Bernardino Jalandoni Museum — Attraction in Barangay II

Bernardino Jalandoni Museum Silay City, Negros Occidental

Also known as the Bernardino Jalandoni Ancestral House is the original residence of the late Don Bernardino and Doña Ysabel Jalandoni. The museum is also known as the "Pink House" because of its conspicuous pink paint that easily grabs attention.

The design of the Jalandoni House, with its square shape elevated by posts or stilts and roof construction, It is a Bahay na Bato which based from the structure of a typical nipa hut in the Philippines although the former is larger in scale than the latter. The two-storey house is made of balayong, a hardwood that had to be shipped by the Jalandonis from Mindoro.

In its interiors, the ceiling is made of embossed steel trays that were brought from Hamburg, Germany. The wooden transoms are cut out style or callado that infuses elaborate French design. Capiz shells are used in the large window panels for better lighting, ventilation and security. In the first floor, two carts and a horse carriage were on display as the ground floor used to function as a garage. Most of the activities were held on the second floor, and where most of the artifacts are kept. As such, the living room, bedrooms, kitchen and dining room are all located in the upper floor.

The living room and receiving area display an old Steinway piano, a gramophone, a sewing machine, an old telephone, and several paintings. Inside the bedrooms are four-post beds, chamber pots, and a birthing chair. The kitchen shows old items used for daily activities, such as the heavy chopped woods known as the prinsa de paa and prinsa de mano, as well as the round irons used to...

Prior to coming here, I went to the Hofileña Ancestral house. Can't help but compare the experience there which was quite engaging. I was accompanied by someone here as well but the guide barely had anything to share about the house at all! I was disappointed at that. All they did was point me to the different rooms, there wasn't even any story or input about the history of the house or the owners. Hope they curate the walking tour because that makes the visit much more memorable.

From the outside, the house looked like it's in need of some serious repair. I believe the ownership was transferred to the government but it doesn't seem like they are putting in money to maintain the historical structures in Silay. Inside, the rooms are still intact and you can see many of the original furniture used by the Jalandonis. On the ground floor are some carriages and another room which houses a collection of dolls. It was infested with mosquitos so we only stayed for a bit.

Car parking might be difficult, they allowed me to leave my bike on the ground floor. There was someone guiding...

On the outside it doesn't look much and even looks a bit rundown. Inside, you are on the ground floor where the carriages arrive and at the back are the servants quarters, it can look gloomy since not all entrances are opened. On the second floor is the main living area, dining area, kitchen & rooms, this arrangement is common with Spanish-Filipino houses. The whole house is maintained but is lacking financial reinforcement to fully restore it to its former glory. The volunteer guides are dressed up in traditional dresses, they are friendly and offer you native fans to beat the heat away. Overall, it was a...