A Spanish-era ‘munisipyo’ is revived in Antique
After lying in ruins for more than seven decades, the Spanish-era Casa Tribunal which functioned as the municipal building of Patnongon in Antique has been restored to its former glory. It’s one of a number of landmarks from the country’s Spanish colonial era now being restored as the province aims to preserve its heritage.
Restoration of the former “munisipyo” was done from 2023 to 2025 through the efforts of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and Sen. Loren Legarda, a part Antiqueña who previously served as the province’s lone representative in Congress.
Originally built of light materials in 1841 and subsequently of stone from 1874 until the end of the 19th century, the structure is described by the NHCP as “a fine example of Spanish-era civic building that served both as a courthouse and an administrative center.”
The building located in the town center or población is made of unreinforced masonry and was built in the style of “bahay na bato” with neoclassic elements.
But Casa Tribunal had also served a darker purpose—as a Japanese garrison from 1943 to 1945. Captured Filipino and American soldiers were incarcerated and tortured there.
It was heavily damaged by a fire before the war ended and was abandoned in 1952 when the town’s new municipal building was built.
‘Difficult memory’
In its report on Casa Tribunal, the NHCP described the building as more than a historical ruin, since “it embodies the town’s cultural past and its journey through periods of growth, conflict and resilience.”
“As a symbol of governance during the Spanish era, it offers insights into the administrative structures and architectural practices of the time,” the report said.
“Preserving the site not only honors the town’s history but also provides educational opportunities for residents and visitors alike,” it added.
In her speech during the recent turnover ceremony in Patnongon, Legarda emphasized the importance of restoring heritage structures as part of the Filipino identity.
“No effort is too small—not a building, not a story [because,] to restore heritage is to restore historical integrity and national self-worth,” she said.
She also emphasized that the building “carried the imprint of a heavy history—but memory, no matter how difficult—must be preserved, for within it lies the truth.”
Church of diverse styles
Another structure in Antique restored by the NHCP is the Church of San Juan de Nepomuceno in the municipality of Anini-y.
Built in the second half of the 19th century and possibly through the turn of the 20th century, the church is of the 19th-century architectural style called “compuesto”—that is, composed of different architectural elements. In the case of this church, it was partly inspired by the neoclassical and baroque.
The structure survived a deadly storm in 1973 and, earlier, the powerful 1948 Panay earthquake—a calamity in the province’s history often referred to as “Lady Caycay” because the cracks left on the ground resembled “caycay” or chicken scratches.
The church underwent initial repairs in 2016 and further restoration last year—when its coral stone materials and parts of its windows were restored. The choir loft was also retrofitted while the interior, repainted.
NHCP chair Regalado Trota Jose said the church “embodies the unwavering faith and resilience of the local community, having withstood the test of time, calamities, and adversity.”
“It is not just a place of worship—it is a symbol of identity and continuity,” he said.
‘Heritage about clarity’
Legarda stressed the importance of these restoration project and of preserving identity which she said is vital “to how we move forward.”
“Those who reduce heritage to mere sentimentality miss its essence. Heritage is about clarity,” she said. “When we understand where we came from—what we built, what we lost, what we survived—we begin to understand who we are.”
Another important development in Antique is the opening of the provincial office of the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP) in the municipality of San Jose de Buenavista, Antique’s capital.
The museum, called NMP San Jose de Buenavista, is located in Antique’s old “kapitolyo” (provincial capitol). It is the second NMP extension in Western Visayas after NMP Iloilo was established in 2018.
