The Panares House or Casa Pañares, one of the largest ancestral homes in Barili, Cebu, was constructed around 1878 by Don Duterte Pañares . The first floor, crafted from finely cut coral stone, initially served as a copra storage area for Pedro Cui and the Pañares family’s ancestors. The arched coral stone portals on this floor were once spacious enough to accommodate a horse and are a mainstay of the ‘Bahay na Bato’ style of architecture once prevalent in the country. The main living quarters are located on the second floor, where the family engaged in their daily activities. Featuring Capiz windows, Ventanillas, and various other Spanish architectural elements, this house stands as a quintessential ancestral residence for Barili and the entire island of Cebu. Solidifying its title as an ancestral house, up to the 5th generation of descendants of the familty have called the house home. The house served as the Municipal house during the twilight years of the Spanish Colonial Period in the Philippines, in addition, the house served as a meeting place for the elite of the town. This is Casa Pañares.
The main inhabitant of this home was a man by the name of Mariano Duterte Pañares (1849-1911) who was also responsible for the construction of the home. He migrated from Naga on the other side of Cebu to settle in Barili. He was a businessman who dealt with copra and tobacco production and trading; he was so prolific in this endeavor to the point of being labelled, “The Coconut Kingpin of the Southwest.” His enterprises reached from the southwest all the way to the city where he was also well known for his agricultural businesses. The house is well preserved and continues to be used up until today by the family who has rejected many offers by businessmen to purchase the house.
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