Old Houses and the Stories Behind Them

Tomas Mapua (yes, he was the founder of the popular engineering school in Intramuros) was the first registered architect in the country. Among the many noteworthy edifices that he built include the St. La Salle Hall which is the only structure in the Philippines to be included in Mark Irving’s 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die: The World's Architectural Masterpieces, and the infamous Herrera Mansion in Tiaong, Quezon.

The imposing structure was built in 1927 and there was an attempt to repair the timeworn house in 1950, but the mansion has long abandoned and decay has started to show from neglect.

The house was occupied by the Japanese during World War II. The stone structure became a silent witness to many events, features of a colonial past, occupation by the Japanese, and the damage created by the bombardment during the American liberation.

Its ancient aura plus its current state complete the recipe to what many would call a haunted house. Not a few would profess that they have seen headless Japanese soldiers, holding their helmets. Many who have wandered to the lonely street where the stone house is situated will tell you eerie stories about the headless apparitions of an ageing couple in majestic white slowly going down the circular steps of the old mansion.

A number of people have tried spending the night in the old, rickety building but were all unsuccessful. They will tell you spine-tingling stories about rattling doorknobs, doors that refuse to open, the sound of shackles being dragged on the floor and creaking chairs.

The last custodian of the house says he constantly sees an old lady in the customary ghostly white dress, white hair flowing on her shoulders, haunting the rooms.

Tomas Mapua (yes, he was the founder of the popular engineering school in Intramuros) was the first registered architect in the country. Among the many noteworthy edifices that he built include the St. La Salle Hall which is the only structure in the Philippines to be included in Mark Irving’s 1001 Buildings You Must See Before You Die: The World's Architectural Masterpieces, and the infamous Herrera Mansion in Tiaong, Quezon. The imposing structure was built in 1927 and there was an attempt to repair the timeworn house in 1950, but the mansion has long abandoned and decay has started to show from neglect. The house was occupied by the Japanese during World War II. The stone structure became a silent witness to many events, features of a colonial past, occupation by the Japanese, and the damage created by the bombardment during the American liberation. Its ancient aura plus its current state complete the recipe to what many would call a haunted house. Not a few would profess that they have seen headless Japanese soldiers, holding their helmets. Many who have wandered to the lonely street where the stone house is situated will tell you eerie stories about the headless apparitions of an ageing couple in majestic white slowly going down the circular steps of the old mansion. A number of people have tried spending the night in the old, rickety building but were all unsuccessful. They will tell you spine-tingling stories about rattling doorknobs, doors that refuse to open, the sound of shackles being dragged on the floor and creaking chairs. The last custodian of the house says he constantly sees an old lady in the customary ghostly white dress, white hair flowing on her shoulders, haunting the rooms.