Just recently I was thrilled to find myself inside one of the most beautiful and best-preserved heritage houses of Malabon, the ROJAS-BORJA HOUSE. Ascending the gleaming hardwood staircase, I instantly felt myself transported back in time to a gracious, bygone era.
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| A welcoming sight |
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| A quiet reading nook |
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| Charming decorative touches all around |
Pictures are not enough to describe how it felt to be there... as if Time had stood still in this house, and I was seeing everything exactly the way it was when the original owners, Manuel Borja and his wife Leona Rojas lived there in the 1920s.
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| Unmistakable elegance surpassing any modern architectural design you can think of |
The feeling of connection to the past was so palpable that, despite the din of jeepneys, tricycles and humanity surrounding it, inside that house, I could be oblivious to them all. It was like having Christopher Reeve's antique penny in his coat pocket in "Somewhere in Time" -- I was back in time and that was the reality of my moment.
Too bad, as soon as I stepped out on the sidewalk after the antique wrought-iron gate closed behind me, it was back to the 2010 reality of Malabon - more specifically, an unsightly concrete barangay hall that had the temerity to stand alongside and even block our view of a heritage gem!
Of one thing I am certain: even though the face of Malabon may have changed in ways that we no longer recognize, as long as we have our rich heritage, there is still much of her soul left to cherish...
My profound thanks to Dr. Zenaida Borja Gonzales for graciously letting me experience going back in time in their beautiful ancestral house.
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I am a big fan of period houses.This one is really preserved and well maintained. Cool!
ReplyDeleteI remember being inside that house every Christmas day when I and my siblings were young. My mother made sure that we visited all her aunts and uncles at christmas day. We made the rounds of all the Rojas houses then.
ReplyDeleteStarting from going upstairs and seeing all the varnished banisters and walls, I was really impressed. We usually end up at the dining room where they had this long and beautiful dining table and chairs and then they had this door leading to their big upstairs patio.
I will never forget this house and I am glad and very happy to know that it still has its grandeur.
Thank you Cecille, for your great work.
Tita Linda Crawford
Thank you for bringing us back to the days gone by. It gives me goose bumps to see these beautiful houses stood the test of time. I grew up walking past these houses admiring its beauty then and admiring more its beauty now.
ReplyDeleteGreat piece of work you're doing here. Please keep it up.
May, That makes two of us - I love these houses too!
ReplyDeleteTita Linda, so nice to hear from you!
ReplyDeleteThis house is really beautiful. When I lived in Concepcion I always loved looking at it whenever I pass by. It must be even more wonderful being able to go inside every year and have all the good memories of those visits.
Thanks for your comments and best regards.
Cecile
Nida, I totally agree with how you feel about these houses. Thank you for your kind words.
ReplyDeletewould you know of the background of leona rojas and the family she came from?
ReplyDeletemy great-great-great grandmother was placida de rojas and she was born in 1812 in obando. her parents were juan de rojas and victoriana de la cruz. trying to find links which can enrich my knowledge of her bloodline.
Mona, I'll see if I can find out more about Leona Rojas and get back to you. Thanks for dropping by and regards.
ReplyDeleteJust found about this site. Thanks for your effort in bringing back memories of Malabon. I, too grew up there, and my childhood is richer because of Malabon. But, tell me, can you feature the two houses that stood across each other on the main road (?) and Paez Street in Concepcion? I was very young then and did not know who owned these houses but I remember always wondering what they look like inside. Any clue?
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, you must be referring to the Borja and the Benedicto Luna Houses which stand diagonally across each other on General Luna Street. Please see my July 4, 2010 entry for the exterior shots, including the house on Paez St.
ReplyDeleteThe Borja House interior is the one I just featured on this spread.
Thanks for your visit.
Malabon's several old homes of historical value were well preserve. Most of the old houses were originally three-story structures, but because of the constant flooding, their ground floors have become useless as these are always submerged in water. Tourists travel all the way to the northern part of Luzon to see old houses when we have them here in Metro Manila.
ReplyDeleteDouble Glazing, I agree. Malabon has some well-preserved old houses that we can be proud of. We've also got fishponds and good food. We're so close to Manila and have the potential to be a tourist destination if only the flooding problem could be resolved and the right development/infrastructure could be put in place. Let's hope for the best!
ReplyDeleteMalabon has the potential in becoming another Heritage Town like Pila or Taal. If only the local government will do their share. Malabon is rich in Culture and History. It will be all a waste if these beautiful houses will not be preserved.
ReplyDeletePinoy Byahero, thank you for your comments.
ReplyDeleteYes, I wholeheartedly agree with you about Malabon's potential as a heritage town like Pila or Taal. Offhand I can think of two major drawbacks, though, compared to those two towns: one is Malabon's unresolved flood problem brought about by the Dagat Dagatan reclamation - which I understand to be mainly in the hands of the DPWH; another is that we are in Metro Manila (too close to Manila) and therefore as vulnerable to the same problem of unabated influx of informal settlers. Of course that doesn't mean we (both citizens and LGUs) cannot work more vigorously towards heritage conservation and environmental protection. It just means we will need to exert more effort, and our actions multi-pronged and more deliberate.
gud day!
ReplyDeletethis is geraldine cabualan intern of UNANG HIRIT. i would like to know the contact number of the person who is in charge of the Rojas-Borja House in Malabon.
I need your response as soon as you receive my message. thank you and god bless!
Geraldine - Thanks for your comment. Can you email me at mymalabon@gmail.com?
ReplyDeleteMs. Cecil,
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your researches in helps us a lot in our Malabon History subject.
GOD bless you and more power!
Johnrico Mallen
Johnrico - Thank you for your comment. I'm happy to hear that this blog has been helpful to you.
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