We'll be looking at all sorts of historic home and other buildings through Iloilo City and Province as we travel around visiting historic churches. Some of these home are s till in the stock of properties owned by their original wealthy owners or descendants. Others, are completely run down and have been abandonned by their former wealthy owners unable to continue to maintain them.

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written & photographed by: fergus jm ducharme
The Ledesma Family Home
Sights & Sounds of Ilo²

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Ledesma Mansion is also known as the "Eagle House“, for obvious reasons.
Its built in the Neo-Renaissance style of architecture and is located on Ortiz
Street near Plaza Libertad in Ilo².

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This fabulous home was built in 1923 by Don Celso Ledesma he is referred to
as a bachelor haciendero…there is very little information of details about Don
Celso, indeed the is little or nothing on the entire family.
It was said by Zafito (Zaffy) Ledesma that: “Ah, the Ledesma, they were
reclusive, they were eccentric. The windows of their houses were all closed!
They retreated to their own worlds.” I can certainly appreciate that because of
their position in society.
Apparently, the family made its huge fortune in sugar starting in the early
1870s and their haciendas were primarily located in Negros. Hence the
reference to Don Celso as a Haciendero… He managed various family
properties in the Iloilo area.
When Celso died, the ‘Estate” passed to his nephew T.S. Zafiro Ledesma and it
was passed to his children when he died. His son, Zafito (Zaffy) Ledesma took
over management of the properties until his untimely death in 2009. It is
interesting to note that it is said that the home and its contents were
impeccably maintained and the contents were in pristine condition. Don Zaffy
was the third generation to hold the family estates. Apparently, the Ledesmas
were the true aristocrats of old Iloilo: refined, cultivated intellectuals and
artists. Don Zaffy was, we understand, the epitome of what a Ledesma family
member would be.

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The main entrance is in contrast with the style of the rest of the home. Rather,
it is presented in the Art Deco style.

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A Ledesma Commercial Building in downtown Iloilo, built
in 1923 by Celso Ledesma

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You’ll recall a few slides behind us we quoted a statement that: “the Ledesmas
were the true aristocrats of old Iloilo: refined, cultivated intellectuals and
artists.”
When you look at this building, you will quickly see what is meant, because it
translates into the buildings they have built. Note that the facade is composed
of five bays (4 symmetrical bays and a central bay). Each bay division is
flanked by scrolled pilasters surmounted by urns on draped plinths. Three
panels are defined by smaller pilasters with the same scrolled design further
divide a portion of each bay.
Large windows with uncut balusters run the whole length of the 2nd floor
facade. The parapet has a running ribbon and flower motif which are repeated
on the pilasters at the ground level. Pilasters at the ground level flank Doric
Columns with scrolled capitals.
Iloilo City Cultural Heritage Conservation Council

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Jomarie Acallar: friend, navigator, facilitator &
assistant discoverer
Nilo Jimeno: friend, pilot, facilitator & assistant
discoverer
Thank you!