SIQUIJOR: CANG ISOK'S HOUSE BY THE BEACH

CANG ISOK'S VERY OLD NATIVE HOUSE

Siquijor Island Province

Blog by Henry Libo-on

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Cang Isok, literally means, "of Isok" or "owned by Isok" or "It's Isok's (house). Whose house is that? "Kang Isok", "iyaha ni Isok".

Who was Isok? I have no idea.  All I can say is, Isok might be the name of the man who owns that old house. It was really a mystery. The old pictures of the house showed its roof was made of "nipa". Then, I saw another picture of the house that showed the roof was changed into used galvanized iron.

Is this house that the people say was originally constructed in 1800? Or was it actually constructed in the early part of 1900? Or, was just constructed before the war, or even after the war?  No one has certified its real age.  Word of mouth is all, that we backpackers, have to rely on. For me, I have reservations as to its "century-old" age. If someone could tell me its real age, I should welcome it.  Thank you.

From the roadside, I saw how the house looked like.  Its roof was made of galvanized iron, a construction material which, to me, was not popular in the 1800s. A closer look at the house from the ground showed that its roofing was made of nipa.  It could be possible that the galvanized iron was placed on top of the nipa to protect it from heavy rainfall...So, that must be a 20th-century addition to the old structure.  Originally the roof must have been made of "nipa" and was damaged by the typhoon and was replaced.  The walls and windows were made of wood.  When I looked closely at how the windows were made, I had the conclusion, that "capiz" shells must have been part of the windows.

"Capiz" shells are commonly used as decorative material in making windows.  You can find "capiz" shells on the windows of Lazi Convent, pictured here.

Cang Isok's century-old house can be a centerpiece for a modern resort in this part of Libo, Siquijor. Why? Because of its historical importance, tourists will flock to this part of Siquijor and with modern facilities nearby, tourists can stay a night or two. 

The House of Isok, is strategically located along the beach.  On both sides of the house is a coastal area where beautiful cottages can be constructed and other facilities for tourism purposes.  The new development may be separated by open space on both sides, say, 100 meters from the old house.  Thus, allowing the house of Isok as the centerpiece of this new development. Cang Isok's house radiates a rich history to a new beach resort development on this part of Libo. It will be a fusion of the old and the new.

I ventured to express this idea because, as a traveler, I saw the eco-tourism potential of the place but retain its historical value, which is continuous preservation and conservation of the House of Isok.

Hopefully, the Provincial Tourism Council of Siquijor and the Municipal Tourism Council of the Municipality of Enrique Villanueva may think about how this suggestion should work.

Cang Isok's old house can be reached from any point on Siquijor Island by tricycle, habal-habal, or by car.  Popular in Siquijor is the small van the locals call "carry" or what tourists call, the minivan.  For me, however, I would call it "talakitok"...haha...

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Visited in the year 2014. 

Reviewed on July 27, 2022.