The Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Filipino:

Kalakhang Katedral Baslika ng Maynil; Spanish: Catedral Baslica Metropolitana de Manila), informally
known as Manila Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic basilica located in Manila, Philippines, dedicated to
the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the Principal Patroness of the
Philippines. The cathedral serves as the Episcopal See of the Archbishop of Manila.

Located at Plaza de Roma in the Intramuros district of the City of Manila, the cathedral was originally a
parish church owned and governed by the Archdiocese of Mexico in 1571, until it became a separate
diocese on 6 February 1579 upon the issuance of the papal bull, Illius Fulti Prsido by Pope Gregory
XIII.[1] The cathedral was damaged and destroyed several times since the original structure was built in
1581 while the eighth and current instance of the cathedral was finally completed in 1958. [2]

The cathedral was originally the "church of Manila" officially established in 1571 by a secular priest,
Juan de Vivero, who arrived in Manila Bay in 1566.[5] De Vivero, the chaplain on the galleon of San
Gernimo, was sent by the Archbishop of Mexico, Alonso de Montfar, to establish Christianity as the
spiritual and religious administration in newly colonized Philippines. De Vivero later became the vicar-
general and the first ecclesiastical judge of the city of Manila.

Spanish conquistador Miguel Lpez de Legazpi chose the location of the church and placed it under the
patronage of Santa Potenciana. The first parish priest of the church was Juan de Villanueva. [6]

When the church was raised to a cathedral in 1579, a new structure made from nipa, wood, and
bamboo was constructed in 1581 by Domingo de Salazar, the first bishop of Manila. The new structure
was consecrated on December 21, 1581, formally becoming a cathedral. The structure was destroyed
by fire in 1583, which started during the funeral Mass for Governor-General Gonzalo Ronquillo de
Pealosa in San Agustin Church that razed much of the city.[1]

The University of Santo Tomas Central Seminary Building currently houses the Santisimo Rosario
Parish Church, the Central Seminary, and the Ecclesiastical Faculties of the Pontifical and Royal
University of Santo Tomas in Manila. The Parish was canonically inaugurated on April 26, 1942 by
Michael O'Doherty, the Archbishop of Manila during that time.[1] In January 25 2010, the National
Museum of the Philippines formally declared the Central Seminary Building as a National Cultural
Treasure.

The Central Seminary of the University of Santo Tomas was designed by Fernando Ocampo. It was built
in the 1930s. The plan of the seminary was configured in the form of the letter E, with courtyards
bisecting the wings. The boxy building had an elongated frontage assembling a continuous band of
balconies and windows on the second and third level. The structures horizontally-oriented massing
was broken by an engaged central section at the main entrance and two other similar treatments at
the end portions. An art deco relief, bud-like finials, and a tableau embellished the stepped pylon at
the entrance.[9]History

Along the outskirts of Sampaloc District in the City of Manila is a unique Parish, for its seat is at the
heart of the Catholic University of the Philippines. For the past 70 years, the Santisimo Rosario Parish
has been the spiritual haven of both the students of the University of Santo Tomas and of nearby
residents. During the turbulent months at the dawn of the Second World War, then Archbishop of
Manila, the Most. Rev. Michael O Dougherty D.D. issued a decree on March 21, 1942, establishing the
Santisimo Rosario Parish. One month later, on April 26, He presided over a Pontifical High Mass at the
UST Chapel, with which he canonically inaugurated the parish, with Fr. Emiliano Serrano OP as its first
pastor. Under the care of the Dominican Fathers the parish continued to grow as a community of faith
with a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and imbued with the spirit of St. Dominic. Through the
decades, parish organizations were organized, each giving its contribution to the parishs evangelical
mission.

The Iglesia Ni Cristo Locale of F. Manalo-San Juan (Filipino: Lokal ng F. Manalo-San Juan), formerly
Locale of Riverside (Filipino: Lokal ng Riverside) is a chapel and former central office complex of the
Philippine-based Christian sect, the Iglesia ni Cristo. Located at Barangay Santa Lucia, San Juan, it was
completed in 1952, and it is the former central office complex and main house of worship of the
church. The art-deco ensembles were designed by the national artist of architecture Juan Nakpil, who
also built some of the standalone theaters in Rizal Avenue, UP Diliman Campus buildings and Quiapo
Church.

The church administration was searching for a suitable location for the central office for the growing
Iglesia ni Cristo under the leadership of Felix Y. Manalo. In 1925 the church administration moved from
Tondo, Manila to San Juan which is then a municipality of Rizal to accommodate more rooms for the
church officers. The site was chosen by Manalo to build the central office and the main house of
worship during its time. In early 1950s, the executive minister hired architect Juan Nakpil to design the
main house of worship, central office building and the Pastoral House which became home to the
family of Manalo. The complex features sculptures by Francesco Monti, lush gardens and landscapes
and a futuristic water tank. It was completed in 1952. The main chapel, simultaneously completed with
adjacent buildings, was then the largest among the chapels of the church. It was patterned on theaters
on which architect Nakpil worked. Some of the historical events happened in the complex like, the
election of council of ministers to Erano Manalo as the successor of his father Felix. In 1963, the last
building to be built inside the complex was the mausoleum-memorial of Felix Manalo, which is
designed by architect Carlos A. Santos-Viola, the brother-in-law of architect Nakpil.
The Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene (canonically known as Saint John the Baptist Parish
and colloquially known as Quiapo Church; Filipino: Baslika Menor ng Itm na Nazareno; Spanish:
Baslica Menor del Nazareno Negro) is a prominent Roman Catholic Latin-rite basilica located in the
District of Quiapo in the City of Manila, Philippines. The basilica is famous home for the shrine of the
Black Nazarene, a dark statue of Jesus Christ many claim to be miraculous. The parish is under the
Archdiocese of Manila and its current rector is Rev. Msgr. Hernando Coronel.

The earliest church built by missionaries of the Order of Friars Minor was made of bamboo for the
frame and nipa leaves as thatching.[1][2] In 1574, Limahong and his soldiers destroyed and burned the
church. Formerly a visita (chapel-of-ease) of Santa Ana, the Franciscan friar Antonio de Nombella
founded the church in 1588 which was dedicated to Saint John the Baptist, the Forerunner of Christ. It
burned down in 1603 and the parish was temporarily turned over to the Jesuits until secular clergy
objected.[1] Governor-General Santiago de Vera initiated the full construction of the church in 1686. [2]
On April 8, 1639, the administration of the church was returned to the seculars who had always taking
care of the churchs
welfare.[

Built in the Baroque style, Quiapo

Church's faade is distinctive with
twisted columns on both levels. The
Corinthian columns of the
second level has a third of its
shaft twisted near the base, while
the upper portion has a smooth
surface. The topmost
portion of the four-storey
belfries are rimmed with
balustrades and decorated with
huge scrolls. The tympanum of
the pediment has a pair of
chalice-shaped finials, and
towards the end of the raking
cornice, urn-like vases mark the
end of the pediment. A
quatrefoil window in the centre of
the pediment was sealed up in the late 1980s and replaced with a relief of the crossed keys and tiara
of the pope a symbol of its status as a minor basilica.

The Saint Andrew the Apostle Parish is a Roman Catholic Church in Bel-Air Village, Makati,
Philippines. It is one of the known Modern Edifices designed by Leandro V. Locsin in Makati. This Parish
is dedicated to Saint Andrew the Apostle, the patron saint of Metro Manila and Bel-Air Village. Its Parish
Territories are Bel-Air Village (Barangay Bel-Air), San Miguel Village (Barangay Poblacion), Rizal Village
and Santiago Village (Barangay Valenzuela), and Salcedo village (Barangay Bel-Air).

The proposal of St. Andrew the Apostle Parish began in 1965 when a group of residents belonging to
the villages of San Miguel and Bel-Air dreamed of having a parish that they could call their own. The
community did not have to wait long. Don Andres Soriano Jr. offered to have a church built in honor of
his late father Don Andres Sr. who was loved and respected by the people of San Miguel Corporation.
Thus, the parish was named after the patriarchs namesake, St. Andrew the Apostle. With the approval
of the establishment and formation of the parish by Rufino Cardinal Santos came the appointment of
Msgr. Emilio Bularan as the first Parish Priest. On February 8, 1967, the 69th birthday of the late Don
Andres Soriano, the cornerstone was laid at the 3,494 square meter lot donated by the Ayala family
through the Makati Development Corporation.

On November 30, 1968, St. Andrew the Apostle Parish was opened. At half past eight in the morning,
the community gathered to witness the unveiling of the church marker by the people whose generosity
made the occasion possible: Andres Soriano Jr., President of San Miguel Corporation; Jose Ma. Soriano,
Chairman and President of A. Soriano y Cia; Enrique Zobel, President of the Ayala Corporation; and
other donors from Roxas y Cia.[2] In 2002, Msgr. Emmanuel Sunga made some various redevelopments
in the Parish such as the improvement of flooring, air-conditioning, building of Parish Office annex,
refurbishment of halo chandelier, the Altar of the Church, and Building of the Carillon Bell Tower.
The
Manila City
Hall
(Filipino :

Gusaling Panlungsod ng Maynila) is located in the historic center of Ermita, Manila. It is where the
Mayor of Manila holds office and the chambers of the Manila City Council.[2] It was originally intended to
be a part of a national government center envisioned by Daniel Burnham in the 1930s. Although the
dream plan was not fully implemented, some buildings for the proposed government center was
constructed, including the Old Legislative Building (now the National Museum of Fine Arts), and the
Agriculture and Finance Buildings (presently the National Museum of Anthropology and National
Museum of Natural History). The Manila City Hall during 1901 was made up of Oregon-pine which
covered one third of the area used by the current building. After 31 years of occupancy, City Engineer
Santiago Artiaga suggested to reinforce the floor of the weakened structure supporting the session hall
used by the municipal board and avoid the accommodation of too many people along the corridors and
in the hallway.[2] Eventually the old City Hall was then demolished

In the 1930s, a new 8,422 square meter-City Hall was constructed, which included around 200 rooms
and uniform windows on all sides. This was designed by Antonio Toledo, the same architect who built
the Finance and Old Legislative Buildings which were both adjacent to the new City Hall. Finished in
1941 right before World War II, it was another of the structural casualties of the War, heavily damaged
(but still intact) by bombardment during the Battle and subsequent Liberation of Manila in February
1945. With the aid of the United States Army, Philippine Commonwealth Army and the city
government, City Hall was reconstructed, though did not follow the original plans. Among the
deviations were an added fifth-floor attic from the south entrance until the location of the east-west
side entrances to accommodate additional offices,[2] and additional windows in some areas which were
formerly shelling damages.
The Manila Central Post Office is the central post office of the city of Manila, Philippines. It is the
head office of the Philippine Postal Corporation, and houses the country's main mail sorting-distribution
operations. Designed by Juan M. Arellano and Toms Mapa, the post office building was built in
neoclassical architecture in 1926.[1] It was severely damaged in World War II, and rebuilt in 1946
preserving most of its original design.[1]

The location of the Post Office building in the Ermita district of the city east of Intramuros, was part of
the plan of Daniel Burnham for the city of Manila, which placed the building on the frontage of the
Pasig River for easy water transportation of mails. Its central location with converging avenues made
the building readily accessible from all sides. [2] The building's main entrance faces the Liwasang
Bonifacio.[3] The construction of this building started in 1936 under the supervision of the engineering
firm Pedro Siochi and Company. It was finished before the outbreak of war in 1941.

This official transmitter of mail, money and goods traces its beginnings to Act No. 462 of the Philippine
Commission on September 15, 1902, creating the Bureau of Posts. Postal service in the country, albeit
crude and slow, began during the Spanish period with horse-riding couriers till it reached the marked
improvements which the Americans initiated. The present building which houses the bureau hums
daily with brisk postal service. Now under the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and
Communication, the Bureau of Posts, now houses a modern and efficient look with its mechanized
automatic letter-sorting machine, new Postal Code, Metropolitan Airmail Network, motorized letter
carriers and all other new facilities.[4]
The Manila
Hotel is a 570-
room, historic
five-star hotel
located along
Manila Bay in Manila, Philippines.[3] The hotel is the oldest premiere hotel in the Philippines built in
1909 to rival Malacaang Palace, the official residence of the President of the Philippines and was
opened on the commemoration of American Independence on July 4, 1912. [5] The hotel complex was
built on a reclaimed area of 35,000 square metres (380,000 sq ft) at the northwestern end of Rizal Park
along Bonifacio Drive in Ermita.[6] Its penthouse served as the residence of General Douglas MacArthur
during his tenure as the Military Advisor of the Philippine Commonwealth from 1935 to 1941.[7]

The hotel contains the offices of several foreign news organizations, including The New York Times.[5] It
has hosted numerous world historical persons and celebrities including authors Ernest Hemingway and
James A. Michener; actors Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and John Wayne; publisher Henry Luce; entertainers
Sammy Davis, Jr., Michael Jackson and The Beatles; U.S. President John F. Kennedy, British Prime
Minister Anthony Eden, and other world leaders.[

When the United States took over the Philippine Islands from the Spanish in 1898 after the Spanish
American War,[8] President William McKinley began Americanizing the former Spanish colony. In 1900
he appointed William Howard Taft to head the Philippine Commission to evaluate the needs of the new
territory. Taft, who later became the Philippines' first civilian Governor-General, [9] decided that Manila,
the capital, should be a planned town. He hired as his architect and city planner Daniel Hudson
Burnham, who had built Union Station and the Postal Square Building in Washington. In Manila,
Burnham had in mind a long wide, tree-lined boulevard along the bay, beginning at a park area
dominated by a magnificent hotel. To execute Burnham's plans, Taft hired William E. Parsons, a New
York City architect, who envisioned an impressive, comfortable hotel along the lines of a California
mission but grander.[6] The original design was an H-shaped plan that focused on well-ventilated rooms
on two wings, providing grand vistas of the harbor, the Luneta, and Intramuros. The top floor was, in
fact, a large viewing deck that was used for various functions, including watching the American navy
steam into the harbor.[10]
Malacaang Palace (officially Malacaan Palace, colloquially "Malacaang"; Filipino: Palasyo ng
Malakanyang [malaka], Spanish: Palacio de Malacan [pala'sjo 'de malakaa]) is the official
residence and principal workplace of the President of the Philippines located in the capital city of
Manila. The Palace is in fact a complex of buildings built largely in Spanish colonial and Neo-classical
style. Under the current administration, President Rodrigo Duterte wants to rename Malacaang to
Peoples' Palace.[2] The original structure was built in 1750 by Don Lus Rocha as a summer house along
the Pasig River. It was purchased by the state in 1825 as the summer residence for the Spanish
Governor-General. After the June 3, 1863 earthquake destroyed the Palacio del Gobernador (Governor's
Palace) in the walled city of Manila, it became the Governor-General's official residence. After
sovereignty over the Islands was ceded to the United States in 1898, it became the residence of the
American Governors, with General Wesley Merritt being the first.[3] Since 1863, the Palace has been
occupied by eighteen Spanish Governors-General, fourteen American Military and Civil Governors, and
later the Presidents of the Philippines.[3] The Palace had been enlarged and refurbished several times
since 1750; the grounds were expanded to include neighboring estates, and many buildings were
demolished and constructed during the Spanish and American periods. Most recently, the Palace
complex was again drastically remodeled and extensively rebuilt during the term of Ferdinand Marcos.
[4]
Among the presidents of the present Fifth Republic, only Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has actually lived
in the main Palace, with all others residing in nearby properties that form part of the larger Palace
complex.[
The Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, is a national sports complex of the Philippines, located on
Pablo Ocampo St. (formerly Vito Cruz St.), Malate, Manila. It is named after the country's national hero,
Jos Rizal. The whole complex is currently managed by the Philippine Sports Commission, while the
property is owned by the Manila City government. [1][2]

Formerly the Manila Carnival Grounds, the RMSC was built in 1934 for the Far Eastern Championship
Games, a precursor to the Asian Games. It was destroyed during World War II, and reconstructed in
1953 for use in the 1954 Asian Games.
The complex was renovated in 2011. The National Stadium, the centerpiece of the sports complex, has
a maximum seating capacity of 30,000. The complex also houses the administrative office of the PSC,
and quarters for the Philippine national athletes.

In December
2016, the group of
businessman
Enrique Razon has
expresssed interest for the
proposed urban
redevelopment
and modernization
of the RMSC. The plan
is to build- up
contemporary
buildings and commercial
structures with modern
smart technologies
and amenities, as
well as more greener
open spaces within
the property. A
sports museum will
also be construct here,
while the facade of the
Rizal Memorial
Coliseum will be retained.
[3]
The PSC had reportedly
planned to be transferred the facilities in the proposed Philippine Sports City located in Clark,
Pampanga.[4] An online petition posted on Change.org was initiated to save the Rizal Memorial Sports
Complex amid several reports on the planned redevelopment. [5]
The Quezon Memorial
Shrine
(Filipino:Pam bansang
Pang- alaalang
Dambana ni Quezon,[1]
lit.National Memorial
Shrine of Quezon) is
a monument and
national shrine
dedicated to former
Philippine President
Manuel Quezon
located within the
grounds of Quezon Memorial Circle. It also houses a museum at its base.

The Quezon Memorial Committee which was tasked to organize a nationwide fund-raising campaign for
the building of a monument dedicated to former President Manuel Quezon, was established by the
virtue of Executive Order, No. 79 signed by then President Sergio Osmea on December 17, 1945.[2]
Then President Elpidio Quirino proposed the relocation of the monument away from its original planned
site but such plans did not pushed through.[3] The Bureau of Public Works commenced the construction
of the monument in 1952.[1]

The monument was placed under the jurisdiction of the National Historical Institute through
Presidential Decree No.1 issued by then President Ferdinand Marcos on September 24, 1972.[1][4]

On January 14, 1974, the monument was formally designated as a national shrine and was inaugurated
in August 19, 1978. The remains of former President Manuel Quezon was transferred to the Quezon
Memorial Shrine from the Manila North Cemetery on August 1, 1979.[1] The remains of Aurora Aragon
Quezon, was likewise transferred to the shrine on April 28, 2005. [
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (Filipino: Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas, or CCP)
is a government owned and controlled corporation established to preserve, develop and promote arts
and culture in the Philippines.[1][2] The CCP was established through Executive Order No. 30 s. 1966 by
President Ferdinand Marcos. Although an independent corporation of the Philippine government, it
receives an annual subsidy and is placed under the National Commission for Culture and the Arts for
purposes of policy coordination.[1][3] The CCP is headed by an 11-member Board of Trustees, currently
headed by Chairperson Emily Abrera. Its current president is Raul Sunico.

Before the turn of the 20th century, artistic performances were primarily held in plazas and other
public places around the country. In Manila, the Manila Grand Opera House, constructed in the mid-
19th Century, served as the primary venue for many stage plays, operas and zarzuelas and other
notable events of national significance. [7] Conditions improve with the construction of the Metropolitan
Theater in 1931 and smaller but adequately equipped auditoriums in institutions like Meralco, Philam
Life, Insular Life, Ateneo de Manila University and Far Eastern University. In 1961, the Philippine-
American Cultural Foundation started to raise funds for a new theater. The structure, designed by
Leandro Locsin, was to be built on a 10-hectare (25-acre) lot in Quezon City. In the meantime in 1965,
Imelda Marcos at a proclamation rally in Cebu for her husband's bid for the Presidency, expressed her
desire to build a national theater. Marcos would win his election bid and work on the theater started
with the issuance of Presidential Proclamation No. 20 on March 12, 1966. [5] Imelda, now the First Lady,
persuaded the Philippine-American Cultural Foundation to relocate and expand plans for the still-born
theater to a new reclaimed location along Roxas Boulevard in Manila. To formalize the project,
President Marcos issued Executive Order No. 60, establishing the Cultural Center of the Philippines and
appointing its board of directors. The board would elect Imelda as chairperson, giving her the legal
mandate to negotiate and manage funds for the center. [6][8]
The Rizal Monument (original title: Motto
Stella, Latin, "guiding star") is a memorial in Rizal Park in Manila, Philippines built to commemorate
the executed Filipino nationalist, Jos Rizal. The monument consists of a standing bronze sculpture of
the Rizal, with an obelisk, set on a stone base within which his remains are interred. A plaque on the
pedestal's front reads: "To the memory of Jos Rizal, patriot and martyr, executed on Bagumbayan
Field December Thirtieth 1896. This monument is dedicated by the people of the Philippine Islands".

The perimeter of the monument is guarded continuously by the Philippine Marine Corps Marine
Security and Escort Group, the changing of the guard having become a daily ritual. About 100 m
(330 ft) north-northwest of the monument is the exact location where Rizal was executed, marked by
life-size dioramas depicting his final moments.

There is also no official explanation of the meaning of the monuments details. The monument depicts
Rizal in overcoat holding a book, that represent his novels Noli Me Tngere and El filibusterismo. The
obelisk is usually taken to mean Rizals masonic background while the three stars are said to stand for
Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. The figures at the back of the monument, such as leaves and a pot,
are said to symbolize the countrys natural resources. The consensus is that the figures beside Rizala
mother rearing her child and two young boys readingsignify family and education. [
The Manila Jai Alai Building was a building designed by American architects Welton Becket and
Walter Wurdeman that functioned as a building for which jai alai games were held.[1] It was built in the
Streamline Moderne style in 1940 and survived the Battle of Manila.[2] It was considered one of finest
Art Deco buildings in Asia.[2] It was demolished in 2000 upon the orders of the Mayor of Manila Lito
Atienza amidst protests, to make way for the Manila Hall of Justice, which was never built.[2

The building was located adjacent to the old Legislative Building now the National Museum of Fine Arts.
Composed of four storeys, the building's Sky Room was "the place to be seen" in its day. The building's
cylindrical glass facade was meant to evoke the velocity of the game, which was then a craze in the
city.[3] The building was damaged during the Battle of Manila during World War II but was repaired.

While the Sky Room became a venue of meetings and receptions during the Commonwealth and early
years after Independence, the building had degenerated into a place of game-rigging, syndication and
other forms of cheating.[2] Several murders have been said to have occurred there, as disputes on
gambling on the results of jai alai games were prevalent.[4] In 1986, the game per se was banned in the
country due to allegations of game fixing.[5]

.
The Smart Araneta Coliseum, known as The Big Dome, is an indoor multi-purpose sports arena that is part of the Araneta
Center in the Cubao area of Quezon City, Philippines. It is one of the largest indoor arenas in Asia, and it is also one of the largest
clear span domes in the world. The dome measures approximately 108.0 meters making it the largest dome in Asia from its
opening in 1960 until 2001 when it was surpassed by the ita Stadium in Japan with a dome measuring 274.0 meters.[citation needed]

The Smart Araneta Coliseum is mostly used for sports such as basketball. It is a main venue of the Philippine Basketball
Association[3] and for the basketball games of the National Collegiate Athletic Association and the University Athletic Association
of the Philippines. The Big Dome is also used for boxing, cockfighting, local and international concerts, circuses, religious
gatherings, beauty pageants and more.[ In 1952, J. Amado Araneta, a member of the Araneta family, purchased from Radio
Corporation of America (RCA) 35 hectares (86 acres) in Cubao which includes the Araneta family home and is bounded by
Epifanio Delos Santos Avenue or EDSA, Aurora Boulevard, P. Tuazon and 15th Avenue.

The Araneta Coliseum was constructed from 1957 to late 1959, and designed and built by Architect Dominador Lacson Lugtu
and Engrineer Leonardo Onjunco Lugtu. From 1960 to 1963, the Coliseum received international recognition and was recognized
as the largest covered coliseum in the world. [citation needed] Today, it remains one of the largest clear span domes in the world with a
dome diameter of 108 meters.[citation needed] It occupies a total land area of almost 40,000 square metres (430,000 sq ft) and has a
floor area of 23,000 square metres (250,000 sq ft).[5] The coliseum opened on March 16, 1960, with Gabriel "Flash" Elorde
boxing for the World Junior Lightweight crown against Harold Gomes. General admission then was 80 centavos and the reserve
section was five pesos.

Among the notable events to take place at the arena were the 11th and 34th FAMAS Awards, the 1975 "Thrilla in Manila" boxing
match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, and the annual Binibining Pilipinas beauty pageant. The Philippine Basketball
Association (PBA) has played more than a thousand games at the Araneta Coliseum as of today [when?].[citation needed] Other basketball
events hosted by the arena were the 1978 FIBA World Championship, a game between the 1978 NBA champions Washington
Bullets and a PBA selection in 1979, and the 1982 Asian Youth Basketball Championship where the Philippines defeated China
in the final.[6]
Far Eastern
University (FEU)
(PSE: FEU) in the
University Belt area, West Sampaloc, City of Manila, is a nonsectarian, private university in the
Philippines. Created by the merger of Far Eastern College and the Institute of Accountancy (now
Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance), FEU became a university in 1934 under the guidance of
first president Dr. Nicanor I. Reyes, Sr. It has been noted as the leading proprietary (for profit)
university in the Philippines.[2] FEU's campus is noted for a number of historical buildings preserved
from the first half of the 20th century. Far Eastern University was founded in 1934 when the Far Eastern
College and the Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance (IABF) merged. [2][3] Far Eastern College
(now Jose Rizal University), founded in 1919 by Don Vicente Fabella, had been a liberal arts college in
Quiapo; the IABF had been established (originally under the name Institute of Accountancy) by Dr.
Francisco T. Dalupan Sr. and Dr. Nicanor I. Reyes, Sr., head of the Department of Economics of the
University of the Philippines, with a number of other prominent educators in 1928. [3][4] IABF had been
originally predominately used by night students, and the new university, which was supported by the
tuition provided by its students rather than government grants. [3][4]

In its earliest days, FEU was housed in a converted tobacco factory already present on the four hectare
(nearly 10 acre) plot which would eventually host the current campus. [3][4] Reyes Sr. was appointed the
first president of the University, which spent its early years establishing several of its institutes,
including those of Law and Technology. Reyes commissioned Brother in law Arch. Pablo S. Antonio Sr.,
who would later be titled National Artist of the Philippines, to construct a building for the school.[5] In
1939, the Nicanor I. Reyes Hall, which would later house the library and Institute of Accounts, Business
and Finance, opened. Two other buildings by Antonio, the Girls High School Building and Boys High
School Building, followed in 1940 and 1941, [5] by which year FEU had 10,000 registered students, with
an international student population of 400.[6]
The Veterans Memorial Medical Center (formerly known as Veterans Memorial Hospital) was
established in 1955 with full US Government assistance under the US Veterans Administration to
provide quality hospitalization, medical care and treatment to Filipino veterans as provided by U.S.
public law. The patients were originally those who suffer from service-connected disabilities arising
from their services with the USAFFE, recognized guerrilla units, Philippine Scouts, and Philippine
Commonwealth Army, which was later extended to AFP retirees and their dependents.

The Veterans Memorial Medical Center was established pursuant to Public Law 865, 80th U.S. Congress
in July 8, 1948 which provided $9.4 million for the construction of a hospital facility with the land to be
donated by the Philippine government.[1] The law was implemented in the country by an agreement
between the U.S. and the Philippines signed by then Pres. Elpidio Quirino and the U.S. Ambassador to
the Philippines Myron Cowen. Various amendments have been introduced and the latest is Republic Act
6948 which has liberalized the definition of veterans which now included the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) retirees. Likewise, the hospitalization benefit was extended to the veteran
dependents. It is one of three units under the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO). PVAO is a
bureau under the Department of National Defense. The other two units under PVAO are the PVAO
Proper, and Military Shrines Service.

The 55 hectares (140 acres) land was originally intended to be location of the new Malacanan Palace
on the original masterplan of Quezon City in 1939. It is now being eyed to be privatized as part of the
Quezon City Central Business District Redevelopment Plan or Triangle Park.
The Manila Metropolitan Theater (Filipino: Tanghalang Pangkalakhan ng Maynila, or MET) is a
Philippine Art Deco building found at the Mehan Garden located on Padre Burgos Avenue corner
Arroceros Street, near the Manila Central Post Office. It was designed by architect Juan M. Arellano and
inaugurated on December 10, 1931.[ Teatro del Prncipe Alfonso XII was an old theater built in 1862,
during the Spanish colonial period. It was located within Plaza Arroceros, near the present-day
Metropolitan Theater. In 1876, the old theater was burnt down. It was in 1924, during the American
Colonial period that an idea of constructing a theater in Manila came about. It was approved by the
Philippine Legislature to build Senator Alegres theater proposal within the Mehan Garden (now Sining
Kayumanggi). The construction began in 1930 under the supervision of the engineering firm Pedro
Siochi and Company in a 8,239.58 square meters of the park. It was inaugurated on December 10,
1931. This new theater housed different performances from zarzuelas, dramas to translations of
foreign classics.[2]

Juan Arellano, one of the first pensionados in architecture, also known for his other major projects such
as the Legislative Building and Manila Central Post Office Building, designed the Manila Metropolitan
Theater in January 1930. He was sent to the United States to be guided by one of the experts in
designing theaters, Thomas W. Lamb of Shreve and Lamb.[3]The theaters roof and walls were partially
destroyed during World War II. During the post-war period, it was misused as a boxing arena, low-
quality motels, gay bars, basketball court and home of the squatters. Restoration was done by Otilio,
the nephew of Juan Arellano in 1978.[4] This plan was initiated by Imelda Marcos in December 17, 1978
during her rule as the governor of Metro Manila. Its prestige as a cultural center was redeemed but
short-lived. It closed down its doors again in 1996 because of conflict of ownership between the city
administration and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS). Then-president Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo and then-mayor of Manila Alfredo Lim tried to revive the theater on June 23, 2010.[1]
The theater was used again once for the Wolfgang Band concert in 2011. But since 2012, the theater is
closed again due to decays inside the building. In May 2015, the Department of Budget and
Management released Php 270 Million from the National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts

(NEFCA) for the sale of the Met from its owner, the GSIS. In June 2015, the GSIS transferred the right of
the Met to the NCCA to start the rehabilitation process of the Met.

The Philippine General Hospital Administration Building is situated along Taft Avenue in Manila. It was
built by architect William E. Parsons in neo-classic style that follows the Daniel Burnham plan for
Manila. This plan included Manila Hotel, Army and Navy Club and the Philippine General Hospital.
These were executed by his successor, Parsons included who was a city planner in the

Philippines during the early period American colonization in the country. His works was a clear
translation of Neoclassicism into a new hybrid of colonial tropical architecture. [3]
In 1907, The Philippine Commission passed Act No. 1688 which appropriated the sum of P780,000.00
for the construction of the Philippine General Hospital. The cornerstone of the hospital was laid on
February 28, 1908. The bids for the construction of the buildings were opened on July 27 and the
contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, H. Thurber of the Manila Construction Company. The
structural works for the
central administration
building, a surgical
pavilion with two operating
rooms, a building for
dispensary and out-clinic,
five ward pavilions of
sixty beds each, a
nurses home, a
kitchen, an ambulance
stable and morgue were
completed on November
30, 1909. In 1910, the
Philippine General
Hospital opened its
door to the public on
September 1 with three
hundred thirty beds
and was eventually
linked to the University of
the Philippines College of Medicine, then the Philippine Medical School. In 1981, First Lady Imelda R.
Marcos commissioned Arch. J. Ramos to undertake the master planning of the PGH renovation project. [
The Embassy of the United States of America to the Philippines is situated in the Chancery
Building of the Manila American Embassy along Roxas Boulevard (formerly Dewey Boulevard) in
Manila. The Embassy has been representing the United States Government since the Philippines was
granted independence on July 4, 1946. The Manila mission is one of the Department of State's largest
posts, employing close to 300 Americans and 1,000 Foreign Service national employees. The mission
also hosts the only foreign office of the Department of Veterans Affairs, which caters to some 18,000
American and Filipino veterans and their widows in the Philippines [1](see also Filipino Veterans Fairness
Act.)Manila's Regional Printing Center provides printing and distribution services for overseas and
domestic publications. Smaller branches exist in Vienna, Austria and Washington, D.C. but Manila is the
flagship facility.

The chancery of the Embassy in Manila was first constructed to house the United States High
Commission to the Philippines and was designed by the architect Juan M. Arellano. The building is built
on reclaimed land that was a gift from the Government of the Philippines and sits on more than 600
reinforced concrete piles that were sunk 60 feet into the site. The site was originally designed as a
demesne along Manila Bay, which featured a revival-style mansion that took advantage of the seaside
vista. It was insisted, though, that a federal-style building be built.[2]

During World War II, after the Fall of Bataan, the property became the residence of the Commander-in-
Chief of the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines. When the Japanese-sponsored Puppet Republic
was established in 1943, the building was repainted and refurbished and served as the Embassy of
Japan to the Philippines. During its recapture by Allied forces and Philippine guerrillas, the building was
seriously damaged but its ballroom, among other rooms, remained intact.In October 1945, quonset
huts were erected throughout the property and became known as The Courthouse, the center of the
Japanese war crimes trial in the Philippines, with the ballroom serving as the courtroom and the
upstairs rooms serving as holding cells.

On July 4, 1946, the Philippines was granted independence by the United States and the building
became known as the United States Embassy in Manila. As a testament to its battle-scarred history, its
flagpole was never restored and still retains the bulletholes it sustained during the war. The chancery
has also been designated as historic property by the National Historical Institute of the Philippines as
well as being on the United States Secretary of State's register of culturally significant places.