Lagbas ‘Ancestral House’ eyed as cultural site

THE tourism department of Misamis Oriental is planning to have the Lagbas Ancestral House in Sugbongcogon town be declared as a National Heritage Site.

The Lagbas Ancestral House is almost 100 years old but still remains standing in the land owned by the Lagbas family in Sugbongcogon town, Misamis Oriental.

“Ang (The) Lagbas Ancestral House has been there for almost 100 years and if you are going to visit the place, makita ninyo didto kung giunsa nila pag preserve ang ilang mga gamit (you could see how they were able to preserve the things in there). In fact naa mi gidala nga visitor nga (we brought a visitor) whose work is focus on a cultural preservation nakaingon gyod siya nga pwede na gyod nato siya i-aplay (and he said the ancestral house can be applied) as national heritage site,” Provincial Tourism Officer lawyer Jeffrey Saclot said.

According to Geronimo Magua Lagbas, the tourism officer of Sugbongcogon, the Lagbas Ancestral House, also known as “Dako Balay,” was erected in 1918 by Benedicto Labgas, the founder of the town, and his wife Buenaventurada Lagbas.

It was said that during the World War II, the ancestral house was used as refuge/shelter for those who were affected by the war.

It was also used as a temporary school for the students when the schools were destroyed during the war.

As stated in the National Historical Commission of the Philippines’ guidelines on the declaration of heritage houses, houses can only be declared as national heritage houses through the following criteria:

Age - These houses are esteemed for their age and for having well withstood the ravages of time. These houses must be at least fifty (50) years old to qualify.

Site - The site or setting may be urban, suburban, upland, lowland, or rural, and may be of environmental, historical, cultural, and/or artistic importance.

Representative of Development or Styles in Architecture - These are houses which represent a particular architectural style, form, or milestone development, revolutionary technology, relating to a significant historicoTHE cultural experience of the Filipino people.

Authenticity - The house should not have undergone any major renovation or modification that has altered its form, character, and style. A house, in order to be declared a Heritage House, should have at least seventy five percent (75%) of the original structure and materials.

“Since we are focusing now on the preservation of our culture and the arts ga-inventory mi sa mga cultural sites sa mga lungsod sa (we do inventory of the cultural sites in) Misamis Oriental. So we are still on the process of gathering data from the municipalities aron sab maaplay pa nato sila (so we can apply it) as cultural heritage site,” Saclot said.