Ancestral houses of the Philippines or Heritage Houses are homes owned and preserved by the same family for several generations as part of the Filipino family culture. This follows a longstanding Filipino tradition of giving reverence for ancestors and elders. Houses can range in size from simple houses to mansions.
The most common houses are known as the "Bahay na Bato". Some houses of prominent families had become points of interest or museums in their community because of their cultural, architectural, or historical significance. These houses are deemed of significant importance to the Filipino culture and are declared Heritage Houses by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), previously known as the National Historical Institute (NHI) of the Philippines. Preservation is of utmost importance, as some ancestral houses have come into danger due to business people who buy old houses in the provinces, dismantle them, then sell the parts as ancestral building materials for homeowners wishing to have the ancestral ambiance on their houses. These ancestral houses provide the current generation a look back to the country's colonial past.
In 2009, the Congress of the Philippines passed the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, or Republic Act No. 10066, to strengthen the protection of the country's cultural treasures, including houses under Built Heritage. Ancestral houses declared as Heritage Houses by the NHCP are still privately owned. The government only declares the heritage value of the structure, providing funding for its protection and preservation. Ancestral homes that have figured in historical events like the Bonifacio Trial House in Maragondon, Cavite, or houses of national heroes of the Philippines like the Juan Luna Shrine in Badoc, Ilocos Norte are included among the categories National Shrines or National Historical Landmarks. Historical markers are placed on the houses by the commission to indicate their significance. The Philippine Registry of Cultural Property maintains a record of all cultural properties of the country.
Partial list of ancestral houses declared as Heritage Houses by the NHCP, some with declaration dates, grouped according to the regions in the country. Many are of Bahay Na Bato architecture.
In the Ilocos Region, the historic city of Vigan is the best preserved Spanish Colonial settlement in the country. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.
In Central Luzon, there are two historical town centers declared by the NHCP as historic town centers: the Malolos Heritage Town in Bulacan, declared on August 15, 2001, and the San Fernando Heritage District in Pampanga, declared in 2004. Malolos Heritage Town NHL
San Fernando Heritage Zone
The central part of Metro Manila was heavily bombed in World War II, destroying historical structures and homes. Some pockets of old homes can still be found in Binondo and Quiapo which were not affected by the war.
In the Calabarzon region, the center for ancestral houses can be found in the streets of Taal, Balayan, and Calaca, in Batangas and Sariaya in Quezon provinces. The town center of Pila, Laguna, with its Spanish and American-era houses, was declared a National Historical Landmark in 2000.
Declared Heritage House in Mimaropa region.
In Tabaco, Albay, the Manalang Gloria ancestral house, formerly the Smith, Bell and Company House, is a prominent heritage house.
In San Pascual, Masbate, the ancestral house of Lazaro family, is the oldest existing and the biggest house.
The Western Visayas region contains the largest number of ancestral homes in the Philippines.
Iloilo City is known as the "City of Mansions", having the most number of Heritage Mansions in the country.
Silay in Negros Occidental has the most number of declared Heritage Houses in the country.
Heritage Houses in Central Visayas region:
Heritage Houses in the Eastern Visayas region:
Heritage Houses in the Northern Mindanao region:
Partial list of ancestral houses declared as National Shrine or National Historical Landmark by the NHCP: