A photo exhibit of 31 heritage houses in Silay City opened at the Sen. Jose C. Locsin Cultural and Civic Center yesterday, Lyn Gamboa, president of the Negros Cultural Foundation, said.

She said the exhibit is a joint project of the Silay City government headed by Mayor Jose Montelibano, the Negros Museum that is one of two museums under the Negros Cultural Foundation, and the Camera Club of Negros headed by Billy Lopue.

Silay City is celebrating 55 years of cityhood with the theme “I Am Proud To Be A Silaynon”, Montelibano said, and among its major tourism attractions are its heritage houses.

Gamboa said it is important to document heritage houses through photographs for future generations to know how their ancestors lived.

There used to be 40 heritage houses in Silay City and now there are only 31 left, she said.

“This is a chapter of Silay’s golden age when the sugar industry boomed, when the Silaynon lifestyle blossomed in celebration of a new prosperity, and when prominent families constructed new homes to reflect their new standard of living,” Augusto Villalon writes.

Gamboa said other towns and cities should replicate what Silay is doing by documenting their history through photographs for future generations to see.*CPG

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