About Takipsilim

The sight of the Bahay na Pula in San Ildefonso has always been familiar to me as my grandparents lived in the nearby town of San Miguel. They always told me it was a haunted house but that’s all I really knew about it.

 

Shortly after my grandfather passed away, I saw a news article about the history of the Bahay na Pula and subsequently the Malaya Lolas while researching for my undergraduate thesis.

 

I spent six months visiting Mapanique, Candaba, befriending the Lolas and their families before photographing them. They welcomed me into their homes and I wanted to capture their stories beyond what happened to them in the war.

 

I never directly asked them about their experiences, and waited on them to open it up. Most of their stories were about their grandchildren, what kind of changes have happened in the village of Mapanique, and remembering the women who have passed away before them.

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Some lolas were open about their experiences, some just wished to move on and forget. I was not able to photograph and meet all the members of the Malaya Lolas as some women wished to remain anonymous and unbothered as they do not desire to recall the war. 

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I hope you find these photos and continue to share their stories.

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-Summer Dagal