Don't Look Up: An Accolade to Present Day

As time passes by, our present will gradually become part of our history. I became fascinated with the idea of history and the stories that lie with it. I am living in a country that is rich in culture and tradition with beautiful islands—the Philippines. Colonized by different countries: Spain, America, and Japan, each of these countries had left a shard of their rule, culture, and tradition blended to ours. It made our home richer with culture. It is indulging to look back at the stories of the past, albeit there are stories of oppression, hardship, and despair, there are awe-inspiring stories to reminisce to–the stories of hope, triumph, and pride of every Filipino. When I recollect stories from the past, it enriches my Filipino spirit of today and has made me fall in love with my heritage even more.

I am having an ordinary day. I opened my laptop, clicked YouTube, and scroll for a while, then I found a familiar scenery on a video thumbnail with the title “Masarap maging pinoy”. That scenery reminds me of the old Philippines. In this age of modernity, there are new trends arising and the marks of our heritage made by our fellow men are gradually dying. We have been dominated by the trends and culture of other countries; both on how we live our lives and simply on how we choose what vibe and mood our houses or our outfits are. From the minimalistic vibe of Korea, the colorful and fashionista vibe of Paris to the perfect American architectural design, Filipinos have been adapting to the trends worldwide. Upon seeing familiar scenery on a vlog thumbnail I get a nostalgic feeling.

Although we are too fixated on the innovations, there are also Filipinos that are trying their best to preserve our Filipino heritage, culture, and tradition. If only I could talk to them one on one, I would do it. One of these Filipinos is Jose Acuzar, he is a Filipino entrepreneur who rose from poverty to become one of the richest real estate businessmen in the Philippines. One of his estates is the only property in the country that is part of Historic Hotels worldwide. This is the Las Casas Filipinas De Acuzar, located at Bagac, Bataan, Philippines, which is the familiar scenery I found on the youtube vlog.

Formerly, Las Casas was just a private vacation house of Acuzar until it became a heritage resort and opened to the public. Las Casas Filipinas is a Spanish word for “mga bahay sa Pilipinas”, and in English, “The Philippine houses of Acuzar”. This lovely and marvelous place gives you a feeling of traveling back in time. It would give you a nostalgic unexplainable feeling where you get to experience the roots and culture before the modern age. Las Casas has 63 heritage homes and 34 structures built in the style of old houses and buildings. What’s even more wonderful is that these heritage houses were collected from different places across the Philippines. They demolished and transferred all the parts of the houses, then built it again on its exact image in Las Casas.

The houses in Las Casas were named after where they came from like “Casa De Cagayan”, “Casa De Batangas”, and many more. The houses are made of

Get to experience the old Philippines in

Las Casas Las Casas Filipinas De Acuzar

Rusky Zorilla I Writer I Writer

massive cut stones or brick walls while the upper floor is made of hardwood; this architectural style is predominantly what we identify as the typical Filipino heritage house. While browsing at the photos of the houses online, inside the houses you can find some of the original owner’s possessions, paintings, portraits, and even furniture. I can’t help but imagine how simple and monotonous life must have been before. The enthralling interior design of the house and the mesmerizing exterior design allows us to have a straight experience of the old Philippines.

Some of the old infrastructures of Manila in the Spanish colonial period were also being built again in Las Casas. Some of them were replicas of the original one which is based on the original photos kept by the National Archive of the Philippines, like the Hotel de Oriente. This heritage resort has a collection of 27 Spanish colonialera buildings spread over 400 hectares.

The resort has room accommodations, swimming pools, restaurants, and a beach. The heritage houses became the hotels that the tourists and visitors can avail themselves of. If you want to have a ride of a lifetime, in Las Casas you can have a first-hand experience of tramvia, calesa, and gondola rides while excursioning the wondrous landscape.

The history was kept. The stories, artistry, tradition, and culture of the Filipinos are being cultivated, enriched, and preserved. I am astonished not just by the heritage houses and a picturesque view of the place but also by the arts and crafts being showcased in Las Casas. They have shown Filipino artistry and craftsmanship through its landscape and infrastructures. What a beautiful reminder of how skilled and talented Filipinos are, for the past years up to this new generation. I watched vlogs and read blogs, from both showbiz personalities and content creators, showcasing their beautiful experiences in Las Casas. They have all shared the same experiences. They get to travel back in time and get to experience the colonial era. Las Casas remained authentic to its Spanish-Filipino roots.

“Pride in the past, hope in the future”. This statement welcomed me when I visited their website. I get to experience a glimpse of a majestic place: Las Casas. What a perfect place to add to my Travel Bucket List.

A perfect place to appreciate the triumphs of my country. And maybe, a perfect place that could somewhat reveal a piece of me. If only I could have a chance to talk to Mr. Acuzar, the owner, I would give him a tight hug and gratitude for preserving the old Philippines and for enriching our roots. There is more about the Philippines that we didn’t see. If only every single piece of the houses and structures in Las Casas Filipinas De Acuzar could speak, there will be massive hidden historic and riveting stories that will unfold for sure. I am intrigued by the stories that Las Casas will tell and maybe soon I’ll be there.

TRAVEL

Heave a sigh of relief, unwind, and let the cold breeze of Baguio City sweep your thoughts away.Amidst the pandemic, where concrete walls and bleak cities surround the daily lives of people, the mere thought of the cold weather and green lands of Baguio is relaxing enough to plan a trip to the north. BaguioCity CitySofia Madrid I Writer h has always been a famous tourist spot among the Filipinos as well as to the foreign visitors who want to experience its delight. Since the city became highly urbanized,

The City of Pines became the center of education, commerce, and tourism in Northern Luzon, making the city rather congested. However, the wonders of Baguio still prevail and continue to capture the hearts of its visitors, even when the pandemic hindered its progress.After closing its borders at the beginning of the pandemic, Baguio slowly returned its services to the people, but with travel restrictions.

Tourists can now visit, only when these travel requirements are met:

*Fully vaccinated adults with vaccination card or certificate showing the vaccination status of the tourist. *Must not come from areas under: Alert level 4 and 5, or ECQ and MECQ.

*Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated minors aged 11 and below may be tested upon the discretion of their accompanying adults. *Unvaccinated or partially unvaccinated minors aged 12-17 coming from areas under Alert Level 3 must present a negative antigen test result taken within 24 hours before arrival or a negative RT-PCR test result taken within 72 hours prior arrival. *Upon arrival, tourists must pass the health screening at the triage. *Valid ID *Pre-booking at accredited hotels in Baguio. *Register with visita.baguio.gov.ph at least a day before the trip. A QR-coded tourist pass will be issued after the accommodation booking has been verified. The QTP will be needed to enter the city. Registration will be on a first-come, firstserved basis.

Upon accomplishing all the city

’ s requirements, The City of Pines can now welcome tourists with a joyful embrace. Aside from the well-known attractions in Baguio City such as the chilling Diplomat Hotel and family-friendly Burnham and Mines view park, other spots can also be enjoyed in the lands of Baguio City. If looking for rides and genuine enjoyment, Skyranch Baguio is the place to go to. This amusement park is perfect for kids and kids-at-heart as it has a variety of rides and wholesome attractions. One of these is their famous Ferris wheel called the Baguio Eye. At the top of the Baguio Eye lies a breathtaking view overlooking the city. With such scenery, one can surely enjoy a day full of great memories. If, on the other hand, a more extreme adventure and experience is what one is looking for, then the Baguio Tree Top Adventure is perfect for it. Thrill-seekers looking for some fun will definitely enjoy this as it highlights many exciting outdoor activities. Among these are zip-lining courses with treetop climbs, trekking adventures such as Superman Ride, Silver Surfer, Canopy Ride, and Tree Drop Adventure. An indeed blood rushing and heart beating experience that will surely leave a memorable impact in one ’ s Baguio journey. The chill and cozy weather of Baguio does not only call for adrenaline rushing activities but also to comfortable and nature friendly places. Two of the popular places to unwind and feel nature ’ s presence is the Mt. Pulag and Mt. Ulap. Mt. Pulag, which is Luzon ’ s highest peak, and is considered one of the most beautiful and best hikes in the Philippines, will be a great physical and soul cleansing exercise as it provides a refreshing feeling to both body and mind. Meanwhile, the underrated Mt. Ulap, just about 40-minutes away from Burnham Park, also has a lot to offer—trails of pine forest, grassland ridges, and the occasional sea of clouds. A serene hike in these mountains will surely be breathtaking and memorable with its beautiful overlooking views from atop. Another location to turn one ’ s head in is the Tam-awan Village. This place is a must go-to in order to truly feel the heart and culture of Baguio City. A walk in this village can have a blend experience of culture and craftsmanship that exhibits the indigenous heritage of Cordillera. Tam-awan Village offers activities such as picnics in one of the huts, and traditional Cordilleran bonfire. One interesting souvenir tourists can also get from this village is a portrait of themselves, made especially by the resident artists. If a relaxing, quiet, and cozy place is the reason why people go to Baguio, then these places deserve a look. For those who love books, Mt. Cloud Bookshop is definitely worth visiting. With its cozy interior, works and books from Filipino authors, and Filipiniana titles in different genres, bookworms and tourists will surely enjoy this place. On the other hand, for those who like museums, BenCab museum houses collections of tribal artifacts, indigenous art from the Cordillera region, masterpieces from other Filipino contemporary artists, and collections of Benedicto Cabrera, the gallery ’ s main artist himself.