Lunch at the Legarda Ancestral Home
& A Tour of the Money Museum
by Emily Abonal

Last October 29, 2003, 13 MVP members met at the Twin Towers Lobby in Makati to tour and have lunch at the Legarda Ancestral house and visit the Money Museum. We came in 3 cars, left at 10:15, and took the Nagtahan route and passed thru Malacañang to reach the Legarda House.

Located on San Rafael St., formerly one of the city’s most elegant streets, the house was built in 1937. It was one of the first "art deco" houses built in Manila. Dr. Alejandro Roces Legarda and his wife Ramona raised four children (all doctors) under this roof. This house was occupied at various times by three generations of the Alejandro Legarda clan. It is still used by his children and grandchildren today, and showcases the legacy that he and his wife left behind.

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by Suzette Montinola, the granddaughter, who took us on a tour of the house. We were welcomed by refreshing dalandan juice and had very delicious queso de bola spread tart. The left wall upon entering the house, had a painting entitled Sailboats, by the famous Filipino artist Oscar Zalameda. It was painted in the French Riviera during the time he was in France. This was purchased by Ramon H. Legarda in early 1970 for P3,000 and now has a value over 300 times its purchase price. The first room to the left was the train room where the train set which belonged to Ramon H. Legarda was displayed. It was purchased in the early 1970’s and the older locomotives date back to the 1930’s and 40’s. The second room to the right is the library which houses the collection of medical books and encyclopedias of Dr. Legarda who was an ob-gynecologist.

Down the hall to the right is a display of antique camera equipment used by Alejandro Legarda. He was a founding member of the Camera Club of the Philippines and most of the photos in the house were taken and developed by Alejandro Legarda. To the right is the clinic where Dr. Legarda saw his patients. The clinic displays an antique x-ray machine and a skeleton used by Alejandro in medical school. We then went upstairs to the living room and the centerpiece was the large painting entitled La Inocencia, painted by Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo in Paris in 1901. It is believed to be a painting of his mistress. The painting beside the large family photos is an original work by Juan Luna. To the left of the living room is a display of antique radio communication equipment. Alejandro Legarda was an avid member of the Philippine Amateur Radio Association. The equipment displayed are newer ones, the older equipment,  displayed in the photographs, have been donated to the Don Bosco Museum. Finally, we arrived in the dining room. The most significant feature of this room is the collection of Meissen plates hanging on the wall. These come from a set of china which was custom made and ordered by Don Benito Legarda for banquets for as many as 40 people. Each plate is handpainted and lined with gold, and no two plates have exactly the same design. These were used for dinners wherein William Howard Taft, the first commissioner of the United States assigned to Manila was in attendance. Each time the plates were used, the servants were not allowed to touch them, instead, the children had to stay up to wash and dry each plate. Through the generations, the Meissen plates have been divided among the different families, and each family showcases their collection in their own homes.

We sat down in the Dining Room where a set menu was served on antique china, glassware and silverware. Each place setting was meticulously set so that each guest got a personalized dining experience We had one round of Dalandan Juice as our drink. And for the main course, we had Tita Moning’s Cocido. The tomato sauce was served separately on the table. We also had the Salsa Monja which was very good. We had fresh fruit platter and caramelized saba banana with vermouth. And for dessert, we had Tita Monings Bread Pudding with Pili.

The ancestral house of the Legarda family has been converted into a living museum where heirloom recipes are prepared by a staff that has been with the family for generations. Now called La Cocina de Tita Moning it is named after Ramona Legarda, the wife of Dr. Alejandro Roces Legarda.

After that tour and very rich lunch, some of us felt drowsy but we had to leave soon because Ms. Daisy Navarro of the Money Museum was waiting for us. Randy Boyer joined us in the Money Museum tour.

Within the complex of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the nation’s central monetary authority, is the Museo ng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or the Money Museum. The facility was inaugurated on Jan.3, 1999, as part of the celebration of the 50 years of central banking in the Philippines. The Museo showcases the Bank’s collection of currencies.

The Museo tells the story of money from the earliest trading times in the Philippines, when primitive money was used and barter was practiced, to the creation of modern coins and bank notes. The galleries show the currencies used during the different periods of the country’s history–from the pre-Hispanic Era, Spanish Era, Revolutionary Period, the American Regime, the Japanese Occupation and the Philippine Republic. There is also an exhibit of the special coins and banknotes commemorating the Philippine Centennial. Commemorative coins and medals minted by the Bank are also on exhibit. Foreign currencies featuring the latest issues of bank note and coins from countries worldwide were also on display. These include foreign currencies with historical designs and thematic exhibits like Ancient Greek and Roman Coins. We also saw the paintings and antiquities from the BSP art collection. We later watched a video presentation on the process of printing bank notes, minting coins and gold refinery. Before finally leaving the Bank premises, the group dropped by Fort San Antonio Abad which was just a few steps away from the museum.

We all enjoyed the tours and the sumptuous lunch. Thank you Sony for this wonderful trip and thank you too to Ms. Daisy Navarro of the Money Museum for the educational tour.