The National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) will lead the full restoration of the ancestral house of Negrense revolutionary hero, General Aniceto Lacson, located in Talisay City, Negros Occidental.

On Tuesday, as part of the commemoration of the 126th year of the Negrenses’ revolt against the Spanish colonizers on Nov. 5, 1898, the heirs of Lacson formally donated the 144-year-old structure to the NMP represented by Director II of Visayas National Museums Ma. Cecilia Tirol.

“We take a monumental step in preserving a very important piece of the cultural patrimony of Negros Island,” Tirol said in her message.

After the Negrenses launched a successful revolution against the Spaniards, popularly called the Al Cinco de Noviembre, led by Lacson and General Juan Araneta, the Republica Cantonal de Negros was formed.

Lacson, a prominent sugar baron and statesman, became the first and only president of the Negros Republic.

His ancestral home became the official presidential residence and seat of government.

In 2002, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines declared the General Aniceto L. Lacson Ancestral House a national historic landmark.

Built in the 19th-century floral style of Spanish-colonial Filipino domestic architecture, the two-story mansion is made of brick masonry, dressed coral stone, and wood.

The interior and exterior of the house feature significant architectural features, including its grand staircase made of intricately carved tindaloo wood with stylized dragon motifs intertwined throughout the balustrade.

The second floor has 14 sets of full double doorways opening out to the wrap-around balcony, a unique feature of the mansion.

“Commencing with its restoration, we shall journey with you towards bringing back its central role in the Negrenses’ story and step towards building a better province that is defined by a strong love and connection to its roots and pride in its distinct Negrense identity,” Tirol said.

Named as donors were the heirs of Carmen Araneta Lacson and Ricardo Deig Claparols, namely the Javellana-Claparols, Claparols-Balcells, Medina-Claparols, and Claparols-Rosello families.

“We are the stewards of this heritage tasked with preserving this memory,” said Anna Balcells, who gave a message on behalf of the Lacson heirs. (PNA)