Parian District was one of the most important spots in Cebu during the Spanish colonial times. Most of the important commercial and cultural activities happened in this place. It also embraced most of the residences of many distinguished personalities then.

The Yap-Sandiego house is one of them. This 18th-century house was built through the efforts of Chinese merchant, Juan Yap and wife Maria Florido. The couple’s eldest of three children, Maria, married Pari-an’s Cabeza de Barangay then, Don Mariano Sandiego.

For most of its years standing in the historic district of the city, the house served as a boarding house for students. In recent years through, after being acquired by Mr. and Mrs. Val Sandiego, it underwent restoration work. Wood partitions that were made for boarding units were taken out to bring back the original multi-use nature of a wall-less space.

According to Arnold Sancover’s article on cebuheritage.com, the plan of the owners was to make way for an art gallery in the ground floor and a museum at the second level.  (compiled by the United Architects of the Philippines – Sugbu Chapter)