Its been years since I had a chance to go around General Santos. In one of those trips, I happen to visit a mansion in Purok Malakas at the back of SaveMore. The folks around call it the Manilay Mansion.
I was informed that the Manilay Mansion is a miniature version (although it is by no means small, as it is an actual mansion) of the original house in Batangas City. It is owned by the family of Warren Manilay, a businessman, who used to live in Batangas.
When Manilay and his family moved to General Santos City, he wanted to take a part of his home with him. He did not just bring furniture from his home – he brought his entire house!
He shipped the original parts of his house, piece by piece, from Batangas to General Santos. It took him over one and a half years to transfer it. He had his 100 year old ancestral house rebuilt in GenSan, copying its original look.
Although just 1/4 of its original size, it is still an exact replica of the one he grew up in. It took him two years to put together the house.
The mansion is in the compound of his residence in General Santos. Aside from the actual house, what draws people to the Manilay Mansion is the various antiques and religious artifacts on display. These were inherited by the owner and collected by his wife.
Their garage also has a few vintage cars and motorcycles – all surprisingly still working!
I am not sure today, but when I was there several years ago, the family allows group tours by appointment, with a minimal entrance fee. However, if you go there and ask nicely, they might just allow you to get in. They also allow photoshoots at ₱3,000 per hour, with an additional ₱500 per succeeding hour.
The next time I will be in General Santos City, and with time to spare, I will try visiting the Manilay Mansion to see it again. I encourage you to also vist it oryourself. It’s good to support these heritage places, as they provide a glimpse to our vibrant past.