Vega Ancestral House
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| Vega Ancestral House | |
|---|---|
 Vega Ancestral House | |
.svg)  Location within Philippines | |
| General information | |
| Type | Heritage House |
| Architectural style | 1st Transition Bahay na Bato |
| Location | Poblacion, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao (Region X), Philippines |
| Coordinates | 8°44′36″N 124°46′37″E / 8.7433°N 124.7769°E |
| Completed | 1800s |
| Technical details | |
| Material | "Molave", "Balayong" and "Tugas" (Visayan) |
| Website | |
| Vega Ancestral House | |
The Vega Ancestral House is one of the earliest transition bahay na bato inspired structures in the Philippines, estimated to be around 200 years old.[1][2] The house is located in Población, Balingsag, Misamis Oriental.
It's sculpted wooden atlases – known as "otí-ot" in the Visayan language – supports the second-floor protrusion of the house. The well-known landmark is a popular tourism spot among locals.[3] Notable personalities including Emilio Aguinaldo and Sergio Osmeña are known to have stayed in the house.[2]
History
[edit]In the 1800s, Ignacio Juan Vega from San Nicolas, Cebu settled in Northern Mindanao in the town of Galas, now called Balingasag. Vega introduced the Cebuano devotion to the Sto. Niño to the townsfolk of Balingasag. Aside from this cultural practice, he also left behind a heritage house that is considered a landmark in Misamis Oriental.[2][4]
Though no existing documents pinpoint the exact year of construction, several attempts to document this house by heritage advocates as well as bloggers and local townspeople suggest that it was built sometime in the 1800s.
Features
[edit]
The house is designed with sculpted wooden figures that act as support structures for the protruding second floor. There are three wooden figures with one corner lacking such a structure.[3]
There are differing interpretations regarding the three sculpted wooden figures. Some scholars propose that they symbolize slavery, while others suggest they are inspired by the Atlas motif, depicting a figure bearing the weight of the world. Dr. Antonio J. Montalvan II, citing the genealogy of the Vega Clan, asserts that the sculptures represent the three sons of Ignacio Juan Vega: Santos, who was married to Valentina Roa and Juana Valmores; Pedro, who was married to Benita Salvacion; and Gregorio.
The house primarily uses "molave" and "balayong" wood. Large beams or pillars support the overall stability of the house structure. The walls resemble woven abaca, called "Uway" (English: rattan) in Visayan, and are colored yellow. The house still utilizes the traditional banggera (kitchen dishwashing area) as an air-drying shelf for kitchenware and utensils.
The uppermost portion of the house features a classical cogon roof. This, along with the emerging stone works at the bottom part of the house, classifies the house under the 1st Transition of Bahay na bato. The support beams are decorated with the chambered nautilus motif.[4]
Tourism
[edit]This heritage structure is one of the primary attractions for tourists visiting the historical center (Poblacion) of Balingasag.
Coffee table books and glossy calendars, such as the 2006 Shell calendar "Homes of our Heritage", contribute to the house's visibility and the municipality's tourism.
According to Ms. Nanette Vega, the local tourism authority has expressed interest in acquiring the house to preserve and open it as a tourism hotspot. The Vega clan has declined the proposal for sentimental reasons, preferring to maintain the house themselves despite the costs. The house remains open for walk-in tourists and visits by appointment.
The house's association with Maria Clara Vega Jimenez—mother of television personality Inday Badiday and Philippine Daily Inquirer editor-in-chief Letty Jimenez Magsanoc—adds to it's fame. It is locally known as the "Vega House," not the "Jimenez House."[2][3][5] Some mistakenly associate the house with the late child star Julie Vega due to her stage surname. However, her real name was Julie Pearl Apostol Postigo.[6]
Present times
[edit]
The house's first floor currently operates as a restaurant/carinderia, open from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm. Part of the income contributes to the house's maintenance.
Neighboring heritage houses
[edit]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]
- ^ "The Vega House and its "Oti-ot" Atlases". FA Magazine. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d Villa, Ninah (2020-04-26). "Vega, Lagbas, Pelaez Ancestral Houses - Misamis Oriental Treasures". Pinoy Wit. Retrieved 2025-04-23.
- ^ a b c "Heritage Structures in Misamis Oriental". Retrieved May 18, 2014.
- ^ a b Montalvan II, Antonio. "Karaang Balay: Shifting Meanings in the Heritage Houses of Northern Mindanao". MINDAyawan Journal of Culture and Society. Capitol University. Retrieved 20 Aug 2023.
- ^ "Heritage Structures in Misamis Oriental by Dr. Antonio J. Montalvan II. Heritage Conservation Advocates, Cagayan de Oro, Philippines.Published on January 10, 2006". Retrieved May 18, 2014.
- ^ "Talking about "Julie Vega"". Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-06-18.
External links
[edit]- "Weekend Getaway: The Vega House, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental", travel blog with photos
- "The Vega Ancestral House in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental", travel blog with photos
- "The Vega House: An Ancestral House in Balingasag", travel blog with photos
- "I love balingasag" photo