Architecture in Bohol: The Heritage Beyond The Hills

Manila, Saturday, 6 May 2006

The Man-Made Forest in Bilar.

Bohol is beautiful. Its beaches are lined with powdery white sand, and remain largely unspoilt by the junk and sleaze marring other more renowned island destinations. Its rivers, falls, wildlife parks and wooded areas reveal landscapes that could have come out of a fairy tale or a tropical jungle fantasy. And there really is nothing more one can say about the Chocolate Hills except that you have to see them for yourself.

There is enough scenery on this small island to make your jaws drop and eyes melt many times over. The people are no less of a treasure, the Boholanos are welcoming, courteous, helpful, and honest. It is no wonder then why the island’s popularity has been booming. The resorts are crawling with tourists, mostly foreign and wholesome, with families or retirees making up the bulk of the vacationers. Good, clean, quiet fun is in abundant supply, one of the most popular daytime activities appears to be lying down in the sun and reading a book, although more strenuous activities such as hiking, diving, and dolphin-watching also have their enthusiasts. A party scene does exist, but it’s not so in-your-face as elsewhere. There are a handful of hard-core backpackers hanging around, but most of the young people on the island originally came for more than just some R&R. On any given day you can meet German dental students on a medical outreach program (from whom one can learn that there are no Bavarian donuts in Bavaria), members of the US Peace Corps serving as school teachers (surprisingly game for in-depth discussions of Philippine society and politics), and young missionaries from Canada (very pious and very polite).

The Cloribel Residence.

The Boholanos appear to be truly mindful of the aesthetic value of their homes and public spaces. They all seem to have agreed to make their houses and streets as clean and pretty as possible. Almost every front yard is tidy and almost all the roads are lined with trees and ornamental plants. Most newly-built modern homes appear to at least acknowledge the province’s architectural heritage and try to pay tribute to the more classic structures by incorporating a few of their design elements. Boholanos seem to be not only very good homemakers, but good homeowners as well. There is a palpable respect for the gifts of the past, heritage buildings are preserved and cherished. While the distribution of riches may be not as dense as in Vigan or Silay, Bohol can still be proud of a lovely collection of stately old houses and buildings dotting the landscape. The heritage churches of Bohol alone are a subject worthy enough to fill entire books, or at least a separate feature. With all of its natural beauty it could be easy to miss the architectural treasures scattered throughout the province. Just when you think you’ve had your fill, out pops another wonder.

The Sala.

Driving through the island of Panglao, on the road from the San Agustin church, a vision of a gleaming, elegant bahay-na-bato, standing amidst a lush garden, surrounded by fields of green, is sure to catch one’s eye. Displaying true Boholano hospitality, Mr. Agustin Cloribel was kind enough to welcome us into his home and allow us to enter and photograph this as yet unheralded architectural gem.

The Cloribel house was built in 1926, and its structure was originally designed by a Spanish architect in the classic two-story bahay-na-bato style. The lower half of the house, called the zaguan, may have been used to store the family carriage in the old days. The main entry door is definitely large enough to admit a horse or automobile. The Cloribels currently utilize the space to stable their motorcycle, which is a favorite means of transportation among Boholanos. It now also serves as an informal receiving area.

The main living area is on the upper level. Large windows surround the second floor, taking advantage of the cool Panglao breezes. The window sashes still feature the original sliding panes of capiz and wood, ready to be shut tight during storms. Vents above the windows, protected by the roof eaves, let air in even when it's rainy. Small shuttered windows below the large windows, called ventanillas, are screened with grillwork and can be left open when the large windows are closed.

The Sala Again.

The family patriarch, Gaudencio Cloribel, was a respected judge and friend to such notable historical figures as former president Carlos P. Garcia. The chess table on which they used to play still stands in the sala, although because a few pieces from the chess set are missing, it now serves mostly as a coffee table. The majority of the furnishings around the house are original pieces from the 1920s, but since they have been maintained so well they don’t look like timeworn antiques at all. The Cloribels are particularly proud of their “programmable” piano, powered by rolls of punched-out paper, it’s a real collector’s item from the turn of the last century. The handsomely crafted wooden scrollwork, panelling, and hardwood floors seem to have come straight out of a museum, and go perfectly with the sepia-toned photographs, mementoes, and portraits that hang on the walls. Mr. Cloribel points out that the ceiling used to boast of ornate carvings, remnants of which still encircle the base of the ceiling fan. But before they had the carvings taken down, they carefully photographed everything in order to ensure that its original form may someday be accurately restored.

The Entrance.

Except for using concrete to reinforce the stone portions of the structure and upgrading the electrical wiring and plumbing, Mr. Cloribel states that the house has never really undergone any big renovation or restoration work. He asserts that it now still looks pretty much like it did when it was first built. The family has always taken care that the house stays clean and gets a fresh coat of paint when necessary, and that the grounds and garden are kept up and manicured. Although numerous members of the Cloribel clan have settled elsewhere or gone abroad, they still make it a point to come together at their ancestral home every year during Holy Week and other holidays, thus ensuring that the heart of the Cloribel house beats strong with the pulse of several generations.

Finding an authentic bahay-na-bato has become increasingly elusive, especially one that is still being kept alive by the original family's descendants. A lot of these ancestral houses are left to decay and be preyed upon by vandals and salvagers. The shared memory of the quintessential Filipino home, part of our national identity, is being worn away, torn down, or carted off to be sold for scrap. We must realize that protecting the legacy of the past is not a futile exercise in nostalgia, but a crucial task in defining our culture. The efforts of the Cloribel family and the province of Bohol show how Filipinos can live and progress in harmony with the land and its history. Sea and sand, hills and rivers, wood and stone, all these have come together in Bohol to build a place the entire country can be proud of.

Front View.

(Published in the Manila Bulletin in April 2004. Also appeared on the SkyscraperCity Forum on 30 April 2004. This forum has numerous articles on Philippine Architecture; republished here with permission from the author.)

Jude Defensor

What readers think...

Rica Cloribel Reyes Cruz wrote:

Sunday, 13 November 2016 03:33:19 PHT

Dr. Fausto: My Tita Aida Cloribel and her husband, Sheldon, are currently visiting our home. She has a message for you. "Happy to get your message, Fausto! I was Aida Gallares then was widowed and now remarried to Sheldon Kirstein and now living in the U.S. I miss you too. You can contact my niece, Rica via Facebook (search for "Rica Cruz") and she will give you my address and contact information. Take care."

Dr. Fausto H. Loquias wrote:

Tuesday, 25 October 2016 16:13:14 PHT

The mansion of Atty. Cloribel in Mohon Panglao Bohol and one of her sibling is Proffesor Aida Cloribel my piano teacher in Holy Spirit School from grade 6 to 4rth high school nasaan nakaya siya ngayon miss you Maan Aida!!!!

Ibrahim taha wrote:

Wednesday, 19 December 2012 22:05:53 PHT

I like the inner designs. As well as the wood works. It's realy wounderful....

Ibrahim taha wrote:

Wednesday, 19 December 2012 22:05:07 PHT

I like the inner designs. As well as the wood works. It's realy wounderful....

JR Rodriguez IV wrote:

Sunday, 19 July 2009 14:42:40 PHT

Hey there Paulie, Marilen! Chamie, kamusta ka na? Paulie, let us know when you get back to the Philippines. I'm sure we'll be seeing you then. Do you have FaceBook? Guys, join me, search JR Rodriguez IV. I'm going to Bohol tomorrow, July 20th, until the 29th. Me and my wife will be photo covering the Sandugo festival this coming 26th. Maybe we should have a reunion when you come here, Paulie. E-mail me your contact details, let's try to do something next year. 8-) I have more Bohol pictures in my photo site: www.flickr.com/photos/jrrodrigueziv/ Best wishes to you all, JR Rodriguez IV.

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