MANILA, Philippines - Casa Escaño, the ancestral home of Jesus ?Esoy? Escaño and Gloria Ligot Escaño, has opened its doors as a bed and breakfast. It also has a restaurant cum deli.

Gloria?s birthday came as the perfect occasion to open the place, and it was quite a throng of Cebu?s oldest and noblest families, most of them inter-related with the extensive Escaño clan, that flocked to the launching.

They were gathered to celebrate, to feast on old recipes, talk about old times, to sing as well as dance. Gloria pumped out tunes at the piano.

The name Casa Escaño may evoke spine-tingling memories of times past as well as delirious reminiscences of a bygone era, as in GWTW. Yes, you can say gone with the wind, but it may be more like gone with the war.

Casa Escaño was the stately manse overlooking Sogod Bay in Malitbog, Southern Leyte, built in the 19th century by Don Fernando and Doña Agustina Escaño. They raised their 10 children there.

The house figures prominently in the novel, ?American Guerilla in the Philippines,? later turned into a movie starring Tyrone Power. When it burned down in 1957 due to faulty wiring, it was reported in the New York Times.

Don Fernando and Doña Agustina?s son, Dr. Mamerto Escaño, and his wife Doña Mena, also called their palatial home Casa Escaño in Cebu?s Colon street (the oldest in the Philippines). The house stood in the midst of a large garden. Its balconies, terrace and large windows allowed the breeze to penetrate all day and tinkle the chandeliers.

During the last war, a fire gutted down the house, sending Dr. Mamerto and Doña Mena uptown to their country house, which survived the war. There he practiced medicine, made decisions as president of the Visayan Electric Company, and tinkered in the dark room with his favorite hobby?photography.

Party place

When their son, Jesus, got married to Gloria, they built their own Casa Escaño a kilometer or more uptown, along Juana Osmeña Street. Here were held large family parties, drama and ?zarzuela? rehearsals, epic games of bridge, general merrymaking.

These above-mentioned stories were recalled at the launching, while guests went from food station to station, refilled glasses with flowing rivers of white or red wine, or just sat there while Gloria kept up with her music. A chorus gathered around her when she played to a Beatles medley. Then they were all over the place doing the boogie, the swing, the frug, the mash potato, the jerk, even the ?maskipaps.?

?Is it raining outside?? asked Dr. Chona Escaño Bernard. ?Just drizzling,? comforted Fred Umabong who had left his camera aside to join the singing and the dancing. It was a great party, so everyone told Jimmy and Ellen Escaño, Tommy Escaño, pet Escaño Misa, Uding Escaño Fernan, Monette Escaño Thompson, their children, numerous uncles and aunts cousins and relatives galore.

Who?s who in the Escaño family legion? We can mention two: Ingrid Sala Santamaria, and Monique Lhuillier. If you to know more, there?s a book on the dynasty which is updated every certain number of years. They also hold grand reunions which are tremendously lively.

There has also been formed the Escaño foundation which has refurnished the family mausoleum in Malitbog. It is of marble brought from Italy in the 1930?s and has a beautiful Pieta.

We?ve heard that the area once occupied by Casa Escaño in Malitbog has been bought by the Escaño Family Foundation. Who knows? They may put up a bed/breakfast facility with a restaurant/deli. For one thing, quite a group has signed up for a sentimental journey to Malitbog starting April 30, and lasting up to May 4.