Tayabas CAsa Comunidad

Casa Comunidad

The town’s old tribunal is a famous landmark in Tayabas. First built by Gobernadorcillo Francisco Lopez in 1776 with makeshift materials, it was made into a grand edifice in 1831 by then Gobernadorcillo Don Diego Enriquez. The structure was declared a National Historical Landmark in 1978.

It was in this tribunal where Apolonio de la Cruz known as Hermano Pule was sentence to death by firing squad in 1841 for leading the first major revolt in the country, based on religious freedom. Hermano Pule founded the brotherhood Cofradia de San Jose that excluded the Spanish as members. Spanish religious authorities condemned the brotherhood for heresy.

The tribunal houses some function rooms, a library and a museum. Interesting displays in the museum are the old blocks stone shaped for a specific function like the stone press and crosses.

The stone press was used to flatten pandan to make banig. The grass is laid on the curved stone bed and flattened with repeated motion of the stone press. Another is a high-relief stone crosses used a “pwesto” for prayers during Santacruzan.