Don mariano marcos memorial state university Mid La Union

Campus
Collage Of Management
BACHELOR OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

LIFE AND WORKS OF RIZAL

MARK ANTHONY REYES

Submitted by:

AMOYEN, KARLA JANE E.

DELMENDO, MARIZ JHUNELLE F.
JURALBAL, BLEZY ANN M.
LUBRICA, MAEGAN
OGOC, MARY GRACE DE VERA
PASCUAL, ALYSSANDRA REIGN L.
RABINA, ANNA FLORENCE S.
RIVERA, JENELYN O.
SARANGQUIN, OLIVER G.
 Preservation of The Alonso De Alberto Mansion

The Alberto mansion is a historical house in Biñan, Laguna. A mansion which has
lived for over 200 years and was built by Lorenzo Alonso Alberto, the father of Teodora
Alonso and a grandfather to Dr. Jose Rizal. Built in the year 1765 and considered as one
of the notable stone structures erected in the town of Biñan. The mansion was later
passed down through several generations. Teodora Alonso grew up in the mansion. It was
her birthplace and childhood residence. The mother who played a crucial role in shaping
Rizal’s character and values, greatly influencing his ideas and pursuits in life. A mansion
that would remind us of the memory of a great woman and her contribution to Philippine
history. Although now, it is seen by opinionated people as a waste of space. Even though
it was in completely perfect shape before, it has turned upside down when the mansion
was passed down to a descendant of Teodora, who did not have the means in preserving
the mansion. It was a wreckage in the making, as it was slowly deteriorating as the years
goes by and only a few people seem to worry and care about what will happen to the
mansion. Various petition and campaigns was bought up and launched by local heritage
advocates called the United Arts For Cultural Conservation and Development (UACCD),
in order to save the mansion. Which in turn helped in garnering the interest of the public.
The print and broadcast media together with the local community also became a great
contributor for this to happen.
After sometime, a new law on heritage conservation was approved by the former
president Gloria Arroyo and signed into law on March 25, 2009. The National Cultural
Heritage Act which is now designated as the Republic Act No. 10066, a Philippine law
which states that structures which are 50 years and above has to be preserved if it has
cultural importance. Which made the National Historical Institute, now called National
Historical Commission of the Philippines to put a marker on the mansion, recognizing it
as a cultural property in the 90’s, but the owner refused. Even after numerous effort of the
local community and protest to save the mansion, it was never declared as an important
cultural property. There were various grounds as to why the mansion was never declared
as a cultural property. People view the reconstruction and preservation of the mansion as
irrelevant and unimportant, because it was only a mansion where Dr. Jose Rizal’s mother
used to live. The story goes that Dr. Jose Rizal’s grandmother, Joaquina Brigada de
Quintos was a woman that Dr. Jose Rizal’s grandfather had an affair with, because the
legal wife of his grandfather was Paula Florentino of Vigan who was younger by twelve
years, and according to Dr. Jose Rizal, his mother and uncle, Jose Alberto, came from the
affair of Joaquina Brigada de Quintos and Lorenzo Alberto, which some historians assert
that the siblings claimed legitimacy by stating that their lawful mother is the legal wife,
Paula Florentino. Others say that all the siblings except Teodora came from the same
mother, which is why Teodora had always been treated differently, like an outsider. That
was further proven when Dr. Jose Rizal drew a family tree showing the branches leading
to her mother’s side to be a blank canvass in contrast to his father that has his family laid
out. Was he trying to hide something? Or are we just over-rationalizing a simple
unfinished work? The mansion has been a mute witness to these mysteries. Whether it is
a story of unfaithfulness, betrayal, children out of wedlock, incest, conspiracy, family
quarrels, and attempted murder. It is certain that are shocking stories in the late 19th
century and even today.
It was only on 2011 when the Alberto mansion was declared by the Biñan Local
Government as a historical heritage site. Afterwards in 2012 the mansion was sold to
Gerry Acuzar of Bagac, Bataan, despite the citizen’s protest to sell and demolish the
mansion. The owner, Gerardo Alberto sold the mansion to Gerry Acuzar, believing that
the government will not be able to take good care of the mansion. Acuzar is the owner of
Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar, a resort in Bagac, Bataan known for incorporating
heritage structures from other parts of the country. The Alonzo clan allowed for the
house's full relocation to the Bataan resort but the move was opposed by the city
government of Biñan. The Biñan city government offered to buy the property for ₱20
million but the owner reportedly declined the offer of the local government. Due to this
event, Gerry Acuzar, started his plans to demolish the mansion and remodel it into a real
estate establishment. Which was later noticed by the local community as trucks where
coming in and out of the mansion every dawn. They then discovered that Acuzar
demolished the mansion from the inside, causing a stir among the public causing the
people to start a rally about it’s preservation.
Another reason showing that the destruction of the mansion was solely man made
was because they took away the ceiling, the floor and even dug out the foundations
leaving only the shell of the house. It was a total loss, because on October 21, 2012, the
roof of the mansion collapsed, which was a result of it’s dismantled interior that ruined
the mansion’s foundation. Why would Acuzar go to such extent and buy the mansion just
to ruin it then build a replica of his own when the mansion can still be restored back to its
glory? It was because the only way that he could think of to save the mansion from years
and decades of neglect is by transferring its interior to his estate where it can be taken
care of for good. Of course, the fact that he will earn from it should be taken out of the
question for the meantime, because Acuzar uses the money he earns regularly in order to
have the ancestral houses in his possession to be well maintained and preserved for ages.
A variable solution that Acuzar found, a solution that should not have been needed if
people cared enough as to what the mansion truly is all about. The people should have
cared for the mansion, maintained it and preserved it not just because they found out that
it was being dismantled and already in ruins, but because they truly understand it’s value
and significance.
There are various reasons and factors that shows why the mansion should be
preserved. The historical significance, architectural value, cultural heritage, and even the
communities interest. It holds a historical importance, for it was once a place where
Teodora Alonso used to live in, the mother of the acclaimed national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.
By preserving the mansion, tourists will be able to explore the historical context and gain
insights into the environment in which Teodora Alonso and Jose Rizal lived in. It serves
as a tangible link into the past, enabling people to better understand the personal and
familial experiences that shaped one of the most influential figures in the Philippine
history. Furthermore, the historical significance of the Alberto mansion lies in its
connection to Teodora Alonso and the impact she had on her son, Jose Rizal. Providing a
space for reflection and reverence for their contributions to the nations history and serves
as a reminder of the enduring legacy of the Rizal family.
It is us, the Filipinos who should broaden our views in the preservation of
historical buildings in order for us to have a connection to our past and help the people
today, and the future generations to understand our culture and heritage. The architectural
value of the mansion is also high for the style that was used in building it is very unique,
by studying its construction techniques, materials, and architectural details, experts can
gain insights into the craftsmanship of that era. It represents the rich history of the region
and provides valuable insights into the lifestyle of the people during the era it was built.
This knowledge can be utilized in contemporary architectural projects to preserve
traditional techniques and styles. If we understand the importance of preserving historical
mansion like the Don Jose Alberto’s mansion, it will enable us to appreciate our
ancestor’s rich heritage and fosters a sense of cultural identity. Engaging with this topic
offers us an opportunity to dig deeper into our past and comprehend the influences that
have shaped our present society today. In addition, by preserving the Alberto mansion, it
can contribute in the local economic development and tourism, because historical
landmarks often attract visitors who are interested in learning about local history and
culture, which in turn generates revenue and employment opportunities for the local
community. It is a mansion that serves as a window into the life of Don Jose Alberto,
granting us insight into his contributions to society and the architectural styles of the past.
An honor for his legacy and provide future generations with a glimpse into the cultural
context of that time.
It was only in 2016 when Arman Demaguilla was reinstated as mayor of Biñan,
that he once again tried to negotiate with the owner of the Alberto mansion in order to
buy the mansion, but the owner still declined, which is why he used the power of eminent
domain in order to expropriate the mansion. The expropriation process was delayed as the
house owners negotiated with the Biñan government. The city government later alleged
that owners were also having talks to another party to have the property leased for a
Jollibee fast food outlet. The Biñan government then filed a expropriation case in May
2017. The expropriation was granted by the local court in the same year, June 2017 at the
same time as the celebration of the birthday of Rizal. Numerous hearing were held until
the fund was enough to start the restoration of the mansion. The mansion was later
restored, to as close as the original design as possible by the same construction firm
which developed the Acuzar resort. The battle for its restoration and preservation lasted
for 10 years. It was inaugurated on December 6, 2019 by the former vice president, Leni
Robredo, the same time as the turn over of the cultural mapping to the National
Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA). After that, it was then opened to the public,
numerous people visited the mansion as their was no entrance fee. It was quite shocking
because before it was a mansion for the rich people, the illustrados, now it is for the
public. It can be open and toured for shooting as long as nothing is damaged in the
process. Although some people are still feeling regretful that the renovation was not done
sooner, only 10 percent of the mansion is considered as original because most of the
interior of the house was moved to Bagac, Bataan by Gerry Acuzar. The designs,
decorations, appliances and coking equipment's were carefully chosen to be put inside the
mansion, in order to let the tourists feel the influence of the Spanish era. In addition to
this, is the hospitality that the local community has shown to the tourists. The mansion
was open to the public until the pandemic hit, it was then made as a vaccination site for
two years, and now the city government is currently working on the curation of the
mansion for it to become a lifestyle museum. Although its still a plan, the city
government is in the process of allocating funds for this to happen. In addition, they are
also planning on hiring local interior designers that manufacture furniture's in order
curate them in the mansion. Even if the mansion is still not self sustained, donations are
open for the maintenance of the mansion.
The preservation of the mansion is a way for us to reflect the on the rich and
diverse creation of humankind. A creation that serves as the legacy that we, the present
generation have inherited from past generations and thus will pass on to the future
generations. It has served our society by providing reliable information of how its build
which is an important factor in creating sustainable communities and delivered great
social inclusiveness. Proving a fact that it is important to protect our heritage as it adds
character and distinctiveness to our region, community and society and hence provides a
sense of our identity. It is imperative that the government, local government, municipal
government, and others work together to develop a better strategy to preserve, protect,
and conserve the mansion's life span in memory of the sacrifices made by our
predecessors that strengthened our sense of national identity.
 References

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https://mikeegungon.wixsite.com/welcome/post/history-reborn-the-alberto-mansion-

in-bi%C3%B1an

Cinco, M. (2012). Biñan execs warn of rap over Rizal mom’s house.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/298756/binan-execs-warn-of-rap-over-rizal-moms-house

Cinco, M. (2019). Biñan wins 10 year fight over house of Rizal’s mother.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1201709/binan-wins-10-year-fight-over-house-of-

rizals-mother

Cinco, M. (2017). City seeks takeover of Rizal mom’s house.

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Online References:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sspe98fEjg&t=16s

https://opinion.inquirer.net/39532/crumbling-heritage

https://www.manilatimes.net/2022/02/22/business/real-estate-and-property/preserving-and-

maintaining-old-homes/1833750

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http://prieststuff.blogspot.com/2017/12/the-mysteries-behind-alberto-ancestral_26.html

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https://www.change.org/p/project-save-alberto-mansion-home-of-rizal-s-mother

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https://virtual.reality.travel/tour/the-alberto-mansion/

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/193260/bi-an-to-declare-house-of-rizal-s-

mother-a-heritage-site/story/

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laguna?recruiter=false&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm

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https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?

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https://experiencebinan.com/see-binan/

https://www.flame.edu.in/in-the-media/world-heritage-why-preserve-conserve-and-protect