Back to the Future: A road trip to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in the Subaru Outback

MANILA, Philippines - I consider travelling outside Metro Manila to be quite a chore. Though the promise of fresh air and endless expanse of greenery is welcoming indeed; to get there, you usually end up traversing terrible roads. And with only a low-slung hatchback in my garage, I have to contemplate whether the trip is worth the suspension damage I may suffer on the way. Needless to say, with the right car and the right destination, I’m willing to take on even a ten-hour driving challenge single-handedly. And though it didn’t take us ten hours, that’s exactly what happened when I recently took the Subaru Outback to Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, Bataan.

Having driven the Outback two full days before the scheduled trip, I was already surprised at how different it behaved compared to the Legacy; even if these two vehicles are, for all intents and purposes, twins. While the Legacy provided all-out driving excitement, the Outback had a more laidback tone to it. Despite having a larger engine (3.6 liters of displacement and six cylinders), the Outback was more at ease with cruising than winning stoplight duels. Nonetheless, the Legacy DNA is still there: it steers well and handles flawlessly. In addition, it rides softer and more comfortably too—a perfect match for a long trip then.

Loaded with a gigantic cooler, enough snacks to feed an army, and four overnight bags, the Outback made its way to the Petron station in the North Expressway to meet with the rest of our group. Though it doesn’t have any turbocharger, the Outback shares similar engine outputs to the Legacy: 260hp (265 for the Legacy) and 350Nm of torque. Resisting the need to switch the Outback’s SI-Drive from ‘Intelligent’ to ‘Sport,’ I cruised through NLEX at legal speeds thanks to its standard cruise control.

As we entered Angeles City proper, it’s quite clear to me that the Outback had one great advantage compared to larger SUVs: the Subaru isn’t as wide. Given the narrow stature of our provincial roads, the Outback’s 1,820mm width and excellent all-round visibility meant it can easily dodge tricycles and jeeps which would stifle the progress of bigger SUVs.

The journey through NLEX and SCTEX was smooth thanks to the newly constructed, world-class roads, but as we reached Bataan’s provincial highway, the roads turned choppy. Though four lanes wide in some areas, the pavement was purely broken concrete with only a dabble of asphalt holding the entire thing together. From Baesa to Mt. Samal, the Outback had to make its way through this kind of terrain. Once again, the higher ground clearance and softer suspension setup were highly beneficial resulting in a worry-free and comfortable ride for everyone onboard.

As the roads turned twisty near Mt. Samal, I switched the SI-Drive to ‘Sport’ giving the Outback a much more direct, more aggressive feel as we swept up and down the mountainous roads. As we reached the gates of Las Casas, a guard dressed in Katipunero garb greeted us. Parking the Outback, I was amazed it still had more than half a tank, considering I haven’t filled it up since I got it at Motor Image’s EDSA showroom two days earlier.

Strolling through Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar (no cars are allowed in the plaza square) felt like a trip back through time—to the 18th and 19th century Philippines to be exact. All the houses here (sans the hotel) have been painstakingly relocated from their original locations to Bagac, Bataan brick by brick, plank by plank. The structures here are at least a century old and as a result, felt like a true Hispanic settlement trapped in time. With its cobblestone paved roads and period-dressed staff, Las Casas felt like a living museum. What’s more, you don’t just stare at these magnificent period structures; you can get to stay in them too.

Las Casas offers the rustic charm of Hispanic-era Philippines while providing modern amenities and facilities. Though some people may balk at the idea, I like it as each of these colonial houses has air conditioning, modern plumping and flat-screen TVs with satellite reception. Surprisingly, there’s a strong mobile phone signal here too. Of course, if you want to pass the time in a period-correct manner, Las Casas offers traditional Filipino games like tumbang preso and patintero as well as seminars in cigar rolling, cultural dancing and historical architectural tours. As day faded into night, the paseo transforms into a stage, where performers showcase traditional Filipino folk dance and song. There’s a restaurant within the village, so you better like Filipino/Spanish as it’s the only choice you’ll get here.

Going back to Manila, I set the Outback to ‘Sport Sharp,’ giving the car the ability to overtake just about anything on the road. As the Subaru climbed the area around Mt. Samal again, the Outback displayed its only weakness: the soft-sprung suspension meant there’s noticeable body roll. Though not as bad as other traditional SUVs or crossovers, it required more steering movement to get into corners compared to the Bilstein shock absorber-equipped Legacy.

As the Outback reached the outskirts of Valenzuela, it’s amazing how I didn’t have to refuel it the entire time. Despite its large engine displacement, I managed 10 km/L in my combined city and highway driving. Combined with its large, 65-liter fuel tank, the Outback can theoretically go 650kms without stopping. Not bad.

Writer’s note: The Subaru Outback 3.6 R lent to us was the 2012 model. For 2013, the Subaru Outback sees some cosmetic changes such as subtly restyled headlamps, new grille, and front bumper design. Inside, it receives new gauges, new positions for the electronic parking brake and SI Drive, and a revised color scheme. In terms of equipment, the Outback now has full iPod playback capability and a rear back-up camera. Everything else remains the same.