Saving the past for the future: Translocating ancestral houses for cultural preservation

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Horticulturist and landscaper Mike Asinas finds himself in a pile of antiques, collecting memories of the past and exhibiting them in a home that reflects a glimpse of history. His home is no ordinary museum, but rather, a pieced-together structure translocated from one place to another. 

The preserved Bahay San Pablo after translocation. Photo courtesy of Mike Asinas

A witness of time running, the now Bahay San Pablo was then an old, dilapidated structure covered in green moss. First owned by the affluent family of Brion in San Pablo City, Laguna, in the 1880s, the house was built mostly with premium kinds of wood and the traditional capiz windows. 

Bahay San Pablo before it was translocated. Photo courtesy of Mike Asinas

Bahay San Pablo, originally from Barangay San Nicolas, San Pablo City, was translocated to Barangay San Lucas 2 in the same city, where Asinas owns a decent space for his private properties. The previous and current locations of the house inspired the old sanctuary’s name, hence, the Bahay San Pablo. 

Dismantle, relocate, and rebuild

Asinas’ fascination with antiques inspired him to pair these pieces of history with larger ones — ancestral houses. Apart from Bahay San Pablo, he also owns Bahay Asinas, another translocated house, and Bahay Sto Niño, an emerging put-together structure. Both houses can likewise be found on his private land in the city. 

Translocation is the practice of relocating structures from one place to another by dismantling, moving, and rebuilding their parts. He shared that translocating houses was a risk taken by his family. 

“When we accumulated our antique items, we needed to house them… At first, we were just testing it… We tried to transfer the house and it came out relatively successful. At first, there were some errors, but through the years [we learned],” Asinas explained in a mix of English and Filipino. 

This created ripple-like conversations in the city, inspiring others to try, too. Currently, San Pablo City is home to a number of translocated houses.

According to Asinas, translocating houses takes around eight months or more to complete, particularly depending on a family’s budget to support the entirety of the process. Needless to say, translocating these old structures costs a significant amount, going up to millions of pesos. 

Translocation is a rigorous and systematic process. It adopts an important sequence of efforts. 

An infographic detailing the process of translocation. Graphics courtesy of Kyryll Navarro

Given that some of these structures are decades old, some even centuries, structural modifications are inevitable most of the time. 

“We made some modifications. We changed some damaged parts. So more or less, even though there are some modifications, we can say more than 50% is original from that house we transferred,” Asinas said. 

Despite the retrofitting efforts made in the process, Asinas pointed out that he strives to ensure that all substitute materials are from the same time. This guarantees, he argued, the authenticity of these translocated structures as they serve a greater purpose anchored in his vision of a well-preserved Filipino housing culture. 

A nostalgic spot where culture meets science

What was once thought impossible was brought to reality by a few who took an interest in ancestral houses like Asinas. Their practice of translocating houses is significantly rooted in their pursuit of cherishing and preserving cultural heritage.

Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, located in Barangay Bagac, Bataan, is a remarkable example of achieving the vision of translocating houses to safeguard historical structures. This resort is considered a cultural village after relocating numerous historical houses from different parts of the country into one heritage destination.

Translocated houses at Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar. Photo courtesy of The Urban Roamer

As Asinas took inspiration from the initiative of Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, he embraced his passion for translocating houses.

“We promote that activity in order to save the houses, the architecture, the history. That’s the only way for me and for many of us to save the house instead of just allowing it to decay, to rot, until it is totally gone.” 

Without efforts to save them, these structures are at risk of being gone, taking with them key events in history and depriving the future of the opportunity to behold stories from the past. Preventing this from happening is the exact reason behind the rigorous process of translocating houses. 

Associate professor Emilinda Mendoza from the College of Human Ecology at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), recognized how sustainability principles frame the practice of translocating houses. 

Sustainability here involves various aspects, including ecological, social, and governance principles. While it is commonly known for its ecological aspect, which hinges on biodiversity and the environment, sustainability also covers culture.

Bringing culturally significant structures to different locations for preservation is an innovative way to promote cultural sustainability. It enables ancestral homes to withstand extreme weather conditions and even climate change that are not as severe as they were when the houses were built in their original locations.

To emphasize, Asinas shared his encounter with a house submerged in flood water in Malabon City, Metro Manila. He took part in translocating the house to a safer location to save it from strong typhoons and the severe flooding experienced by the city.

“There’s power in having it (cultural house) there physically, not just in books, not just in pictures,” Mendoza pointed out.  

Ensuring the survival of these structures provides living proof of Filipino cultural identity for new generations to witness. At the same time, translocation also demonstrates sustainable practices by extending the life cycle of the raw materials used in such houses, promoting the conservation of resources, and conscious material disposal. 

Standing strong through time

Passion alone does not make translocation feasible. Without the durable kinds of wood used to build ancestral houses decades ago, there would be no houses to relocate. Molave, yakal, and ipil are among the known wood species that are commonly utilized, just like in Bahay San Pablo. 

Dr. Menandro Acda, an associate professor in the Department of Forest Products and Paper Science of the UPLB College of Forestry and Natural Resources, highlighted that the primary reason these houses are strong and firm is because of the properties of these woods. 

“Because in old houses, there are some that are still standing. The flooring, although they are already stained and weathered, they’re still whole. That’s because those species are naturally durable compared to wood nowadays, they don’t last very long,” he stated. 

Photos courtesy of the International Journal of Wood Culture

Molave serves as a foundation for structural components due to its durability and strength. It is composed of extractives and chemicals, such as resins, phenols, and alkaloids, which are resistant to termites, fungi, and Lyctus beetles.

The same high-quality elements are found in ipil wood, which is traditionally used for posts in ancestral houses. Yakal can also withstand the ravages of decay and is suitable for weather-exposed structures. 

Molave wood as Bahay San Pablo’s pillar. Photo courtesy of Raven Victoria Lucero

Accurately identifying these wood species during the translocation process is critical, as such knowledge underpins science-based conservation efforts designed to withstand today’s pressing environmental challenges. 

However, relying on the woods’ durability alone will not ensure the house’s sustainability. Proper measures and protection are still needed. 

“Even though they are durable, they should still be protected against moisture, against elements, and if possible, they can be partitioned, so that they are not exposed to the agents of deterioration,” Acda explained. 

Before rebuilding the house in its new location and after the woods are transferred, they should not be stored together with non-durable or termite-infested wood. Otherwise, they will be infected, affecting their quality. Acda also advised that the wood should not be cut into smaller pieces to maintain its longevity. 

In Bahay San Pablo, the molave posts are kept in their natural form. Asinas made sure to transport them as a whole, and simply connect another molave wood to fit the house’s height while being rebuilt. 

Another precautionary measure is to ensure that such wood is not excessively exposed to elements, including water, air, and sunlight.

“Those durable woods are not completely immune to deterioration, so if they are exposed to prolonged wetting or dripping, they will eventually break,” Acda added. 

With this, owners of ancestral houses should take precautions to protect the woods themselves. Proper maintenance of the translocated woods will contribute to ensuring that those houses can survive against existing natural agents and potential disasters. More importantly, these efforts secure the preservation of old houses in today’s highly modernized environment. 

Future of translocating houses 

Moving forward, as Asinas continues to practice translocating and putting together houses, he calls for support from the local government of San Pablo City to back such projects. He emphasized that mainstreaming the presence of such structures in the city can better build its identity and boost local tourism.

Further, Dr. Acda believes that having a place for wood experts in the translocation process could be vital for extending the lifespan of the house and ensuring it remains structurally sound despite the climate challenges of our time. 

The stories of Asinas and Bahay San Pablo serve as a telling tale of time, embodied in a dear home that carries memories of the past. The practice of translocation, as Asinas chronicled, is not only moving and rebuilding houses but, more importantly, preserving and sustaining a long-built Filipino culture. – Rappler.com 

Raven Victoria Lucero, Mar Jhun Daniel, and Kyryll Navarro are students from the University of the Philippines Los Baños.