’t maaari pine-preserve namin dahil dito kami nakatira… mine-maintain namin na hanggang ngayon bahay ay pa rin siya,” said Boyet Enriquez, grandson of the Col. Vicente Enriquez, the real owner of the house who was an aide-de-camp of Gen. Gregorio del Pilar.
“’Yung mga lumang bahay, pangkaraniwan doon caretaker na lang ‘yung nandoon e dito hanggang ngayon dito pa rin kami nakatira,” added Enriquez.
He is also certain that the next generations of their family will continue to preserve the house because of its old age.
The Enriquez family is very particular when it comes to repairing because they want to preserve the original structure of the ancestral house.
“Kahit wala na kaming makukuhang kahoy na ganu’ng klase, ‘yung pinakasimilar na kahoy ang ipinapalit namin du’n sa mga parteng nasisira para ma-preserve ‘yung pagkaluma niya, yung itsura niya,” explained Enriquez.
“’Yung kitchen na puro kahoy na butas-butas ang sahig, ginawa na naming slab. Kaya lang hinawig pa rin namin sa dati, ginawa lang naming tiles para nagco-complement pa rin siya sa kalumaan ng bahay,” he mentioned.
In the present, some parts of the ancestral house are being used differently from its original purpose.
“’Yung parang anteroom lang siya na may nakalagay lang sa gitnang isang bilog na lamesa… ngayon e nagiging parang sala, nilagyan namin ng mga upuan para ‘pag may bisita may mauupuan sila,” cited Enriquez.
According to Enriquez who is also an architect, he has observed that the ancestral house was made of various types of wood which was probably a resolve to lack of paint during the old times.
“Sa dami ng available na kahoy, nakakapamili sila ng mga pupwede nilang gawin at doon ‘yun ang nagiging combination nila para maganda [ang] itsura,” stated the architect.
“Kunyari… ‘yung balustre gusto nila medyo dark, gagamitan nila ng itim [na kahoy]. Kung minsan gagamitin nila ng kahoy na mapupula, kung minsan madilaw, kung minsan maputi,” explained Enriquez.
Some of the woods used in the Enriquez ancestral house are narra, kamagong, palosapis, yakal and mulawin.
As various antiques and artefacts can be found in the house such as some documents of Bulakenyo hero, Marcelo H. del Pilar, it became a venue for field trips, for educational tours and for shooting of movies and documentaries. However, Enriquez said it has always been open for public viewing.
“Pinanganak ako na open na ’yung bahay e. Nu’ng maliit ako, ‘di pa masyadong uso ‘yung mga kawatan na ‘yun. ‘Di ko nakitang nakasarado ‘yung pinto ng bahay namin,” he shared.
The Enriquez’ grandson referred to robbery cases as the reason why they have to close the house during late nights.
“Isinasara namin ‘pag alanganin na oras… [pero] kahit sino naman welcome dito sa bahay e,” he said.
As the house attracts tourism, the family does not require the local government to help them in return.
“Nu’ng buhay pa ‘yung father ko, kung minsan kahit financial magbibigay sila para sa mga ganitong klaseng bahay. ‘Yung huli e ang alam ko technical ‘yung binibigay nila… kunyari igagawa ka nila ng plano,” said the architect.
Enriquez considered the recognition of the house as a heritage house as help from the government.
“Pero financially, hindi kami nakakatanggap at kung meron mang ganoong, palagay ko ‘di rin namin tatanggapin. Kaya naman namin siyang i-maintain ng kami lang,” he reasoned.
Vicente “Bong” Enriquez, brother of Boyet Enriquez and namesake of their grandfather, is a heritage advocate and director of VSE Productions who holds plays in the ancestral house. Their mother is the late food historian, Milagros Enriquez.
While the Enriquez family values the heritage and antiquity of the ancestral house, according to Alex Balagtas, cluster head of Bulacan and Zambales provinces, many ancestral houses are being sold or abandoned.
Balagtas emphasized on the importance of local government units’ initiative in preserving and protecting these ancestral houses.
“Kulang tayo sa legislation. Dapat mayroong ipinapasa ang local councils na mga batas in support of national laws,” said Balagtas.
“Dapat gumawa sila ng ordinances… magbigay sila ng incentives,” added the cluster head.
The National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009 or the Republic Act No. 10066 was passed by the Congress to protect and to preserve heritage houses in the country however, Balagtas said local government units do not exert much effort in implementing this law.
“’Di sapat ‘yung batas. Pagdating sa baba, ‘di naman ipinaiimplement,” said Balagtas expressing his disappointment.
Balagtas also cited other ways on how to protect these heritage houses.
“May isang option pa, bilhin ng gobyerno kung may pondo,” the historical commission officer mentioned.
Another way, according to Balagtas is lobbying by the historical commission like what they did in the MERALCO building in Malolos, wherein they asked the Lopez family not to demolish the house, but to just restore it.
In their part, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) offers technical support to the families owning the heritage houses.
Among the other ancestral houses in Bulakan, Bulacan are the Lava ancestral house and the Rodrigo ancestral house which was recently marked by the NHCP.
More photos inside and outside the Enriquez ancestral house below: