Lara House (Las Piñas)

Lara House
Front façade of Lara House along Quirino Avenue
General information
Type	Single Detached (detachment); Townhouse (function)
Architectural style	Second Transition Post 1860s Bahay na Bato; Quadrant Style
Address	160 Diego Cera Avenue, Barangay Ilaya, Las Piñas
Technical details
Material	Adobe and wood
Design and construction
Architect	Unknown

The Lara House is a historic house located in Las Piñas, Metro Manila, Philippines. Built in the 1880s, the house was the first municipal hall of Las Piñas where its first mayor, Juan Tiongkiao, held office from 1905 to 1913.

Along with its growth, the seat of power of Las Piñas continued to adapt with several changes as well.

Don Calixto Lara, who used to own salt beds and lands, and his wife Andeng Velasquez were the original owners of the house. Don Calixto Lara was one of the 95 men that gathered and assembled for the Act of Philippine Declaration of Independence, signed by the War Counsellor and Special Delegate-Designate, Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista. Don Calixto together with his brothers Pedro and Bernardo Lara have worked on the famous Las Pinas Bamboo Organ for repairs

Francesca Lara, daughter of Calixto Lara, was only 16 years old when the house was built. Her brothers, Cirpriano Lara, has lineage to Charlene Gonzales (Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 1994 and a finalist in the 1994 Miss Universe Pageant held in Manila) while Elioterio Lara worked as clerk in Cuartel Master located in Intramuros, Manila. Her husband was Graciano Santos. They were the grandparents of the current owner.

Trinidad Santos, daughter of Graciano Santos, was born on June 1, 1903. Her husband was Agrifino Trahano from Pasay (formerly Pineda). They were the parents of the current owner. Laura Trahano, born on June 30, 1931, was the current co-owner and occupant of the ancestral house.

After serving its function at the Lara House, the administration was transferred into the former municipal library of the poblacion located at Daniel Fajardo. It was later converted into Las Piñas Emergency Hospital. The Las Piñas Emergency Hospital was established in 1977. It formally began as an Out-Patient Clinic. In 1984, former Mayor Filemon Aguilar upgraded the facility into the Las Piñas District Hospital by moving at another site, presently located in Bernabe Compound, Pulanglupa in 1988. From 25-bed capacity, the Las Piñas District Hospital could then accommodate 50-bed capacity.

In response to the needs of the rising population growth rate, Republic Act No. 9240, whose principal sponsor was Representative Cynthia Villar was approved on February 10, 2004. The Act provided for the increase in bed capacity of the Las Piñas District Hospital from fifty (50) to two hundred (200) beds. The 400% increase in bed capacity would be implemented gradually over a three (3) year period.