When looking around the backroads in the town of Sibonga,Cebu I saw a peculiar structure which catches the eye of any traveler like me when visiting the town. A large house, which at first I thought was a government building or something of public use because of its size but turns out it was the noted Diez- Ortiz Ancestral house – a notable ancestral house in Sibonga. Most pass by Sibonga without taking a look at a Sibonga Ancestral House.
Located along I. Kintanar street in Sibonga’s Poblacion is the Diez-Ortiz ancestral house. Large and grand when you first look at it, this house can be considered as one of the larger ancestral houses in Cebu. It was built in the 1930s as indicated by a small plaque at the front of the house. Built with a L-shape floor plan the house is a combination of Spanish and American design. Its walls though bare of much intricate design serves its purpose. The windows are made of capiz shells and balustraded ventanillia are present below the windows to provide adequate ventilation.
A beautiful concrete staircase leads you to a small veranda where one can lounge and greet visitors. The house has also been mentioned several times in articles. Behind the house a lone mango tree was planted in memory of a deceased family member. It is important to know your roots and where you came from because those roots are what connect you to the past. A location,person or memory means nothing if there is no one to care.
Dear writer,
Thank you for your article on the Ortiz ancestral home.
Thank you for your support.
Was this house destroyed by the Typhoon Odette? I love visiting the South because of the well-preserved karaan na balay in different towns. Hope you can feature more once the towns slowly recover from the recent calamity.
Light damage from typhoon odette to the first floor. Aside from that it’s fine. Thank you for commenting