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It was a fatal blow when the capital of the Philippines, Manila, was destroyed during World War 2. In addition to the 100,000 deaths, a whole cityscape that was the result of more than 400 years of cultural exchanges between the East and the West was completely destroyed. Therefore, it would be extremely challenging to film historical dramas or movies in Manila. Due to the fact that just a small portion of the city still bears resemblance to its historic appearance. Now, more and more of the city's character is quickly fading due to urban blight, undisciplined people, and aggressive constructions.
As for our third part, since locations like Vigan might at least serve as a stand-in for Manila's vanished cityscape, GMA's "Maria Clara at Ibarra" was filmed in the Ilocos area. A shooting occurred in The House of Capitan Tiago. But did you know that Capitan Tiago from Noli was a real person? Rizal based Capitan Santiago de los Santos on a real person even though he was a fictional figure. Jose Alejandrino, a Rizal contemporary, said that Rizal immortalized Capitan Tiago on merchant Telesforo Chuidian. The house of Chuidian, which the industrialist bought from a man named Balvino Mauricio, is supposed to have served as the inspiration for the house of Capitan Tiago. After being charged with involvement in the 1872 Cavite Mutiny, Maurico left Manila for Hong Kong. Fortunately, Jose Honorato Lozano, a famous watercolorist, memorialized Mauricio's home in his "letras y figuras" painting from 1864. The regions that are thought to be part of Mauricio's home are seen on the image below. It displays the patio, stairwell, sala, and eating area. For many, it was the most complete design of a 19th century house for the people of rich upper-class.
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"Balvino Mauricio"/ 1864 / Oil on canvas / 93 x 113 cm / Artist: Jose Honorato Lozano (Retrieved from CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art Digital Edition)
In the drama, Klay Infante would be amazed the description of the house's appearance from Noli Me Tangere. Rizal described the mansion in great detail. Actually, the creators did an excellent job of recreating the atmosphere of the house. Beginning with Episode 4, the home appears nearly every day. Padre Damaso frequently stops by the home, typically to chastise Tiago. The azotea scene where Maria Clara and Ibarra finally get a chance to see and communicate with each other after seven years was possibly the most memorable scene. The azotea will also serve as the setting for an equally heartbreaking parting, as you will know if you are familiar with the 1992 "Noli Me Tangere" movie where they shoot the scene in Intramuros.
According to renowned historian Ambeth Ocampo, in his article "A peek into Kapitan Tiago's house", looking at the Lozano painting of Mauricio's house is the closest thing we have to actually seeing Tiago's house. The stately palace eventually underwent renovation as Calle Anloague, later renamed Juan Luna Street, grew into Manila's financial district. Due to urbanization, we can't recognize the old place anymore. Over time, office buildings and then office skyscrapers replaced the ancient residences. The State Center Building is currently housed there. It's interesting to note that Calle Barraca is just a few blocks from the Fonda de Lala, where Ibarra was staying, across the estero. Rizal, please forgive them...
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