A peek at our glorious past in Sariaya
MANILA, Philippines - Fashion designer and costume specialist Lito Perez has added another ancestral home to his array of restored properties being regenerated in the interest of promoting cultural tourism.
The Rodriguez-Veloso mansion in Sariaya stands proudly welcoming visitors seeking a day tour in southern Tagalog, particularly those visiting Laguna and Quezon.
Perez was tapped by the Veloso family to utilize the property in helping foreign and local tourists learn more about our glorious past through living history tours.
With its high ceilings, ornate woodwork, frosted glass windows, and lavish furnishing bringing to mind the days of the Ilustrado class, the Rodriguez-Veloso mansion is a testament to a flourishing economy founded on the coconut industry, which saw the rise of Sariaya in the annals of Philippine history. Not just any nobleman’s house, the mansion was once a favorite site for high-powered meetings led by no less than former President Manuel L. Quezon.
As with the Arce Mansion in Vigan, Ilocos Sur and Villa Tortuga in Taal, Batangas, Perez’s living history program provides visitors a glimpse into a genteel lifestyle, complete with day tours and authentic regional culinary specialties served for lunch and dinner. Tourists get to take home a sepia photograph dressed in period costume as a memento.
For inquiries, call Lito Perez at Camp Suki at 725-0819, or SMS 0917.824.6900, or visit www.campsuki.com.
