During our Visita Iglesia in Ilocos Norte, one of our meaningful sidetrips was to the Luna House in the town of Badoc. It is located just a short walk from the Minor Basilica of St. John the Baptist. This ancestral home is best known as the birthplace of Juan Luna, considered as one of the most celebrated figures of the Philippine Propaganda Movement and a pioneer in Philippine fine arts.

Many people may not immediately recognize it, but Juan Luna is the man featured on the town seal and the statue in front of the Badoc Town Hall. Born in this quiet town in Ilocos Norte on October 25, 1857, Juan Luna was even baptized in the local church, just a few meters from the house where he was born. Seeing the two-story house up close — built with solid bricks and raised with the traditional two-story bahay na bato structure — one can infer that the Luna-Novicio clan were a family of prominence and means during their time.

The original house caught fire in 1861, which led the Luna family to move permanently to Manila, where the children continued their studies. The house was later reconstructed during the 1970s, and converted into a museum dedicated to the life and legacy of Juan Luna. Inside, visitors can usually find reproductions of his artworks, as well as exhibits that tell the story of the Luna family.

Unfortunately, our visit coincided with a holiday, so the museum was closed, and we could only view the home and its surroundings from the outside.

Outside the museum are statues of Juan and his younger brother Antonio Luna, another national figure known for his role as a general in the Philippine-American War. In fact, all of Juan Luna’s siblings became notable figures: Manuel was a musician, Jose entered politics, and Antonio became a pharmacist before emerging as one of the country’s fiercest military minds. It’s worth noting that Antonio was the only sibling not born in Badoc — he was born in Binondo, Manila, which explains his propagandist pseudonym “Taga-Ilog” (Tagalog), highlighting his more cosmopolitan upbringing.