Teus Mansion

Teus Mansion (History)

Valentin Teus, born in 1832, was from Navarra, Spain. At the young age of 15, he traveled to the Philippines to try his luck and eventually ventured into business. He was able to buy a distillery in Hagonoy, Bulacan which he later merged with the Ynchausti y Compania, one the the first Philippine-owned conglomerates. He became a partner of business tycoons, Joaquin Elizalde and Joaquin Ynchausti who dealt mostly in shipping and trade.

He married a daughter of a captain general, Teresa Ferrater Ponte, who passed away. Teus became the alcalde primero of the Ayuntamiento de Manila in 1871. At the age of 62, he married for a second time, his wife’s 20-year old niece, Dolores Menendez Valdes de Cornellana. They had four kids, Valentin Jr., who died young, Concepcion, Valentin III and Dolores.

The family first lived in Binondo but in the 1890s, Don Valentin surprised his wife with a new house, this mansion. It was built on the ruins of an older building that was probably destroyed during the 1880 earthquake.

Located at the corner of General Solano and J Nepomuceno streets, its massive wrought iron gates open to a stone courtyard with a fountain. The façade has pointed neo-gothic windows. The protruding central section holds the porte cochere below and part of the sala on the second floor. Old photographs showed walled murals and rooms richly furnished with tall mirrors, Chinese porcelain, carpets and marble statues.

Don Valentin’s daughter Concepcion inherited the house. After her high school education at the Assumption Convent, she continued her studies in Spain where she married and remained. She rarely visited the house and had an old man as caretaker. Years passed and the once proud mansion eventually deteriorated. Its kitchen roof fell and the attic became home to a bat colony. In 1974 Concepcion decided to sell the house to then First Lady, Imelda Romualdez Marcos.

Mrs. Marcos turned it into a guest house. She restored and remodeled it with the help of interior decorator Ronald D. Laing and antique dealer Viring de Asis. Housed at the second floor are collections of gifts to President Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady Imelda Marcos including the ones given during their silver wedding anniversary such as silverware and porcelain.

Renovation photos

Before and After

Before After

Add overlay element Before After

The Galleries of the Presidential Museum

This room features our National flag, Presidential flag and the Presidential seal.
The current seal was first used by President Manuel Roxas in 1947.

A distinct feature of the Presidential flag and seal is the “sea lion” granted by King Philip II of Spain in 1596. The sun with its eight rays represent the eight provinces that were placed under martial law during the Philippine Revolution. The three stars symbolize the three main regions of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

President Emilio Aguinaldo

General Emilio Aguinaldo, a leader of the Katipunan in the province of Cavite, went on to become the undisputed head of the Philippine Revolution. On January 23, 1899, he was elected the first President of the Philippines by the Malolos Congress of the First Republic.

President Manuel L. Quezon

Famously described as the “Paladin of Philippine Freedom”, Manuel Quezon was instrumental in the passage of the Tydings-McDuffie Act of the United States Congress which, in turn, paved the way for the transition of an independent Philippine republic. During his time, and because of the Japanese occupation of the country, President Quezon was forced to go into exile in the United States.

President Jose P. Laurel

After having served the country in various elective and appointive posts before and during the Quezon administration -- including Secretary of the Interior and Justice of the Supreme Court, Laurel was instructed by Quezon to remain in the Philippines during the wartime occupation. Laurel was subsequently elected President by the National Assembly. He made use of this opportunity to ameliorate the plight of his countrymen during the Japanese occupation.

President Sergio Osmeña

A lawyer and newspaper editor, Osmena became the Governor of Cebu in 1904. He resigned in 1906 and was subsequently elected as a member of the new Philippine Assembly. He served in this capacity as founding Speaker until his election to the Senate in 1922.

While in exile with Quezon, he succeeded as President of the Commonwealth upon the latter’s death in 1944. He famously “returned” to the country with General Douglas MacArthur and worked towards the rehabilitation of our war-torn country.

President Manuel A. Roxas

In 1934, Roxas became a member of the Constitutional Convention that produced the 1935 Constitution. During the Pacific War, he was forced to serve under the Japanese-sponsored government. After defeating Osmena in the 1946 elections, Roxas became the last Commonwealth President and, on July 4, 1946, was elected President of the Third Republic.

President Elpidio R. Quirino

Quirino was a practicing lawyer until he was elected as a member of the House of Representatives in 1919. In 1925, he was elected to the Senate. He collaborated with President Quezon in securing the passage of the Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1934. After the war, wherein most of his immediate family members were massacred, Quirino was elected Vice President. He became President after Roxas’ untimely death in 1948.

President Ramon F. Magsaysay

An automobile mechanic, Magsaysay was appointed military governor of the province of Zambales due to his outstanding service as a guerrilla leader during the Pacific War. He then served two terms as Congressman for Zambales under the Liberal Party before being appointed as Secretary of National Defense by President Quirino. He won the Presidency under the Nacionalista Party during the elections of 1953.

President Carlos P. Garcia

Garcia was instrumental in pursuing the Philippines’ interests for war damage claims arising from the Pacific War in the United States. He succeeded Magsaysay as President after the latter’s death and was elected as President in his own right later that same year. Known for his austerity program, he popularized economic nationalism through the “Filipino First Policy.”

President Diosdado P. Macapagal

Known as the “poor boy from Lubao”, Pampanga, Macapagal was first elected Congressman in 1949. During the 1957 elections, he was elected Vice President under the Liberal Party. During his term, he pursued comprehensive land reform. His administration focused on improving the plight of the poor.

President Ferdinand E. Marcos

Marcos served as a member of the House of Representatives for three terms. Thereafter, he was elected to the Senate as served as Senate President in 1959. He ran under the Nacionalista Party in 1965 and was elected President. His administration focused on improving the country’s infrastructure, among others. On September 21, 1972, after invoking subversion and rebellion, President Marcos placed the country under martial law on and suspended Congress.

President Corazon C. Aquino

Cory Aquino assumed the Presidency on February 25, 1986 -- after the dramatic events of what is now referred to as EDSA 1 -- which forced Marcos to leave the Philippines. During Aquino’s time, a new Constitution was promulgated on February 2, 1987, which established the Fifth Republic of the Philippines.

President Fidel V. Ramos

A military officer by profession, Ramos was the Chief of the Philippine Constabulary during the time of Marcos. He also served as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces in 1986 and was later appointed by Aquino to be her Secretary of National Defense. Ramos was elected President in 1992. He was known to negotiate peace talks with Communist and Muslim rebels and introduce economic reforms to liberalize key business sectors.

President Joseph E. Estrada

Estrada entered politics in the 1960’s. He started his political career as the Mayor of San Juan and was subsequently elected Senator and Vice-President. In 1998, he was elected President. During his term, he pursued a hard line against Muslim rebels and sought to eradicate crime and poverty in the country. On January 20, 2021, after the dramatic events of what is now referred to as EDSA Dos – he resigned from his position.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

Inaugurated as Vice- President in 1998, President Estrada appointed Arroyo as concurrent Secretary of Social Welfare and Development. Arroyo succeeded Estrada when the latter resigned from office in 2001. After serving the remaining years of her predecessor’s term, she won the Presidential elections in 2004.

President Benigno S. Aquino III

Aquino served as the representative of the second district of Tarlac and was subsequently elected to the Senate in 2007. After his mother passed away in August 2009, Aquino decided to run for the Presidency on a platform of government based on transformational leadership. In May 2010, he was elected as the 15^th President of the country. It was during his time when the K-12 program was implemented.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte

Rodrigo Roa Duterte is the first from Mindanao to be elected to the Philippine Presidency. His administration focused on the development of public infrastructure and enforcement of law and order. Despite criticisms on his anti-drug campaign and management of the COVID-19 pandemic, Duterte continued to enjoy high trust and approval ratings until the end of his term.

The First Ladies are not elected nor appointed to the position, but they may have had the most profound influence on the President. They are the epitome of beauty, grace and motherly care. The First Ladies nurture and support the President and, by extension, the nation. Their role is to help the President weather the pressures of public life.

The portraits of the First Ladies were commissioned by the Cabinet Ladies Foundation in 2000 through renowned artist Lulu Coching-Rodriguez.

Teus Mansion was named after Valentin Teus Yrissari, a penniless 15 year old Basque who arrived in the Philippines in 1847. Valentin was an industrious worker who was into sugar and shipping. He founded the company we now know as Tanduay Distilleries Inc. In the 1870’s, he married the niece of the Governor General and bought the mansion where him and his family lived for many years. Don Valentin passed away in 1909 and since most of his children had already migrated to Spain, the house was inherited by his eldest daughter, Concepcion. Since none of Concepcion’s 7 children and 48 grandchildren were interested in the mansion, it was offered to former First Lady Imelda R. Marcos in the late 1970’S.

The mansion was restored by British designer Ronnie Laing and antique dealer Viring de Asis in 1975 and used as a guest house to receive visiting dignitaries of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. After EDSA I, the mansion remained unused and inaccessible to the public.

The Galleries of the Presidential Museum

This room features our National flag, Presidential flag and the Presidential seal.
The current seal was first used by President Manuel Roxas in 1947.

A distinct feature of the Presidential flag and seal is the “sea lion” granted by King Philip II of Spain in 1596. The sun with its eight rays represent the eight provinces that were placed under martial law during the Philippine Revolution. The three stars symbolize the three main regions of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

President Emilio Aguinaldo

General Emilio Aguinaldo, a leader of the Katipunan in the province of Cavite, went on to become the undisputed head of the Philippine Revolution. On January 23, 1899, he was elected the first President of the Philippines by the Malolos Congress of the First Republic.

President Manuel L. Quezon

Famously described as the “Paladin of Philippine Freedom”, Manuel Quezon was instrumental in the passage of the Tydings-McDuffie Act of the United States Congress which, in turn, paved the way for the transition of an independent Philippine republic. During his time, and because of the Japanese occupation of the country, President Quezon was forced to go into exile in the United States.

President Jose P. Laurel

After having served the country in various elective and appointive posts before and during the Quezon administration -- including Secretary of the Interior and Justice of the Supreme Court, Laurel was instructed by Quezon to remain in the Philippines during the wartime occupation. Laurel was subsequently elected President by the National Assembly. He made use of this opportunity to ameliorate the plight of his countrymen during the Japanese occupation.

President Sergio Osmeña

A lawyer and newspaper editor, Osmena became the Governor of Cebu in 1904. He resigned in 1906 and was subsequently elected as a member of the new Philippine Assembly. He served in this capacity as founding Speaker until his election to the Senate in 1922.

While in exile with Quezon, he succeeded as President of the Commonwealth upon the latter’s death in 1944. He famously “returned” to the country with General Douglas MacArthur and worked towards the rehabilitation of our war-torn country.

President Manuel A. Roxas

In 1934, Roxas became a member of the Constitutional Convention that produced the 1935 Constitution. During the Pacific War, he was forced to serve under the Japanese-sponsored government. After defeating Osmena in the 1946 elections, Roxas became the last Commonwealth President and, on July 4, 1946, was elected President of the Third Republic.

President Elpidio R. Quirino

Quirino was a practicing lawyer until he was elected as a member of the House of Representatives in 1919. In 1925, he was elected to the Senate. He collaborated with President Quezon in securing the passage of the Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1934. After the war, wherein most of his immediate family members were massacred, Quirino was elected Vice President. He became President after Roxas’ untimely death in 1948.

President Ramon F. Magsaysay

An automobile mechanic, Magsaysay was appointed military governor of the province of Zambales due to his outstanding service as a guerrilla leader during the Pacific War. He then served two terms as Congressman for Zambales under the Liberal Party before being appointed as Secretary of National Defense by President Quirino. He won the Presidency under the Nacionalista Party during the elections of 1953.

President Carlos P. Garcia

Garcia was instrumental in pursuing the Philippines’ interests for war damage claims arising from the Pacific War in the United States. He succeeded Magsaysay as President after the latter’s death and was elected as President in his own right later that same year. Known for his austerity program, he popularized economic nationalism through the “Filipino First Policy.”

President Diosdado P. Macapagal

Known as the “poor boy from Lubao”, Pampanga, Macapagal was first elected Congressman in 1949. During the 1957 elections, he was elected Vice President under the Liberal Party. During his term, he pursued comprehensive land reform. His administration focused on improving the plight of the poor.

President Ferdinand E. Marcos

Marcos served as a member of the House of Representatives for three terms. Thereafter, he was elected to the Senate as served as Senate President in 1959. He ran under the Nacionalista Party in 1965 and was elected President. His administration focused on improving the country’s infrastructure, among others. On September 21, 1972, after invoking subversion and rebellion, President Marcos placed the country under martial law on and suspended Congress.

President Corazon C. Aquino

Cory Aquino assumed the Presidency on February 25, 1986 -- after the dramatic events of what is now referred to as EDSA 1 -- which forced Marcos to leave the Philippines. During Aquino’s time, a new Constitution was promulgated on February 2, 1987, which established the Fifth Republic of the Philippines.

President Fidel V. Ramos

A military officer by profession, Ramos was the Chief of the Philippine Constabulary during the time of Marcos. He also served as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces in 1986 and was later appointed by Aquino to be her Secretary of National Defense. Ramos was elected President in 1992. He was known to negotiate peace talks with Communist and Muslim rebels and introduce economic reforms to liberalize key business sectors.

President Joseph E. Estrada

Estrada entered politics in the 1960’s. He started his political career as the Mayor of San Juan and was subsequently elected Senator and Vice-President. In 1998, he was elected President. During his term, he pursued a hard line against Muslim rebels and sought to eradicate crime and poverty in the country. On January 20, 2021, after the dramatic events of what is now referred to as EDSA Dos – he resigned from his position.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

Inaugurated as Vice- President in 1998, President Estrada appointed Arroyo as concurrent Secretary of Social Welfare and Development. Arroyo succeeded Estrada when the latter resigned from office in 2001. After serving the remaining years of her predecessor’s term, she won the Presidential elections in 2004.

President Benigno S. Aquino III

Aquino served as the representative of the second district of Tarlac and was subsequently elected to the Senate in 2007. After his mother passed away in August 2009, Aquino decided to run for the Presidency on a platform of government based on transformational leadership. In May 2010, he was elected as the 15^th President of the country. It was during his time when the K-12 program was implemented.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte

Rodrigo Roa Duterte is the first from Mindanao to be elected to the Philippine Presidency. His administration focused on the development of public infrastructure and enforcement of law and order. Despite criticisms on his anti-drug campaign and management of the COVID-19 pandemic, Duterte continued to enjoy high trust and approval ratings until the end of his term.

The First Ladies are not elected nor appointed to the position, but they may have had the most profound influence on the President. They are the epitome of beauty, grace and motherly care. The First Ladies nurture and support the President and, by extension, the nation. Their role is to help the President weather the pressures of public life.

The portraits of the First Ladies were commissioned by the Cabinet Ladies Foundation in 2000 through renowned artist Lulu Coching-Rodriguez.

Teus Mansion was named after Valentin Teus Yrissari, a penniless 15 year old Basque who arrived in the Philippines in 1847. Valentin was an industrious worker who was into sugar and shipping. He founded the company we now know as Tanduay Distilleries Inc. In the 1870’s, he married the niece of the Governor General and bought the mansion where him and his family lived for many years. Don Valentin passed away in 1909 and since most of his children had already migrated to Spain, the house was inherited by his eldest daughter, Concepcion. Since none of Concepcion’s 7 children and 48 grandchildren were interested in the mansion, it was offered to former First Lady Imelda R. Marcos in the late 1970’S.

The mansion was restored by British designer Ronnie Laing and antique dealer Viring de Asis in 1975 and used as a guest house to receive visiting dignitaries of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. After EDSA I, the mansion remained unused and inaccessible to the public.

How to get there

Teus Mansion is open to the public on Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10a to 4p. Admission is free.
Private guided tours may be arranged separately by emailing [email protected]

Malacañang Heritage Mansions Management Center

+63(02) 8249 8310 local 9009 or 8281

[email protected]

Contact Us