Renacimiento Manila & Move As One Coalition
World Rivers Day
26 April 2021
The Pasig River is but nature’s inevitable creation. Its existence served as nourishment for the civilizations that went through centuries of conflict and development. It does so by connecting places as a body of water, letting resources and life flow through it.
The river is not only an empty canvas, but it is like an artwork that remains still alive, regardless of who looks up to it. Its fate, like an exhibited painting, however, lies in the approach and how valuable it is seen. Though time has it that circumstances led to its gradual decay, a lot of things can still flow through it. After all, it is a canvas with a subject for which its users can redraw.
We depended on the Pasig River for hundreds of years. Even before concrete roads were built, the Pasig River served as the passageway for life to thrive. International trade and commerce prospered along its banks even before there was “Philippines”. On its waters flow the passage of time of historical, cultural, commercial, and technological significance. Pasig River shaped our identity and it continues to influence our urbanscape that is Metropolitan Manila. Over the years, we neglected and polluted it. We made efforts to clean it up. What are we doing now?
The Pasig River is the cradle of Tagalog civilization and is a heritage resource of National significance. Much of our nation’s identity and history is very much inculcated with the Pasig River even before there was “Philippines”. The origins of our Metro Manila cities, where many Filipinos reside and work, may be traced back to the pre-colonial settlements such as Namayan, located along the banks of the Pasig River. The river connected inland settlements on the shores of Laguna de Bay with foreign traders in Manila Bay, hundreds of years before the Spanish arrival. The materials which built our churches, forts and the walls of Intramuros were floated down the river. The Manila Galleons which connected the Philippines to European and American markets docked along its banks. Without the Pasig River, technological advances in the contemporary period wouldn’t be possible. Our heroes traveled the Pasig for our nation’s liberation. The seat of government has always been and still is, situated along this iconic body of water which has also served as a source of artistic, creative, and religious inspiration.
Along its banks remain important architectural heritage – more than 40 structures still existing, excluding heritage districts utilized for tourism and educational purposes. The project may put at risk of destruction and diminish the significance of these heritage resources. This elevated expressway will reshape the landscape and rob the Tagalogs’ (taga-ilog) of their cultural identity which is a Constitutional right. It may preclude future plans to make the river and its banks a vibrant tourism spot, open public space, means of public transport that will enhance the sustainable quality of life of Manilenos.
A Partial List of still-existing Architecturally significant buildings and structures
Pasig River plays an important role with regards to development, having been a significant resource and a major transport route throughout the numerous towns and settlements along its banks. In fact, it was the Pasig River that served as Manila’s superhighway before the development of the city’s road system in accordance with the plan of Daniel Burnham. With this, the river has served as an influence in the planning and advancement of what is now Metropolitan Manila’s cities, as well as a witness to the metropolis’ ever-changing urban landscape and architecture.
Long before the arrival of the Spaniards, communities had already established themselves near the mouth of the river, belonging to the barangays of Rajah Sulayman and Rajah Lakandula. Such towns marked by palisades of wood and bamboo were replaced with Spanish settlements which eventually constructed walls of stone – adobe sourced from the banks at what is now Makati City, formed along the waters of Pasig River from Taal’s lava flows. The aforementioned Spanish colonial structures still exist, such as Intramuros whose walls used to define the boundaries of Manila. Intramuros, including Fort Santiago, is located at its present-day site as well considering its strategic location and the resources Pasig River has to offer.
Other than the walled city, other architectural jewels were located in proximity to the banks of the river and its estuaries, including grandiose government buildings, churches, and houses. A few of these structures still exist and have stood the test of time in an ever-changing community.
The Pasig River was also involved in commerce, where goods and resources were delivered along the river and unloaded in muelles or docks. Near the riverbanks were established commercial and business centers, such as in Intramuros, Quiapo, Binondo, and San Nicolas. Along with the prosperity of businesses at these locations stood marvelous structures that served as architectural symbols of progress during their time. American colonial structures continue to stand in these areas, such as the commercial buildings at Escolta Street and the institutional buildings along and near Juan Luna Street and Plaza Cervantes. Although the majority of the riverbanks have ceased to become docks for transported goods, history has definitely made a mark on these areas, such as the existence of aptly named streets such as the Muelle de la Industria and Muelle del Banco Nacional.
Built over the Pasig River were bridges that serve as wonders in both architecture and engineering. During the Spanish Colonial Period, the Puente de España and the Puente de Colgante (formerly the Puente de Claveria) were constructed. The Puente de Colgante was the first suspension bridge to be built in the Philippines. The Puente Ayala, built in 1880, connected the rest of Manila to the Isla de Convalecencia, the site of the Hospicio de San Jose. During the American colonial period, the Puente de España was replaced in 1922 by the monumental Jones Bridge designed by Ar. Juan Arellano. On the other hand, the Puente de Colgante, on the other hand, was replaced by the Art Deco Quezon Bridge, a symbol of Manila’s optimism before the Second World War.
Government buildings were also constructed along the riverbanks. Arguably the most significant structure of such typology would be the Malacañang Palace, the former country home of Spaniard Luis Rocha who was involved in the Galleon Trade. The Malacañang Palace began as one of summer residences located in the district of San Miguel – then a preferred location for such houses due to the area’s cooler climate. On the other hand, further west along the river is the Manila Post Office, located along the river considering mail was delivered by riverboats and steamers along with other goods. The structure was one of the numerous buildings included in Daniel Burnham’s plan for Manila in accordance with the City Beautiful movement, characterized by monumental buildings, open green spaces, and processional thoroughfares. It is worthy to mention that promenades along the river have been incorporated in Burnham’s plans for the city as well, evolving from the concept of waterside walkways from the Spanish Colonial Period.
The banks of the Pasig river contain buildings of great historical and architectural significance, in a diverse range of styles, including a particular wealth of Neoclassical, Art Deco, and Neo-renaissance structures. These include works by important architects such as Tomas Mapua, Angel Nakpil, Juan Arellano, Jose Maria Zaragoza, and Luis Maria Araneta. The landscapes and urbanscapes surrounding Pasig River have drastically changed from the colonial periods of the country, most especially after the Second World War. With the war came the deaths of countless innocent lives, as well as numerous architectural losses now only observable through archival photos and written accounts.
On the other hand, unfortunately, heritage structures that were not destroyed by the war were demolished under the guise of “progress”, as the modern continues to multiply and the aged are threatened to disappear. At the contemporary age where society continues to evolve, it is necessary that such heritage structures be conserved, and the importance of Pasig River as an influence to the urban fabric be recognized – that the remnants of old Manila’s spirit of place be conserved for the appreciation and education of future generations.
Photo source: Riel A. A. Diala, 2020
Fortifications of Intramuros
Intramuros, also known as the Walled City, is the historic city center of Manila . Established by the Spaniards in the 16th century, the city rose to prominence as the capital of the Spanish colony in the Philippines. The old city center is surrounded by a system of defenses with moats and stone walls. First built in the late 16th century, the walls were gradually strengthened with bulwarks or gun platforms. Inside the walls were built numerous schools, churches, religious institutions, and civic edifices. The moats, which used to be connected to the Pasig River, were turned into gardens and a golf course in the 20th century. Intramuros was almost completely destroyed during the Battle of Manila in 1945. In the years following the war, Intramuros has since been declared an urban heritage zone, with laws in place for the orderly restoration and protection of its sites and cityscape. Regulations on modern development are also in place to protect the integrity of the cultural and heritage district. The areas immediately outside the walls including the riverside are considered part of Intramuros as a buffer zone. The riverside Maestranza walls, demolished in 1901, were rebuilt in the early 2000s and are being developed as a riverside leisure and cultural space.
Photo source: Riel A. A. Diala, 2018
Fort Santiago
Fort Santiago is the old citadel of Manila. The fortress stands on the site of the original fort and settlement of Rajah Sulayman, the last Muslim ruler of Manila. Built in 1571, the fort was rebuilt in stone in the 1580s and was renovated in the succeeding centuries. The fort guards the mouth of the Pasig River, protecting the river port and guarding the districts north of the river. Used as an active military complex until 1945. During the Japanese occupation, the fort witnessed the deaths, torture and incarceration of thousands of civilians and guerillas. Destroyed during the Battle of Manila in 1945. Declare a National Shrine of Freedom in the 1950s. The fort today is Manila’s most visited tourist attraction. Attractions inside include the museum on Dr. Jose Rizal’s life and Martyrdom, the dungeons, the ramparts and the river side Paseo de Soledad that provides great views of the Pasig River.
Photo source: Riel A. A. Diala, 2020
Aduana
The Aduana, or Customs House, was built in 1829 following the designs of Spanish Engineer Tomas Cortes. After damages sustained during the earthquake of 1863, it was rebuilt in accordance with the plans of Luis Perez Sonjue. The building also housed offices of the Intendencia (quartermaster) as well as the Manila Mint. The building was damaged during World War II in 1945 and was restored, housing the offices of the National Treasury, the Central Bank of the Philippines, and the Commission on Elections. It was devastated by a fire in 1979 and is currently undergoing restoration efforts for its future use by the National Archives.
Photo source: Builder’s Journal, 2018. Retrieved from https://buildersjournal.blogspot.com/2018/01/travelling-as-it-is-walk-along-manila.html
Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands
The current structure, a survivor of the Second World War, was built in 1937 and designed by Ar. Juan Arellano.
Photo source: National Press Club, 2017. Retrieved from http://nationalpressclubphilippines.com/2017/10/19/shining-through/
National Press Club Building
The building serves as the headquarters of the National Press Club, built in 1954 and inaugurated in 1955 by former President Ramon Magsaysay. It was designed by Arch. Angel Nakpil and an example of early modernist and earthquake-proof architecture in the Philippines.
Photo Source: University of Michigan Special Collections Library (as cited by John Tewell, 2012). Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/johntewell/8320077409/in/photostream/
Magellan’s Monument
The monument, which honored Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, was formerly located outside the Puerta Isabel II as the focal point of the Paseo de Magallanes. In 1905, the monument was relocated after the Almacenes wall was demolished. It stood in front of the Aduana until it was destroyed in the Second World War. Supposedly, the Americans have disposed of the ruins in Pasig River, where what remains of the monument may still exist today.
Photo source: Riel A. A. Diala, 2021
Manila Central Post Office Building
The structure was built in the neoclassical style of architecture in 1931, designed by architects Juan Arellano, Tomas Mapua, and Ralph Harrington Doane. Destroyed during the Second World War in 1945, the building was rebuilt through the Philippine Rehabilitation Act of 1946.
Photo Source: National Historical Commission of the Philippines, 2010. Retrieved from http://nhcphistoricsites.blogspot.com/2011/10/lichauco-house.html
Lichauco House
The house was built in the 1850s to the 1860s and was owned by the O’Brien family before the Second World War. During the war, the O’Briens fled the city, and the house served as a refuge for Manila citizens. After the war, Ambassador Marcial Lichauco acquired the house from the O’Briens. It was declared as a heritage house by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines in 2010.
Photo Source: Catherine Sarah Young, 2015. Retrieved from https://theperceptionalist.com/2015/03/15/cybernetic-memories-at-the-manila-boat-club/
Manila Boat Club
The building, opened in 1932, houses the Manila Boat Club which was established in 1895. The club is considered to be the oldest extant club in Manila.
Photo Source: Google Street View, 2018 https://www.google.com/maps/@14.5965646,120.9637912,3a,75y,313.58h,117.33t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sImaI5enNdKut3MZqoOCiJQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
San Miguel Yamamura Packaging Corporation
The Art Deco structure was built in 1928 in accordance with the plans and design of Julius Arthur Niclaus Gabler Gumbert.
Photo Source: Anson Yu, 2017. Retrieved from https://tulay.ph/2017/04/04/the-alcaiceria-de-san-fernando/
Alcaiceria de San Fernando Site
The Alcaiceria de San Fernando was built in 1756, its two-storey bagua-shaped design attributed to Fray Lucas de Jesus Maria. Although “alcaiceria” means silk markets, the facility served more as a customs house with tax payments accomplished through silk. In 1850, however, the market was destroyed by fire, and the site is currently occupied by Pedro Guevara Elementary School. Ruins of the alcaiceria still exist, however, and a museum dedicated to the market exists within the school’s grounds.
Photo Source: Google Street View, 2018 https://www.google.com/maps/@14.5967515,120.9705769,3a,75y,77.93h,108.34t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1slLR_3TqoD9VFa2_M5gGcsA!2e0!5s20191101T000000!7i13312!8i6656
Basic Building
American colonial structure designed in the Neorenaissance style of architecture located in San Nicolas, Manila. Presumed Important Cultural Property as per RA 10066 (National Cultural Heritage Act), 2009.
Photo Source: Google Street View, 2018. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/maps/@14.5974289,120.9702692,3a,49y,129.11h,90.7t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sv5LOi-yCXO0pFAt4gLyAEA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
San Nicolas Fire Station
The San Nicolas Fire Station is one of Manila’s colonial-era fire stations still standing. The station was the fifth to be constructed during the term of Hugh Bonner, then Fire Chief of the Manila Fire Department and the former Chief of the New York City Fire Department. Presumed Important Cultural Property as per RA 10066 (National Cultural Heritage Act), 2009.
Photo source: Riel A. A. Diala, 2021
El Hogar Filipino Building
The building, built in 1914, was the wedding gift of Spanish businessman Don Antonio Melian y Pavia, Conde de Peracamps, for his wife Doña Margarita Zobel y de Ayala. The building itself was designed by two Spanish engineers, Don Ramon Jose de Irureta Goyena and Don Francisco Perez Muñoz. The building housed offices of the lending cooperative Sociedad El Hogar Filipino, as well as the Ayala y Compania (present-day Ayala Corporation).
Photo source: Riel A. A. Diala, 2021
Grand Cafe 1919 (HSBC) Building
The Grand Cafe 1919 Building once housed the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC). It was designed by G. H. Hayward and built in 1922 by contractor Oscar F. Campbell. Acting Governor-General of the Philippines Charles Emmett Yeater was present during its inauguration. After the HSBC relocated to Makati in 1971, the building fell into a state of neglect until its restoration and renovation in 2018 for Grand Cafe 1919.
Photo source: Riel A. A. Diala, 2021
Juan Luna E-Services Building
The Juan Luna E-Services Building was once the home of the Pacific Commercial Company and the First National City Bank of New York, precursor to what is now Citibank. The building was completed in 1922 and designed by Henry Killam Murphy and Robert Henry Dana, Jr. in the Beaux Arts style. Interestingly, El Hogar Filipino was involved in the funding for the building’s completion.
Photo Source: Google Street View, 2019 https://www.google.com/maps/@14.5960859,120.9771052,3a,60.3y,296.57h,95.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1soOXhT5yAUV77mKf-GBD3yA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Singson Building
The building was built in 1951 and designed by Arch. Antonio Sindiong. Presumed Important Cultural Property as per RA 10066 (National Cultural Heritage Act), 2009.
Photo source: Riel A. A. Diala, 2021
Commercial Bank and Trust Company Building
The Commercial Bank and Trust Company Building was built in 1969 and is designed by National Artist for Architecture Jose Maria Zaragoza.
Photo source: Riel A. A. Diala, 2021
Araneta-Tuason Building
The Araneta-Tuason Building was designed by Architect Luis Maria Araneta. It is also one of the earliest buildings to utilize movable brise soleil in its design, supplied by Hooven Alwintite Solar Shades.
Photo source: Riel A. A. Diala, 2021
Calvo Building
The Calvo Building was built in 1938 and designed by Architects Fernando Hizon Ocampo, Sr., and Tomas Arguelles in the Beaux Arts style of architecture. It was owned by the widow of Don Angel Calvo, affluent realtor Doña Emiliana Mortera y Balsalobre De Calvo. It housed the offices of the Bank of Commerce, the Aquino Lichauco Law Office, Araneta & Co., the MARECO Recording Studio (known for its Kundiman records) and the Republic Broadcasting System established by Robert (Uncle Bob) Stewart, RBS being the precursor to GMA Network.
Photo source: Riel A. A. Diala, 2021
Madrigal Building
The building was built in the 1950s and designed by Arch. Arturo Mañalac. It serves as one of the earlier examples of modernist architecture in the city. Presumed Important Cultural Property as per RA 10066 (National Cultural Heritage Act), 2009.
Photo source: Riel A. A. Diala, 2021
Gonzalo Puyat Building
Also known as the Syvel’s Department Store Building, it was built in the 1960s. The building is named after Gonzalo Puyat who was an established furniture maker, the founder of the “House of Puyat” and the father of former Senator Gil Puyat. Syvel’s Department Store occupied the Gonzalo Puyat Building, a portmanteau of the names of the Syyap and Velez families.
Photo source: Riel A. A. Diala, 2021
Regina Building
The existing edifice was completed in 1934 and designed in the Beaux Arts style of architecture by two architects: Andres Luna de San Pedro and Fernando Ocampo. The site was once property (the Roxas Building) owned by the Ayala-Roxas family but was sold to Don Jose Leoncio de Leon of PASUDECO (Pampanga Sugar Development Company). The Roxas Building was expanded to become what is known today as the Regina Building, named after his wife, Regina Joven y Gutierrez.
Photo Source: Patrick Roque, 2018 Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hospicio_de_San_Jose#/media/File:Pasig_River,_Ayala_bridge,_Hospicio_de_San_Jose_(Manila)(2018-02-05).jpg
Hospicio de San Jose Complex
The Hospicio de San Jose was founded in 1782 as the Hospicio General which served the poor and the abandoned. However, it was in 1810 that the institution settled on Isla de Convalescencia. When the hospicio began confining mentally ill sailors in the institution, it became the only mental asylum in the country in the nineteenth century.
Photo Source: National Historical Commission of the Philippines, 2010. Retrieved from http://nhcphistoricsites.blogspot.com/2011/11/goldenberg-mansion.html
Goldenberg Mansion
The Goldenberg House was built in the nineteenth century by the Eugster family. The house was later owned by Jose Moreno Lacalle (Oidor de la Audiencia) and by Admiral Patricio Montojo of the Spanish Navy, through which the building also housed the Spanish Royal Navy Club from 1897 to 1898. During the American Occupation, it became the home and headquarters of Governor General Arthur MacArthur. The edifice also housed the Philippine School of Commerce, precursor to the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. The house became the site of the Philippine Senate’s first session in 1916. The mansion was later owned by cosmetics manufacturer Michael Goldenberg, from which the house was confiscated during the Marcos regime and restored by National Artist for Architecture Leandro V. Locsin in 1975.
Photo Source: Gonzalo Camacho M-Varaderey, 2019. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10214004299369691&set=gm.2261460443911189
Teus Mansion
Obtained by the Marcos regime and converted into a guesthouse in 1974. Presumed Important Cultural Property as per RA 10066 (National Cultural Heritage Act), 2009.
Photo Source: Google Street View, 2019 https://www.google.com/maps/@14.592152,120.9906938,3a,75y,181.86h,92.15t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s37AC1FbnjUoJPcCZ4IWPig!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Ambrosio Padilla Ancestral House
Presumed Important Cultural Property as per RA 10066 (National Cultural Heritage Act), 2009.
Photo Source: Benjie Layug, 2019 Retrieved from http://benjielayug.com/2019/09/national-shrine-of-st-michael-and-the-archangels-manila.html
National Shrine of Saint Michael and the Archangels
The current church is the third structure to be built on the present site, completed in 1913 under the term of Fr. Hipolito Arce with the assistance of Doña Margarita Roxas de Ayala. As the Manila Cathedral was being rebuilt after the ravages of World War II, San Miguel Church served as the Archdiocese of Manila’s Pro-Cathedral. The church was eventually elevated to the rank of “National Shrine” in 1986. Given its proximity to the Malacañang Palace, it had also been where Philippine presidents went to hear mass.
Photo Source: Richard V. Viñas, 2020. Retrieved from https://mb.com.ph/2020/02/03/psg-implements-coronavirus-screening-at-malacanang-gates/
Malacañang Palace
The palace began as a weekend house owned by Spaniard Luis Rocha of the Galleon Trade. Eventually, Rocha sold the property in 1802 to Spanish Colonel Jose Miguel Fomento, whose testamentary executors sold the property to the government in 1825 upon his death. The house became the residence of the Governor-General when the Palacio del Gobernador in Intramuros was destroyed by the 1863 earthquake. Although the Governor-General moved back to Intramuros with the completion of the Palacio Provisional de Santa Potenciana, renovations and expansions continued at the Malacañang Palace well into the American Colonial Period. Governor General Leonard Wood became the first chief executive to reside in the Malacañang Palace in the 1920s. The palace was one of a handful architectural survivors after the Second World War. Expansions and repairs continued in the post-war years, especially during the Marcos regime when the building was renovated by Ar. Jorge Ramos and inaugurated in 1979.
Photo Source: Presidential Museum and Library, 2013. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/govph/19952539052
Kalayaan Hall (Malacañang Palace)
Kalayaan Hall was built in 1920-1921 as the Executive Building of the Malacañang Palace during the term of Governor General Francis Burton Harrison. The building was designed by Ar. Ralph Harrington Doane and Ar. Tomas Mapua who was the supervising architect of the Bureau of Public Works. On the other hand, ornamentation and wooden interiors were crafted by sculptors Isabelo Tampinco and Graciano Nepomuceno. Manuel Quezon, during his term as president, initiated expansions on the structure with Juan Arellano as the architect. The building continued to serve as the principal office building of the Malacañang under the next presidencies until the terms of Garcia and Macapagal, with the building undergoing radical changes under the term of Marcos. The building was renamed as Maharlika Hall, the office rooms demolished and the interiors converted into event spaces. After the EDSA People Power Revolution and during the term of Pres. Corazon Aquino, the building was renamed as Kalayaan Hall. In 2002, it became the home of the main gallery of the Presidential Museum and Library.
Photo Source: Ramon F. Velasquez, 2020. Retrieved from https://interaksyon.philstar.com/politics-issues/2020/04/16/166458/locsins-tweet-bares-vip-testing-still-ongoing-at-malacanang/
Mabini Hall (Malacañang Palace)
Mabini Hall was home to the Budget Commission with its creation in 1936. The building housed the Supreme Court after the destruction of the Ayuntamiento in 1945. The building was eventually expanded to house the administrative offices of the Malacañang. In 1992, it was destroyed by fire and rebuilt under the term of Pres. Fidel V. Ramos, who renamed it Mabini Hall.
Photo Source: Presidential Museum and Library. Retrieved from http://malacanang.gov.ph/about/malacanang/new-executive-building/
New Executive Building (Malacañang Palace)
The building, designed by Arthur Niclaus Gabler Gumbert, originally housed the administrative offices of the San Miguel Brewery. Eventually, it was acquired by the Malacañang Palace and was refurbished under the term of Pres. Corazon Aquino.
Photo Source: Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Retrieved from https://www.pup.edu.ph/about/branchescampuses
Polytechnic University of the Philippines – A. Mabini Campus
The Polytechnic University of the Philippines began as the Manila Business School in 1904, eventually renamed as the Philippine School of Commerce (PSC). In 1952, PSC became the Philippine College of Commerce through Republic Act 778. In 1968, what would later become the A. Mabini Campus in Santa Mesa, Manila was assigned to the PCC, the college moving its campus to the aforementioned site from S. H. Loyola Street. In 1978, through Presidential Decree 1341, PCC became a state university and was renamed as the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
Photo Source: Dico Calingal, 2019. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/dico-calingal/49232742518
William A. Jones Memorial Bridge
The current Jones Bridge is a product of transformation over several centuries. The first version was considered the first bridge to be built across the Pasig River – Puente Grande in 1632. It was later on renamed as Puente de Espana after it was rebuilt from the destruction due to the 1863 Earthquake.
In 1919, the old Puente de Espana was replaced with Ar. Juan Arellano’s Jones Bridge. The bridge was named after William A. Jones, the famous legislator who authored the Jones Law which gave the country legislative autonomy from the United States during the Commonwealth Era. Partially destroyed during the 2nd World War, the bridge was rebuilt in 1947 but devoid of the ornaments and elements that were present in Arellano’s original plans. These include the famous La Madre Filipina Statues that adorn the ends of the bridge.
In 2019, the City Government of Manila under the leadership of Mayor Isko Moreno decided to redevelop the Jones Bridge to restore its old grandeur. The redevelopment resulted with the return and reconstruction of the La Madre Filipina statues. The overall aesthetics of the current bridge was modelled after the Pont Alexandre III, thus making it also different from Arellano’s version of the bridge.
Photo Source: Ramon F. Velasquez, 2014. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacArthur_Bridge_(Manila)#/media/File:Manilajf9559_37.JPG
MacArthur Bridge
Connecting Arroceros Street and Plaza Goiti, the bridge named after the famous Gen. Douglas MacArthur replaced the old Sta Cruz Bridge in 1952 after being destroyed by the 2nd World War.
Photo Source: Ralff Nestor Nacor, 2020. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quezon_Bridge#/media/File:Quezon_Bridge,_Manila_City.jpg
Quezon Bridge
The Quezon Bridge started in 1852 under a different name – Puente de Colgante. It was a suspended bridge built in 1852 and it served as a connection between Arroceros and the Quinta Market in Quiapo. Interestingly, authorities charged a toll fee on the Puente de Colgante on both vehicles and pedestrians.
The light structure of the Puente de Colgante was soon replaced in 1939 with the bulky Art Deco steel bridge that we now know as Quezon Bridge. Named after Manuel L. Quezon, the bridge was soon destroyed during the 2nd World War but was rebuilt immediately in 1946 although the reconstruction was devoid of the original Art Deco elements.
Photo Source: ESCA Incorporated. Retrieved from https://www.escaengineers.com/project/ayala-bridge-structural-retrofitting-rehabilitation/
Ayala Bridge
Opened in 1880, the Ayala Bridge was inaugurated and was named after the prominent family who constructed the bridge. The configuration of the bridge is interesting because aside from connecting the district of San Miguel with the districts of Ermita and Malate, it also connects to an island where the Hospicio de San Jose is currently situated.
Photo Source: Google Street View, 2018. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/maps/@14.5954354,121.0022189,3a,75y,292.1h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sBvKJOXV71dzANDRcjhDr6Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Mabini Bridge
Popularly known as Nagtahan Bridge, it connects the districts of Paco and Santa Mesa. It was constructed in 1945 as a floating bridge able to evacuate people during the deadly Liberation of Manila. The floating bridge was made permanent in 1963 and was renamed Mabini Bridge to commemorate one of the residents of Nagtahan Street in Santa Mesa – Apolinario Mabini.
Makati City
Photo Source: David Montasco, 2021. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/141435737@N05/51185291131/in/photostream/
Cu Unjieng House
Constructed before 1918, the house was the former home of Filipino-Chinese businessman Guillermo A. Cu Unjieng who founded the Philippine First Insurance Company in 1906. Presumed Important Cultural Property as per RA 10066 (National Cultural Heritage Act), 2009.
Photo Source: Edgar Allan M. Sembrano, 2019. Retrieved from https://tribune.net.ph/index.php/2019/02/02/the-heritage-houses-of-makati/
Coronado House
The Coronado House stands as one of the few Spanish-era houses still existing in Makati. Presumed Important Cultural Property as per RA 10066 (National Cultural Heritage Act), 2009.
Photo Source: Makati Poblacion Heritage Conservation Project, 2018. Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/onepoblacion/photos/pcb.2223768174565473/2223767591232198/
Museo ng Makati
The city’s first municipal hall, refered to as the Presidencia, was built in 1918. The structure was eventually rebuilt in concrete in 1934 under the term of Mayor Nicanor Garcia. It served as Makati’s municipal hall until 1961 when the local government relocated to the present site. The building also housed the Municipal Library and the Philippine Eye and Ear Infirmary before it was abandoned. In 1991, restoration efforts were undertaken during the term of Mayor Jejomar C. Binay for its conversion into a museum. The Museo ng Makati was eventually inaugurated in 1992.
Photo Source: David Montasco, 2021. Retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/141435737@N05/51185508338
Tolentino House
The house was constructed of wood and concrete during the American colonial period. Presumed Important Cultural Property as per RA 10066 (National Cultural Heritage Act), 2009.
Photo Source: ABS-CBN News, 2015. Retrieved from https://news.abs-cbn.com/nation/metro-manila/04/16/15/look-makati-friendship-suites
Guadalupe Condominiums and the Makati Friendship Suites (Guadalupe BLISS Project)
The housing project was one of the products of the BLISS (Bagong Lipunan Improvement of Sites and Services) Program established during the term of Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos in 1979. The Guadalupe BLISS Project, completed in 1980, is a work of National Artist for Architecture Francisco T. Mañosa.
Photo Source: Google Street View, 2019. Retrieved from https://www.google.com/maps/@14.5635306,121.0586538,3a,90y,208.88h,100.98t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s-3AdbMvthGrZRuV8DczJSQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Ermita de San Nicolas de Tolentino
The ermita served as the focal point of the devotion to San Nicolas de Tolentino by the Chinese during the Spanish Colonial Period. The chapel itself was constructed in the late 17th century. It was initially under the responsibility of the Guadalupe monastery, but was eventually transferred to the care of the parish of San Pedro Macati. Due to the exorbitant celebrations which have involved gambling and alcohol, the Archdiocese of Manila ordered the demolition of the Ermita which had not been executed. It was discovered in the 1990s and subsequently restored under the supervision of Ar. Maria Cristina Turalba and Ar. Ramon Maria Zaragoza.
Article by Beatrice Ann Dolores
Built Heritage List prepared by Riel A. A. Diala
Preface written by Angela Piguing
Collaborative text for NCCA’s Emergency Declaration Petition for Pasig River
Move As One Coalition.
Renacimiento Manila.
All Rights Reserved.
References
Petition to NCCA for Emergency Declaration of Pasig River as National Cultural Treasure
List of Still-Existing Built-Heritage Along Pasig River
Joint Statement on No To PAREX
The Renacimiento Movement. What, then, is the Renacimiento Movement? The movement is the core philosophy of the organization. It is founded on the reality that heritage is a cornerstone of holistic development and that it is indispensable in ensuring the quality of life. As such, cultural revival is necessary for the promotion of heritage on the national agenda. Heritage should be driven by the people, regardless of race, gender, creed, or religion. This cultural revival can be achieved through the following ways: government support, the advancement of private initiatives, and the engagement of the people.
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