Beyond Pahiyas and longganisa

These treasures, which are unnoticeable from the ordinary eye, are proof of the rich cultural heritage of the town first evangelized by the Franciscans in the late 16th century.

Lucban, a town located at the foothills of the mystical Mount Banahaw, has interestingly more cultural assets other than its famed Pahiyas Festival, longganisa, pansit habhab and the Kamay ni Jesus pilgrimage site.

These treasures, which are unnoticeable from the ordinary eye, are proof of the rich cultural heritage of the town first evangelized by the Franciscans in the late 16th century.

Fr. Felix Huerta, the famed Franciscan scholar, described Lucban in 1865 as a place of extremely humid and not so good weather, specially to the Europeans, with clean water coming from the Camatian River.

Huerta also mentioned the town had good roads leading to Mauban and Tayabas and the road leading to the latter has seven bridges, four of which are made of stone and the rest of wood.

The town also has another stone bridge on the road leading to Majayjay in Laguna constructed by Fr. Manuel Sancho and one of wood and stone on the road to Mauban.

Its church, dedicated to San Luis Obispo, dates back to the 17th century although had undergone a number of reconstructions because of parochial need, fire and the damages it suffered due to an earthquake in the 18th century and World War II.

Its ongoing restoration is being undertaken by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.

Running perpendicular to the Gospel side of the church, right beside its perimeter wall, is an old bambang or canal which separates the church from the nearby the Marcos Tigla Park.

From the park, the church can be accessed through a ramp and a flight of stone stairs with the last step serving as a puentecito or small bridge, a type that is rare in Spanish colonial Philippines.

Few blocks away from the church, on La Purisima Concepcion Street, is another Spanish-era jewel of Lucban — its Catholic cemetery with an arched stone portal, catenated wall and an impressive mortuary chapel with two belfries flanking its facade.

Puente de Arco. Lucban Historical Society

Still on La Purisima Concepcion Street, across the church, is the town’s Escuela Pia, which is now a government building housing various offices of the local government unit.

This building, damaged during World War II, was reconstructed through the Philippine Rehabilitation Act of 1946. This edifice has an Art Deco fence and two Art Deco iron gates.

Another interesting structure in town, which has Art-Deco elements, is the Missionary Cathechists of Saint Therese of the Infant Jesus on Bonifacio Street. At least one of its window grills and main gate are Art-Deco.

Lucban also hosts a number of heritage houses which date back from the 19th century to the post war periods. These houses, some in ruins, are not demolished but rather either being reused as commercial establishments or just left as ruins.

The 19th-century Doña Ana de la Concepcion heritage house located on Quezon Avenue was reused and now a branch of a popular fast food chain. Across it, the Nañagas house is likewise being converted into a restaurant. A block away is the Mostillos house which was also reused as a food hub.

Other heritage houses in town include those owned by the Cabungcal, Esquierez, Sanchez and Cadeliña families.

Cornelio Rañeses of the Lucban Historical Society (LHS), which recently mounted an art and old photos exhibit at the town plaza in celebration of the town fiesta, said Lucban still has at least four existing Spanish colonial bridges located in a number of rivers and streams.

These structures, all constructed in the 19th century, are the Puente de Binusuan and Puente de Banban in the Barangay of Samil, Puente de Arco or Capricho in the barangay of Kulapi and Puente de Margibolo in Palola.

The oldest, Puente de Tumuloy (constructed in 1835) and Puente de Princesa or de la Reina (constructed in around 1850 to 1852) which are both located on the old road linking the town from Tayabas, were destroyed by typhoon “Rosing” (“Angela”) in 1995 and World War II, respectively.

Luckily, the residents have a high sense of heritage awareness that they were able to save the stone markers of both bridges.

These stone markers are displayed in front of the reconstructed Escuela Pia, together with the stone marker of the Puente de Binusuan and the one belonging to the Puente de Banban, stored inside the said building.

In 2015, the local government with the LHS declared 54 structures in town as local important cultural properties ensuring their protection and preservation against demolition and other wanton human activity affecting other heritage sites in other parts of the country.