Desk of Sy Lian Teng at First United Building Community Museum

The modest  First United Building Community Museum, opened last May 16, 2015, reflects the colorful history of Escolta through the story of the First United Building and of patriarch Sy Lian Teng, an entrepreneur who ran Berg’s, Escolta’s (and Manila’s as well) premiere department store.  It hopes to tell the story of Escolta, from its heyday to what, it is hope, would be its resurgence.

Check out “First United Building“

Portrait of Sy Lian Teng and a framed article narrating his sad war time experience

The various memorabilia displayed in the museum includes the desk of Sy Lian Teng in his old office in the building and some of the old equipment and personal belongings that he used in running his business, such as typewriters, rotary dial phones, letter openers and a manual calculator as well as documents and receipts.

Display of old office equipment such as rotary dial phones and manual calculators.  On the left is a Burroughs Adding Machine

A 1950s vintage Ice-O-Mat Ice Crusher and and a replica of a dismissal bell hanging on its original decorative wooden hanger

Aside from black-and-white photos, the exhibit also features various framed newspaper and magazine articles and artworks that offers a glimpse of what old Escolta was like during its glory days.

Photos of Sy Lian Teng with first wife Lee Siok Kang and their nine children

Born in January 1904, Sy Lian Teng, like many Filipino-Chinese, migrated here from his hometown in Amoy, Fujian, China in 1918.  Although he never went to school, he taught himself Spanish and was fluent in Tagalog.  In 1926, he made a new life and a mark in the city when he and his friends established Cosmos Bazaar (it is still in operation at 571 Quintin Paredes Street). In 1929, he eventually found love when he married Lee Siok Kang and started a family of 9 children (4 boys and 5 girls) from 1930 to 1944. In 1939, Sy brought his immediate family to the Philippines including his brothers, father and stepmother.

However, on January 23, 1945, during World War II, his brother Sy Hua San was captured by the Japanese and never returned. On February 8, 1945, Sy and Guillermo, his eldest son, fled to his mother-in-law’s house in San Juan to evade capture by the Japanese but, four days later, during the Battle of Manila, his wife, 8 of his children, the househelp, some Pampango families and the Pellicers (Sy’s business associates who lived with them) perished (approximately 60 people, all in all) when the desperate Japanese set fire to their house at 161 Balagtas Street.

After the war, Sy returned to his childhood home in China to take a break and somehow re-energize himself.  Here, he was introduced to the Methodist religion and, throughout his remaining years, was quite devout and active in church affairs. Returning to Manila, Sy managed to move on and start anew.  In 1946, Cosmos Bazaar was rebuilt and reopened. In 1949, at the age of 45, he married Emerenciana Antonio Soyangco, his bookkeeper from Naotas and a dear friend of his late wife, and had four children with her (Clarita, Gloria, Roberto and Caesar).

In 1951, Sy bought and managed Berg’s, the well-loved Escolta-based department store.  In 1979, he also managed to purchase half of the ground floor where Berg’s was located (as well as 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th floors) of the Perez-Samanillo Building (now the First United Building being managed by his son Robert and Robert’s wife, the former Lorraine Young) from Pedro Cojuangco (brother of the late president Corazon C. Aquino).  When Berg’s closed in January 1982 due to labor problems, he brought his personal belongings to Room 326 (he later transferred to Room 309).

In 1994, Sy survived cranial surgery (to remove a four-month old blood clot) and, the next year, celebrated his 90^th birthday. In 2002, his wife Emerenciana passed away and, on January 2004, he celebrated his 100^th birthday but passed away October that same year.  Sy left behind not only a rich legacy, but also an appreciation of Escolta even in the midst of the challenges of the recent years.

The Sylianteng Family Tree

Also on exhibit are artifacts from Berg’s Department Store such as receipts and documents that show past transactions made at the popular store as well as old, black-and-white photos.

Artifacts from Berg’s Department Store

Old black-and-white photos of Berg’s

One of the more interesting items on exhibit, dominating a corner of the museum, is an old sepia photo of Evelyn Berg-Empie, mestiza daughter of Ernest Berg, the German founder of Berg Department Store, and the author of her autobiography “A Child in the Midst of Battle: One Family’s Survival in War-Torn Manila.”

Evelyn Berg-Empie

At the bottom of the photo is a dedication that read: “Dearest Daddy with much love Evelyn, 1948.” A new feature that was recently added is The Wall. Here visitors post their visions and suggestions as to how they envision Escolta’s revival.

At the upper shelf, right, is the sepia photo of Ms. Evelyn Berg-Empie. Beside te photo is a copy of her book.

The museum’s layout was made possible with the help of Architect Marika Constantino, a visual artist, and the 98B COLLABoratory, an artists’ community based also in the First United Building.

Black-and-white photos of old Escolta

The Hawk Eye, a metal last shaped like a human foot. Shoemakers use it in the manufacture and repair of shoes

First United Building Community Museum: Mezzanine Level, First United Building, 413  Escolta Street, Binondo, Manila.  Tel: (632) 7744 5148 and (632) 7241-5150. E-mail: firstunitedbuilding@gmail.com. Admission: Php50 (regular) and Php0 (students). Open Mondays to Saturdays, 9 AM to 5 PM. Coordinates: 14.5987°N 120.9794°E.