Weekend Get away

 Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar is a 400 hectare open-air museum and heritage park in Bagac, Bataan where neglected architectural pieces were restored by its owner, José “Gerry” Acuzar. The park provides restaurants, a beach, a swimming pool, calesa rides, tours, workshops, event bookings, and 27 Spanish casas (houses) that also serve as hotel accommodations.

Visiting Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar reminded me of Calle Crisologo in Vigan, Ilocos Sur as well as Intramuros in Manila because they capture the idea of being transported back to the Spanish colonial era. One of the effects of this 300-year colonial period in the Philippines was the influence of Spanish architecture. Filipino houses in particular evolved from nipa huts to stone houses (translated as “bahay na bato” in Filipino). A nipa hut is made from natural materials while a stone house is made from wood and, well, stone.
José Acuzar who is also the owner of New San Jose Builders, Inc. (developer of The Philippine Arena) transferred abandoned historical stone houses from Manila, Quezon City, Bulacan, Pampanga, La Union, Ilocos, and Cagayan to Bataan by rebuilding them to his heritage park now known as Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar.

  

Casa Binondo: built in 1890 and used as a school in 1914

Paseo de Escolta is a replica of Escolta buildings in Manila.

It has 17 rooms that serve as accommodations for guests. The rooms were designed by Jose Acuzar’s wife, Tess Acuzar, who is an interior designer.

Casa Luna. Novicio family of Namacpacan, La Union was the original owner of the Casa Luna that was built sometime in 1850. The original house in La Union fronts the plaza across St. Catherine of Alexandria and the convent and casa municipal. We explored the second level of the house where a corridor surrounds the entire floor. Our guide reminded us of the concept of the “Aliping Sagigilid” (hearth slave), the lowest among the social class of our precolonial period.

How to be an aliping sagigilid in Casa Luna?

The corridor, literally on the “gilid” (edges) of the second level, served as the walkway for the servants when catering the needs of the family and their guests.

Hotel de Oriente (Convention Centre)

CASA QUIAPO used to be in the University of the Philippines as it's first campus and now it's in LAS CASAS FILIPINAS.

It was built in 1867 and owned by the University's first director.

We dropped by La Puesta del Sol part to see some of the houses and visit the narrow canal that imitates that of Venice’s grand canal. Ancestral houses in Plaza Marcelino are also hotels in addition to those along the road on the other side of the waterway.

 

Casa Ladrillo was my favorite casa, appearance-wise.

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar
Barangay Pag-Asa, Bagac, Bataan, Philippines
Facebook