The Great Amianan | Malacañang of the North, Ilocos Norte
After spending half an hour at Terrazas de Paoay, we then ventured again up into our second to the last stop, the Malacañang Ti Amianan or the Malacañang of the North.
The road then forked into a smaller one, then we happened to pass by an old golf course and country club then continued into what seemed like a country side fringed with gargantuan trees.
We then alighted at a gate where you have to pay the entrance fee of 20php. Malacanang of the North stood right before us, an old but elegant Filipino-style mansion made up of local materials. It was built impressively in a five(5) hectare property in Suba, Paoay, Ilocos Norte facing the serene Paoay Lake.
Penchant for Grandiose
It is a two-storey mansion overlooking the Paoay Lake and served as the gift of TIEZA during the 60th birthday of the late President Ferdinand Marcos.
Consists of seven rooms, all parts of the house, flooring, panels, and doors were made up of Philippine hardwood. Sliding windows on the other hand were filled with capiz shells.
Upon entry, we were welcomed with an elegant receiving hall, big enough to accommodate a hundred people all at once. A grand wooden staircase stood at the left side, a common sign of Imelda Marcos’ penchant for grandiose and elegance. The dining hall were fit for a king.
The second floor, similar to the ground floor is a much wider one but filled with rooms ranging from the spacious bedroom up to the well kept library. Adjacent to it is an office where public officials are received.
The balcony faces the mansion’s large garden extending up to the banks of the Paoay Lake. But, the rooms are rearranged thoroughly during the administration of Benigno Aquino III. Moreover, each room represents the programs done during his administration.
After an hour inside the Malacañang of the North, it is now time to bid our goodbyes with the locals whom we had a short chat with,. We then headed to our last destination for the day.
How To Get There
- From Manila, take any Laoag, Ilocos Norte bound buses (Partas and GV Florida), travel time takes 9-11 hours.
- At the the Batac Junction, then hail any tricycle to take you to the Malacanang of the North
