CANDON CITY, Ilocos Sur -- Twenty-two ancestral houses here are set to undergo restoration in a bid to boost the city's local tourism.

The local government of Candon City said it aims to refurbish 22 houses built during the Spanish colonial period beginning this March with the help of the National Historical Commission.

"We want Candon to have its own identity and to preserve its history and culture," Roda Abrero, a city tourism officer, said.

Although centuries-old already, the intricate design of the houses has been well preserved.

Among the houses to be restored is that of the Carino family, originally owned by Don Miguel Carino, the grandfather of a revolutionary leader Gabriela Carino-Silang.

The Carino house, built during the 1700s, is among the biggest structures in the city.

A representative of the family said they have decided to donate their ancestral house to the government to be refurbished and turned into a museum.

"Marami kasi kaming magkakapatid, 'yung iba nasa Quezon City, yung iba sa Batangas. Kami na lang naiwan dito pero may sarili na rin kaming bahay," Miguel Mike Carino said.