Espazio Arts + History

OUR STORY

Espazio Arts + History started as a ‘pandemic passion project’ of husband and wife couple Sambo and Kathleen Yaokasin. Sambo is a hobbyist collector of vintage items with an interest in history while Kathleen is a gifted artist with a passion for visual arts. They decided to bring together each of their own passions and create an Instagram-worthy space they can share with others. When Sambo was still in government service, he saw the need to establish a local museum showcasing the rich history of Tacloban and set up a spacious art gallery displaying the many beautiful artworks of local artists. In 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic forced everyone to stay home and many business establishments to shut down indefinitely. Sambo joined a local barter group on social media to show solidarity and foster a sense of community amid the fear and uncertainty. With no more money on hand, the barter allowed struggling individuals to trade their used/unused items for food and basic necessities. It was a welcome relief for cash-strapped individuals and families, especially those who lost their jobs and livelihoods due to the lockdown. Instead of waiting for government dole-outs, it encouraged them to be resourceful. For Sambo & Kathleen, bartering became a way to extend assistance to the community. At first, the swaps were things of moderate value like plantsa de uling and gilingang bato. Later, century-old large clay jars, old coins and bills, and some WW 2 items used by the US and Japanese soldiers slowly surfaced. When Sambo started getting more and more items, he realized that his dream
of putting up a local museum cm arts gallery may just become a reality. On September 09, 2021, Sambo and Kathleen opened Espazio Arts + History. Being a local café with a very unique concept, our mission is to provide an space for people to connect and celebrate as they enjoy nourishing food and drinks from a carefully selected menu - passionately prepared, presented and served by an excellent team, while committing to preserve history and promote arts in our local community. Espazio Arts + History operates as a Business As Mission (BAM) enterprise where a part of its profits goes to support the couple’s “Wheels of Hope” program – a program that provides free wheelchairs to indigent Person With Disabilities (PWDs) and the Leyte-Samar Center for Change Foundation, Inc. – a non-government organization (NGO) that is involved in rescuing children at risk and provides alternative family care and education to them in a safe environment. Sambo and Kathleen are proud of the space they have created that many visitors (residents/non-residents/tourists/excursionists) appreciate and enjoy - from the vintage items to the artworks and even the dining options. They are most grateful to the community for supporting their passion projects and social advocacies. Soli Deo gloria!