When Gods Descend upon the Ruins of Talisay

Almost midway from Silay City to Bacolod, is a secret kept for over 50 years. In a clearing in the middle of a wide sugarcane plantation stands the remains of the old mansion of the sugar baron Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson. It was abandoned after the American forces during WW2 burned it down so that Japanese Imperial army could not camp in it. It was a secret well-kept and was partially restored and opened to the public only last year (one of the gods must have whispered to the local officials to share this to the visitors of the town).




Built by the sugar baron for his unmarried children and his wife, Maria Braga, who was a Portuguese from the Macau peninsula, the Ruins is inspired by Italianate and Romanesque architecture which was the fashion in Europe at that period.



The structure remained grandiose and majestic despite the ravages of war and the inferno due to the oversized steel bars and the good quality of concrete that was used in the construction. It is believed that it took two days for the entire flooring of the former mansion to totally become ashes because of the good lumber that was used.



Portraits of the clan patriarch and matriarch are hung on the mansion walls as courtesy and respect for their ownership of this majestic structure.



The side portal opens out to a courtyard, or fountain. One can just imagine the 'royal family' of Talisay entertaining their guests in the wide, open lawn.



The best time to come and enjoy the beauty of the Ruins is before nightfall as the setting sun casts a dramatic reflection against the walls of the old mansion. It is as if the skies have opened up and the gods are descending upon the Ruins.

How to get here:



From Silay Airport, you may take the mini-buses that ply the route going to Bacolod and get off at Bata, where a sign gives instructions to the Ruins. You will find tricycles near a residential area and they are ready, waiting and able to take you there. Half of the way is unpaved and bumpy, you'd think you are in the Rialto but be patient because the breathtaking beauty that await you is worth the bumpy ride.

Entrance to the Ruins is P50.00. You may also want to give monetary gratuity to the guides around the Ruins who are so hospitable and gracious.