Bantayan Island, Cebu, is known for its rich natural wonders and abundance in white-sand beaches constantly being flocked to by locals and foreigners alike; however, not many take the time to appreciate the even richer cultural heritage hidden in plain sight. One of the treasures of Bantayan Island is the Rubio ancestral house located right beside the plaza. The home does not look the part, but underneath the more modern façade is a home that has been standing for nearly two centuries, withstanding all sorts of calamities both man-made and natural including: a massive fire that wiped out many other ancestral homes in the area, typhoons, and earthquakes. They have saved many antiques from other fallen ancestral houses ranging from swords, daggers, wooden chests, to rifle bullets and old photos. In these photos we see Enrico Rubio playing an antique accordion brought from Germany.
The house is not merely an old structure among many, for the family has taken efforts into turning it into a repository for the many artifacts which have been left homeless over the years. Before one can enter the home, one is greeted by the sight of a small gate with one small detail that adds to the character of the family residing in it — musical notes — this owing to the family’s love of music. The house has been turned into a mini-museum wherein all sorts of objects have been displayed in an ad-hoc fashion. Among the many pieces stored within are old photos of Cebu City, an assortment of instruments, and wooden carvings rescued from demolished ancestral houses in the area. Currently, the home and by extension, the museum, is closed to the public. Some of their pieces are on display at the Museo Sugbo.
The home has been the source of a wealth of information and has played an important part in preserving what could very well have been lost to neglect and the never-ending strides of time.
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