The Aquino Ancestral House

Last month, my dear friend, Rev. Paul Talavera, OP, invited us to their place in Concepcion, Tarlac. Several steps from their house is the ancestral house of former Senator Ninoy Aquino, father of PNoy.

We thought it would be nice to see what's inside. Luckily, the caretaker opened the gates for us.

The old house is 80 years old, its garden is still abundant of plants and trees and there's a small pond with a statue of a lady. (Click photos to enlarge)

Outside..

The main door..

Inside..

 Clockwise: (at the 2nd floor) bedroom1, altar, stairs, bedroom 2--the big circular mirror was so adorable!

 At the ground floor, this used to be the office of the two Aquinos- Benigno Sr. and Jr.

 Rev. Paul- the man in the mirror.. notice Sen. Ninoy's picture at the left..

 This is the small pond with the statue of a lady I mentioned above. Back then, we've been told, that there are rumors of a white lady sightings here. Apparently, the fence used to be low then and during the nights, one must have mistaken this statue to be a white lady. Pinataasan na ang bakod since then. =)

by the pillars..

***

"Like most important houses in the province, the Aquino ancestral house is located near the parish church, the Immaculate Conception, the town plaza, the municipal hall, and a public school named Benigno Aquino High School.

No Aquino has actually lived in this house for many years, which was Ninoy and Cory’s base when he was town mayor, and later, according to his younger brother Butz Aquino, Ninoy split his time as Tarlac governor between this house in Concepcion and the Cojuangcos’ Hacienda Luisita in San Miguel, Tarlac. Later still, Doña Aurora — or Apung Guindang to the townsfolk and the Catholic Women’s League ladies that she led to Mass — would spend time here. She was a beloved figure, respected and recognized by everyone.

The Aquino siblings return to the house on All Saints Day to visit their parents who are buried in Concepcion’s old cemetery, and sometimes on New Year..."


excerpt from here