Category Archives: Metropolitan Manila

Metropolitan Museum of Manila (Taguig City, Metro Manila)

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Metropolitan Museum of Manila

One of my regrets was I never got to visit the old Metropolitan Museum of Manila, an art museum that exhibits local and international contemporary art, that was formerly located in a building designed by Gabriel Formoso.  Located within the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Complex along Roxas Boulevard in the Malate district of Manila, it billed itself as the country’s premier museum for modern and contemporary visual arts by local and international artists.

Old Metropolitan Museum of Manila

The Met first opened its doors in 1976 with an initial exhibit of international artists to expose Filipinos to contemporary visual works in other cultures.  The first exhibit showcased 105 artworks, in various media, from the Brooklyn Museum and other American museums and galleries. Partly subsidized by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the museum’s administration was entrusted, in 1979, to the Metropolitan Museum of Manila Foundation.

The Mariano K. Tan Centre

By 1986, its focus shifted to local works, extending its reach to more common people by offering bilingual exhibition texts and developing several outreach educational programs like workshops and symposia, thereby promoting local pride and identity. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic.

Museum Lobby

During the pandemic, the museum quickly transitioned its exhibitions and workshops online, with successful virtual exhibition openings and live conferences. At the same time, the famed institution was also gearing for another transition, arranged and made possible by the Chairman of its Board of Trustees, Joselito Y. Campos, Jr.

In the last few decades, the nearby important galleries and hangouts have closed down, moving to Makati and, later, to Taguig, plus the original home of 45 years (now permanently closed) was deemed inaccessible by many.

Plazas in the Philippines: Places of Memory, Places of the Heart

Thus, they decided to leave and move to its new location in Bonifacio Global City, an emerging cultural hub in Taguig City, as an integral part of the office and commercial building of the Mariano K. Tan Center.   The venue is near the sports park Track 30th and the High Street commercial center.

Points of Origin

Opened to the public in February 2023, it also got a new nickname – the short, catchy, and easily recognizable The M, plus a new logo to better herald the beginning of a new era for the institution.

Prior to its opening, it launched a preview of the new spaces with three exhibitions – “Ronald Ventura: Quick Turns on Hyper Highways,””Korea: A Land of Hats (presented in partnership with the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines and the Coreana Cosmetics Museum) and “The Hat of the Matter” (supported by Bench, a global clothing brand).

Quick Turns on Hyper Highways

The purpose of my visit was to cover the recent opening of “Plazas in the Philippines:- Places of Memory, Places of the Heart” Exhibit which was curated by fellow architect and U.P. College of Architecture alumnus Paulo G. Alcazaren (also my boss when I was working with Mas Othman Associates).  Aside from this exhibit, there were also three other ongoing exhibits which I also visited.

Check out “Plazas in the Philippines:- Places of Memory, Places of the Heart,” “Jefre: Points of Origin,” “Ronald Ventura: Quick Turns on Hyper Highways” and “Sounds of Blackness”

Sounds of Blackness (6)

The museum’s three floors of galleries house a collection of art and historical artifacts loaned by the BSP.  They include pre-Hispanic gold work and pottery; religious artwork and some artworks by Félix Resurrección Hidalgo. The rest of the museum is dedicated to Philippine contemporary works by various Filipino artists.

Anito (Arturo Luz, aluminum in rust finish, undated)

Upon entering the third floor, you are greeted by “Anito,” a towering 8-ft. high aluminum artwork, in rust finish, by the late Arturo Luz that took 8 people to transport into the space where it stands.  There are three ongoing exhibits there.

The M Collection

Its brand new, state—of-the-art 3,000-sq. m. space,plus an outdoor area for installations, was designed by the Manila-born, Brooklyn-based Filipino-Columbian architect Carlos Arnaiz.

Quick Turns on Hyper Highways outdoor exhibit

The entrance of the museum is accessed through an open pedestrian walkway that leads to the bustling and often busy Bonifacio High Street area of shops and dining places.  Now with access to more foot traffic, the museum will now be introduced to a new audience, thus reinforcing its philosophy of “Art for All.”.

Points of Origin outdoor exhibit

Metropolitan Museum of Manila: Mariano K. Tan Centre, 30th St. cor. 9th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Metro Manila. Mobile number:: (0917) 160-9667. E-mail: info@metmuseummanila.org. Open Tuesdays to Saturdays (except on public holidays and other special notices). Pre-register a day before your visit. The museum offers free admission on Tuesdays.

Memorial Visitor’s Center (Taguig City, Metro Manila)

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Memorial Visitor’s Center

The 11,000 sq. ft., nearly US$5,000,000, 2-level,interpretative  Memorial Visitor’s Center, nestled and partially built into a hillside,  was designed by Corpus Christi, Texas–based Richter Architects to complement and enhance the experience of visiting the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.

Opened last October 20, 2019, the 75th anniversary of the return of Gen. Douglas MacArthur in the Philippines, it provides historic orientation to visitors from all over the world and amplifies the powerful message implicit in the largest American military cemetery on foreign soil.

Check out “Manila American Cemetery and Memorial”

The visitor center was planned so that, from the monument atop the hill, its roof line would be at eye level, with most of the building extending down and beyond view. Its low-key design minimized the mass of the new cast-in-place concrete structure and did not compete with the memorial or cemetery and detract from the serene landscape.

Scaled Model of Manila American Cemetery and Memorial

Much of the center’s exterior is high-performance thermal glass, designed to withstand typhoons, while the rest was clad in horizontal panels of Italian travertine, to appear more “of the earth as well as contrast with the similar sand-colored vertical slabs of the stone used for the chapel and the monument. Other exterior materials include white-painted steel, aluminum, and plaster.

Flat, concrete slab floors and roof and its shallow steel framing aim to keep the structure as transparent and unobtrusive as possible. Its expanse of glass connects the interior with the surrounding landscape while elements of limestone on its façade reference the existing monument and gravestones.

I entered the center, directly across from the chapel, from ground level, before descending from the lobby to the lower level through an open staircase, which preserves the sight line to the chapel outside. Teak, a traditional material in Southeast Asia, was used for the ceilings, stairs and as wall cladding throughout the interior.   The lower-level windows are screened with louvers, allowing diffused daylight inside while focusing attention toward the crosses in the landscape outside.

Visual aids depicting the American Era

Main exhibit hall

Downstairs, it houses the main gallery which explains, in great detail, the many battles (Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Peleliu, Bismarck Archipelago, Guam, Wake Island,Tarawa Island, Leyte, etc.) within the Western Pacific during World War II via powerful, graphic and searing photos accompanied by clear, hard hitting descriptions that show the extent of the true horror that was caused.

Peleliu (The Forgotten Island Assault) and Devastation (Manila in Ruins)

Tarawa Island Assault and Bataan Death March

Through letters and artifacts, it also shares the stories of several fallen soldiers (Pvt. Bernard Steenwyk, Lt. George H. Freed, 1st Lt. Alexander R. Nininger Jr., Ens. Frank E. Cook and T. Sgt. Charles Steiskal), prisoners-of-war (Pvt. Anthony Smith, PFC Jack Brady, PFC Domingo Balod and Lt. Robert Fulton), soldiers missing in action (Brig.-Gen. Vicente Lim, TM2-C. Andrew J. Kirskey and 2nd Lt. Earl R. Stone), soldiers missing in action and later identified (Pvt. Bud Kelder) and the Navajo Code Talkers of the US Marine Corps.

Alexander Nininger Jr. (1st Lt., US Army) – killed in action near Abucay, Bataan on January 12, 1942. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for leading an assault on Japanese positions. He was the first American army soldier to be so honored in the Second World War

Brig.-Gen. Vicente Lim (Bataan Survivor and Patriot) – a World War II hero, Lim was the first Filipino graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point (Class of 1914).

Visual aids also illustrate life and events during the American Era (Under Foreign Rule, Americans in the Philippines, Economic Independence, Philippine Commonwealth, Peacetime Draft), the preparation for war (American Reinforcements, Mobilizing the Military, Recruiting and Training), the Japanese Invasion (Battle of the Philippines, Manila Under Attack, the Bataan Death March, POWs) and the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines (Society Under Siege, the Civilian Internees of Santo Tomas, the Resistance  Movement, Resistance Networks) and the Liberation of the Philippines (Leyte Landing, the Liberation of Manila, Rescue the POW Camps).

Battle of the Philippines (Initial Landing and Main Attack)

Bataan Death March

Also illustrated are the burial and identification process of remains (Emergency Battlefield Burials, Grave Markers, Temporary Cemeteries, Graves Registration, Identification of Remains); the  American Battle Monuments Commission (History and Mission, List of Cemeteries and Memorials around the world) and the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (The Site, A Respectful Setting, Construction, The Memorial, The Memorials and Mosaic Maps, Honors to the Fallen).

Temporary Cemeteries (Morale on the Battlefield and A Permanent Burial Site (A Family Tradition)

Quartermaster General letter to the next of kin of deceased

Artifacts on display include Coke bottles and various calibers of World War II ordnance recovered on the Memorial site; a personal effects bag used by the Graves Commission to collect deceased personal belongings; a Quartermaster General’s letter to the next of kin of deceased, standard ration toilet paper and water purification tablet; an M1 Garand rifle, a standard issue aluminum canteen used by US Forces; a KA-BAR Fighting Utility Knife; the decorated mess kit used by Pvt. Anthony Smith during his time as a Japanese POW, medals (Philippine Defense Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal and Philippine Independence Medal), a US War Ration Book and money used by Filipinos during the Japanese Occupation.

KA-BAR Fighting Utility Knife

M1 Garand Rifle

Also on display is a scaled model of the USS Bayfield attack transport and the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.

Medals

Standard issue aluminum canteen used by US Forces

The 50-seat theater features a short, 17-min, thought-provoking. documentary film which focuses on the sacrifices of American and Filipino soldiers during World War II in the country and in the whole Pacific.  The center also houses an administration and reception area and support functions.

Theater

Memorial Visitor’s Center: American Memorial Cemetery and Memorial, 1634 McKinley Rd, Taguig City 1634, Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 8844-0212, (02) 8813-2521 and (02) 8894-3963. Fax: (02) 8812-4717.  E-mail: supt@abmc-ar.org. Website:  www.abmc.gov/Manila. Open daily (except December 25 and January 1), 9 AM to 5 PM..  Coordinates: 14.541°N 121.050°E. Admission is free but a valid photo ID is required for entrance to the cemetery.

How to Get There: The American Memorial Cemetery is located at the junction between McKinley Road and Nichols Field Road, about 11 kms.  southeast of the center of Manila.  It can be reached most easily from the city via EDSA to McKinley Road, then to McKinley Parkway inside the Bonifacio Global City. The Nichols Field Road is the easiest access from Manila International Airport to the cemetery. The entrance to the cemetery is at the far (east) side of the large grassed circle just beyond the military sentinel’s post which is at the junction of Rizal Drive and Eighth Ave..

Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (Taguig City, Metro Manila)

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Aerial view of Manila American Cemetery and Memorial

The 615,000 sq. m. (152-acre), sobering but serenely beautiful  Manila American Cemetery and Memorial (MACM), located in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Metro Manila, is Asia’s version of Arlington National Cemetery.

Manila American Cemetery and Memorial up close

It is the largest of 26 cemeteries and 29 memorials, monuments and markers in 16 countries built and administered by the American Battle Monuments Commission, both in area and number of graves, and the only American oversea cemetery in the Pacific.

Entrance Gate

My visit came on just five days before  Memorial Day (celebrated on the last Monday of May, this year on May 29) which features a program spearheaded by the U.S. Embassy, the American Association of the Philippines, the American Battle Monuments Commission and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The circular fountain

However, there are few tourists around. On that day, American and Filipino flags are placed beside each of these marble headstones.  Today, this tranquil, park-like space, in the midst of bustling Taguig City, is a major tourist destination. The environment here, however, is beautiful and the atmosphere is solemn.

The east and west hemicycle with the tower in between

Located on a prominent, gently rising plateau, it within the boundaries of the former Fort William McKinley, on the edge of Makati, Manila’s main financial district, and is visible at a distance from the east, south and west.   On a clear day, from the memorial and other points within the cemetery, there are impressive views over the lowlands to Laguna de Bay and towards the distant mountains although the view is increasingly being obscured by the high rise buildings in nearby Fort Bonifacio.

Visitor’s Center

Immediately beyond the front gate is a circular fountain and the plaza.  To the right is the Visitors’ Building. Stretching from the plaza to the grassy terrace (known as the Memorial Court) is the central mall which is lined with mahogany trees (Swietenia macrophylla). Straight roads, along the edges of the mall, join circular roads leading eastward and westward through the graves area.

On April 1, 1948, the Philippine Government granted the US permission to establish a memorial cemetery on the site of Fort McKinley (now Fort Bonifacio).  Designed by Architect Gardner A. Dailey from San Francisco, construction started in 1948 by C.H. Concio and J.M. Bondoc Architects/Engineers/Planners.  The cemetery was finally dedicated on December 8, 1960.

Within are 17,206 graves of 16,636 personnel (from every state in the US and District of Columbia as well as from Panama, Guam, Puerto Rico, Australia, Canada, China, England, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras, Finland, Jamaica, Burma and Peru)  killed during World War II alongside 570 Philippine Scouts who served with U.S, forces (plus one Commonwealth War Dead burial in World War I located in Plot G just below a line of 4 bronze plaques).

Valentine J. Miele (Water Tender 3C, USNR, New Jersey, January 16, 1945)

The number represents approximate 39% (the other 61% were returned home at the request of the next of kin) of the burials originally made in temporary cemeteries in New Guinea, the Philippines and other islands in the Southwest Area.

Thomas H. Morgan (Sgt. HQ SO 19 Bomb Group H, Oklahoma, July 16, 1942)

Many of the personnel whose remains are interred or represented were killed in New Guinea, or during the epic defense during the Battle of the Philippines (1941–42) and East Indies and the long but victorious return of American forces through the vast island chain up to the Allied recapture of the islands.

A headstone with the Star of David among Latin Crosses

The solid white marble (the majority quarried and fabricated from Lasa or Carrara in Italy and more than a 100 from Romblon, Philippines) headstones, all in a straight line, mark each grave mostly with a Latin Cross (with a Star of David for 166 others of the Jewish faith). They are simply inscribed with the name, rank, branch of service, home state and date of death of the one interred.

The headstones are aligned in eleven plots forming a generally circular pattern, set among a wide variety of tropical trees and shrubbery.   The grass (Zoysia matrella) there was propagated from two square yards of sod shipped in 1951 from the US Department of Agriculture Experimental Station at Beltsville, Maryland.

Chapel

The rear facade of the chapel

A 60 ft. high, white masonry tower, enriched with sculpture and mosaic, stands near the center of the cemetery. Its exterior has a bas-relief of superimposed groups, designed by Boris Lovet Lorski of New York City and executed by Filipino Cecchetti (who also furnished the stone for the memorial), portraying a young American warrior, symbolized by St. George, fighting a dragon in jungle characteristic of the Pacific islands.

The monumental bas-relief

Above them are the personifications of ideals which he fought for – Liberty, Justice and Country.  At the very zenith of the relief stands Columbia (a symbol of the United States) and a child that symbolizes the future.  The rear façade is inscribed with “Take unto thyself O Lord the souls of the valiant.”

Interior of chapel

Bronze grill doors open into the small devotional chapel dedicated to St. George with stained glass windows and an altar, crafted from Pentato di Sicilia marble, where you can kneel and pray.  To the left is an Episcopal prayer set in gold tesserae.  The prie-dieu and benches are made with narra while the altar ornaments are made of bronze.

The female figure on a blue background and flanked by stained glass windows

Above is an unnamed, tall and graceful female figure (which reminded me of the Virgin Mary) scattering flowers in memory of the heroic dead, decorated with mosaic on a predominantly blue background, which is said to represent the motherly divine guidance of the One above.

 

Memorial Visitor’s Center

In front of the tower, on a wide terrace, are two large hemicycle structures, each with 24 pairs of fin walls.  Across, from the parking lot, is the Memorial Visitor’s Center.

Check out “Memorial Visitor’s Center”

East Hemicycle

On rectangular Trani (quarried near Bari on the east coast of Italy) limestone piers, within the hemicycles, are inscribed the Tablets of the Missing, grouped by Armed Service and arranged alphabetically from the south ends of each hemicycle, contain 36,284 names of people (32,532 Americans and 3,752 Philippine nationals) whose remains were never recovered or not identified.

West Hemicycle

The west hemicycle lists the missing servicemen from the Navy and Marines (its frieze, facing the Memorial Court, lists the Pacific battles waged by the Army and the Marines) while the east hemicycle lists the missing from, the Coast Guard and the Army and Army Air Force (it wasn’t established as a separate armed service until after the war) and part of the missing from the U.S. Marines.

Tablets of the Missing

A. Peter Dewey (1916–1945), an OSS officer killed in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) shortly after World War II ended, is listed on the Tablets of the Missing.   A bronze rosette (there are 433 as of latest count) marks the names of those who were subsequently found, recovered and identified while 3,660 headstones mark the graves of 7,744 “unknowns.”  Four bronze plaques mark graves containing multiple remains that could not be separately identified.

Before I got to the four rooms with the Tablets of the Missing, I passed by the walls where I found some of the 25 larger-than-life, 10 ft. high mosaic maps, designed by Margaret Bruton (from Carmel, California) and fabricated by P. Grassi American Terrazo Company of South San Francisco, recalling the timeline of how the World War II started and ended, recalling the actions of the United States Armed Forces in the Pacific, China, India and Burma.

Missing from the U.S. Marine Corp

The maps were made from tinted concrete, colored aggregates and mosaic inserts, with texts cast from plastic, while the borders of each map reflect the unique art patterns of the Pacific countries affected by the war.  Carved on the floors are the Great Seal of the United States and the seals of the States of the Union, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Great Seal of the State of Alabama

Great Seal of the State of Arizona

Twenty-nine Medal of Honor recipients are buried or memorialized at the American Memorial Cemetery. Medal of Honor recipients buried here are:

Missing from the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Air Force and U.S. Coast Gurad

Cenotaphs and memorial listings for Medal of Honor recipients include:

Map Room

Also honored are 20 sets of brothers lying next to one another including the five “Fighting Sullivan Brothers” (whose deaths influenced the creation of the Sole Survivor Policy) from Iowa who perished when the light cruiser USS Juneau was sunk by a torpedo from the Japanese submarine I-26 on November 13 1942 during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.

Defense of Southeast Asia (December 1941-May 1942)

Other notable people buried here include:

Defense of Luzon (December 8, 1941-May 6, 1942)

Every hour,between 9 AM and 5 PM, a carillon sounds to mark the hour and half hour.  At 5 PM, the carillon plays the national anthems of both the U.S. and the Philippines, followed by a volley of rifles and the playing of Taps. 

Luzon Campaign and Reoccupation of Manila

American Memorial Cemetery and Memorial: 1634 McKinley Rd, Taguig City 1634, Metro Manila. Tel: (02) 8844-0212, (02) 8813-2521 and (02) 8894-3963. Fax: (02) 8812-4717.  E-mail: supt@abmc-ar.org. Website:  www.abmc.gov/Manila. Open daily (except December 25 and January 1), 9 AM to 5 PM..  Coordinates: 14.541°N 121.050°E. Admission is free but a valid photo ID is required for entrance to the cemetery.

How to Get There: The American Memorial Cemetery is located at the junction between McKinley Road and Nichols Field Road, about 11 kms.  southeast of the center of Manila.  It can be reached most easily from the city via EDSA to McKinley Road, then to McKinley Parkway inside the Bonifacio Global City. The Nichols Field Road is the easiest access from Manila International Airport to the cemetery. The entrance to the cemetery is at the far (east) side of the large grassed circle just beyond the military sentinel’s post which is at the junction of Rizal Drive and Eighth Ave..

Baclaran Church (Paranaque City, Metro Manila)

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Baclaran Church (National Shrine of Our Lady of Perpetual Help)

Baclaran Church, also known colloquially as the Redemptorist Church  or the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help (Filipino: Pambansáng Dambana ng Iná ng Laging Saklolo), is a prominent national shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help.  Enshrining the icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, the church is 106.7  m. (350 ft.) long, 36 m. (118 ft.) wide and  stands 17.2 m. (56.5 ft.) high on the nave and 12.5 m. (41 ft.) hig on the main aisle.

The author at Baclaran Church

It has a full seating capacity  of 2,000 (9,000 to 11,000 standing) during Masses, with 108 pews seating 15 to 20 adults, and is one of the largest Marian churches in the Philippines, with a floor area of 5,069.2 sq. m. (54,564 sq. ft.).

The left side of the church

Devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help is popular amongst Filipino Catholics and, during Wednesdays (popularly called “Baclaran Day” due to congested roads near the shrine),devotees flood the church to attend Mass and pray the Novena to Our Mother of Perpetual Help, introduced to Baclaran by Australian Redemptorist Rev. Fr. Gerard O’Donnell, CSsR.

The right side of the church

Every first Wednesday of every month,liturgies and other activities are simulcast on TV Maria from the Shrine.  The annual  liturgical feast day of the icon is celebrated on June 27.

The church interior

Here’s the historical timeline of the Redemptorist Order  and the church:

The baldachin above the high altar

The Shrine, and its attached convent, were initially dedicated to Saint Thérèse of Lisieux (a grotto statue of the saint on the shrine grounds memorializes her patronage) by Rev. Fr. Denis Grogan, C.Ss.R., the builder of the new church and parish house. However, the Ynchaustí Family, long-time supporters and friends, donated a high altar on the condition that it enshrine the icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.

The left side aisle

When the church opened, the shrine became very popular. To accommodate the growing number of devotees, the Redemptorist priests replaced the Our Mother of Perpetual Help icon with a larger version. An estimated 120,000 devotees are currently affiliated with the Shrine.

The right side aisle

The wider Baclaran shrine complex, under the territory of Santa Rita de Cascia Parish (both are part of the Vicariate of Santa Rita de Cascia in the Diocese of Parañaque), located a few blocks away from the Redemptorist Church, serves as the headquarters of the Manila Vice Province of Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, while the Cebu Province of the Redemptorists is headquartered in Cebu.

The choir loft area

The original icon, from Germany, was brought into the country in 1906 and is enshrined above the main altar.  During the Second World War, the icon was removed from the church and given to a family for safekeeping but, towards the end of the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, their home was later burned and ransacked. Initially thought to be lost, the icon was found by a De La Salle brother  among other valuable objects that the Japanese had seized and abandoned at the Old Bilibid prison.   At its back paneling, it bears the Papal Arms.  Though there is no access to the icon at the top of the retablo, people touch the tabernacle instead. 

Historical plaque commemorating Pope John Paul II’s visit to the church

The present church, the third to be built on the same site, was designed in the Modern Romanesque style by architect César Concio, Sr.. It took six years to build.  Most of the money came from small donations (the suggestion from the pulpit was 10 Philippine centavos per week) and this often ran out, requiring construction to stop.  For a big space, the church has a light design, with good natural acoustics.

The sanctuary with the high altar, tabernacle and the icon

The elevated sanctuary is separated from the nave by a communion rail.  The marble high altar was brought in from Italy. The baldachin, the beautiful covering of the icon above the altar, has columns and capital made of giallo oro and Bottecino marble.  The gracefully carving altar rails are made of white Carrara marble.

Confessionals

The beautiful retable (retablo in Spanish), the large altarpiece behind the altar, incorporates the tabernacle and serves as the backdrop of the icon.  It contains bronze sculptures of eight pairs of wheat stalks intertwining with each other, with their point of intersection being the tabernacle and the crucifix (surrounded by four doves representing the Holy Spirit).  Floating above it is a bronze sculpture of vine and fruit grapes.  The wheat and grapes, emblematic of abundance of God’s grace, symbolize the bread while wine symbolizes the Eucharist.

Candle Chapel

Located at a once drab southern wall at the back of Candle Chapel is the mixed art (mosaic, sculture and painting) mural entitled Panagpo, the longest mural in a church in the Philippines.  Created in 10 months by visual artist Emil Yap and lead sculptor Lorena Pacampara in 2016, in celebration of the 150th Jubilee of the icon, it was blessed on December 2017.  The mural is about the journey of the icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help from the island of Crete to Baclaran.  It is 3 m. (10 ft. high) and 213 m. (700 m.) long and has two main sections.

The mixed art (mosaic, sculpture and painting) mural entitled Panagpo

The first, telling the history of the country, from the pre-Hispanic Era, Spanish Colonization Era to the contemporary years, is based on the Canticle of the Sun (written by St. Francis of Assisi).  The second, Sister Moon, depicts the lives pf the “untold, silenced and marginalized sectors.  At the foot of the mural are the country’s flora and fauna, its names written in baybayin, the ancient, pre-Hispanic dialect.

From a blue and green scheme (representing the myth of creation and the colonization years, the panels turn red and orange as it moves further down the country’s history.

The belfry, built closer to Roxas Boulevard some distance from the Shrine itself, has mosaics of the icon on its four faces and is topped by a finial in the shape of a simplified Redemptorist coat-of-arms, particularly the Cross, Spear, and sponge on a stick of hyssop.  It houses a 24-bell carillon cast from the world-famous foundry Grassmayr in Austria.

The Crucified Christ. Last December 9, 2017 (the eve of Human Rights Day), a cardboard message (“Stop the Killings”) temporarily replaced the INRI inscription on top of the cross

It was the first time the Shrine had a bell tower since it was built. The carillon bells are automatically programmed to ring 15 minutes before every Mass or Novena service. Until the COVID-19 Pandemic, the belfry hosted the Sinirangan coffee shop at its base. Today, it is located at the Perpetual Help Center and Souvenir Shop.

Grotto with statue of Madonna and Child

The church appeared in the opening scene for the 1979 dramatic film “Ina Ka ng Anak Mo” (starring Nora Aunor); the 1995 action film “Alfredo Lim: Batas ng Maynila” (starring Eddie Garcia);  and in the opening scene for the 2017 romantic comedy film Loving in Tandem.  The church’s votive chapel as well as the altar also makes an appearance in the romantic 2015 film You’re Still The One.  In 2014, the church was also featured in the American reality competition program The Amazing Race Season 25

National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help: Redemptorist Rd. cor, Roxas Boulevard, Baclaran, Parañaque,1700  Metro Manila.  Tel: (632) 8832-1150. E-mail: baclaranrector@yahoo.com. Website:
www.baclaranchurch.com. Coordinates: 14.531411°N 120.9930539°E.

 

Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Anne (Taguig City, Metro Manila)

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Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Anne

The Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Anne, also known as  St. Anne Parish Church or Santa Ana Church, is situated next to the Taguig River and across Plaza Quezon, where the statue of the late Manuel L. Quezon was erected when he was still serving as President of the Philippines. Saint Anne is the patroness of the church.

The church complex. On the left is the convent

This church, as well as the convent, was first built, in 1848, of nipa and bamboo by Fr. Diego Alvarez, O.S.A..  The construction of the present concrete church, from 1609 to 1611, was supervised by Fr. Hernando Guerrero, O.S.A..

The rightside of the church. On the foreground are statues of St. Lorenzo Ruiz and St. Pedro Calungsod

During the November 30, 1645 Luzon earthquake, both were considerably damaged and later repaired.  Both survived the June 3, 1863 earthquake but the June 20, 1880 earthquake cracked the bell tower sending its bell crashing on the church roof, destroying the choir loft and part of its framework.

Bas-relief of St. Anne

In 1881, the reconstruction of both buildings was started by Fr. Patricio Martin, O.S.A.  and, in 1885, continued by his successor Fr. Guillermo Diaz, O.S.A..   In 1898, the buildings were occupied by American soldiers and used as their headquarters.  Both were restored by Filipino secular Frs. Vicente Estacio (1905 to 1916, he oversaw the installation of the church’s sawali ceiling) and Gerardo Maximo (1938 to 1951).  The fence was left unfinished.

The four-storey bell tower

In August 1943, during the Second World War, hundreds of male inhabitants were incarcerated by the Imperial Japanese, for a number of days, inside the church. In 1987, in preparation for the parish’s 400th anniversary, more improvements in the edifice were undertaken by Msgr. Augurio Juta and Msgr. Emmanuel Sunga.

Historical plaque installed by the National Historical Institute (now the National Historical Commission of the Philippines) in 1987

On July 25, 1987, a historical marker was installed on the church facade by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. The church was also declared and recognized by the government as a cultural property based on the official list provided by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the National Museum of the Philippines.

The church interior

AUTHOR’S NOTES:

The church’s barn-style Baroque facade has flat pilasters, a first level with a centrally located arched main entrance flanked by statued niches; a second level with a centrally located rose window flanked by semicircular arched windows and a triangular pediment with a centrally located statued niche.

The four-storey bell tower, on the church’s right, has a two-storey square base (with a bas-relief of St. Anne), an octagonal third storey (with semicircular arched windows) and a round upper storey topped by a dome.

The choir loft area

The church houses the Museo de Sta. Ana which contains religious relics and a repository of artifacts detailing the rich religious culture and history of Taguig since 1857.

The main altar area

Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Anne: 1 Liwayway St., Brgy. Sta. Ana, Taguig City 1637, Metro Manila.  Tel: (632) 8642-4434.  Fax: (632) 8643-5204.

 

Immaculate Conception Cathedral (Pasig City, Metro Manila)

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Immaculate Conception Cathedral

The mother church  and the episcopal seat of the Diocese of Pasig, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral, also called the Pasig Cathedral, is one of the oldest structures in the city. This church was first built by Augustinian missionaries in 1575.  Initially consecrated to the Visitation of Our Lady (consecrated on July 2, 1573), on April 25, 1587, the parish was changed to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, the patroness of the Augustinian priests during that time.

The Neo-Classical and Colonial Baroque facade

The present structure, started before 1639, was said to have been finished during the brief British occupation of Manila from 1722 to 1747 (when it was converted into horses’ stables and served as the British military headquarters) and its belfry used as a watchtower against the Spanish defenders.  In 1764, it underwent repairs.

Historical Plaque

The stone convent was built by Fr. Felix Trillo.  In 1879, the church was restored by Fr. Simon Barroso who also replaced the roof with galvanized iron. From 1910 to 1979, the parish was administered by the CICM Fathers, after which the Filipino clergy took over the pastoral leadership of the parish.

The four-storey bell tower

In 2000, the Immaculate Conception Cathedral was declared one of the Jubilee churches in the Archdiocese of Manila (the parish was a part of this archdiocese until August 21, 2003 when the district was elevated as a separate and independent diocese on October 2001, with the elevation of the parish into the status of a cathedral).

Porta Sancta

On December 7, 2008, the Solemn Canonical Coronation of its patron as Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Pasig  was led by Edward Joseph Adams (the Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines), the Bishop of Pasig, and the entire faithful in the diocese.

The cathedral interior

In February 2021, as part of the Celebration of the 500th year anniversary of the arrival of Christianity in the Philippines, the cathedral was named as a Jubilee Church in the Diocese of Pasig along with the Diocesan Shrine of St. Martha and Parish of St. Roch in Pateros and the Archdiocesan Shrine of St. Anne in Taguig City.

The choir loft

The main altar and retablo

On March 25, 2022, after a 7 year-long restoration and renovation of the cathedral (including the addition of ceiling paintings), the cathedral was inaugurated and blest by Bishop Mylo Hubert Vergara.

Ceiling painting

Its plain Neo-Classical and Colonial Baroque façade has triglyphs that separate the first level from the second and third level; semicircular arched doors and windows, and small rose windows and the Augustinian symbol of the stylized heart on the second level.

Left side altar

Right side altar

Its triangular pediment, with its centrally located statued niche and supported by slender Doric columns, is topped by a Renaissance-influenced min-balustrade lacing the raking cornice.  The massive five-level bell tower is located on the church’s left.

Old church bells

Candle gallery

Immaculate Conception Cathedral: Justice Hubson St., Plaza Rizal, Brgy. Malinao, Pasig City 1600, Metro Manila.   Tel: (632) 8641-1784 and (632) 8864-6197.  Fax: (632) 641-3460. E-mail: iccpasigdop@gmail.com.

Church of San Felipe Neri (Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila)

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Church of San Felipe Neri

In 1870, seven years after San Felipe de Neri (now Mandaluyong) was separated from Sta. Ana de Sapa, Fr. Gavino Ruiz, incumbent parish priest was authorized to purchase the 1-hectare church site and, on March 25, 1870, the cornerstone of the church was blessed.

The church’s Neo-Gothic facade

The church’s Neo-Gothic facade

In 1883, Rev. Fr. Gregono Azarga, OFM, who took over the parish, obtained a permit to spend 39,100 pesos for the construction of the church. A manuscript, dated June 22, 1894, handwritten by Captain Municipal Pascual Francisco, already reported the existence of this church and its convent.

Buttresses at the right side of the church

Fr. (later bishop) Manuel C. Sobrevinas (parish priest from 1975 – 1979), Fr. (later bishop) Gabriel V. Reyes (parish priest from 1979 – 1981) and Fr. (later bishop)  Francisco C. San Diego (parish priest from 1981 – 1983) made repairs at the church.

Centennial anniversary plaque

150th anniversary plaque

Msgr. Salvador Jose (parish priest from 1983 – 2000) constructed the new convent at the right side of the church and the auxiliary chapels on the left.

The church’s interior

AUTHOR’s NOTES:

The church’s single level, Neo-Gothic façade has a semicircular arch main entrance flanked by statued niches and twin bell towers with pyramidal roofs.  Its triangular pediment has a centrally located statued niche.

Choir loft

Church of San Felipe Neri: cor. of Boni Ave. and Rt. Rev. C. Aglipay St., Mandaluyong City 1550, Metro Manila. Tel: (632) 8531-2931 and 8531- 4827. 

How to Get There: Mandaluyong City is located 7 kms. from Manila and 8 kms. from Pasig City.

Casa Manila (Intramuros, Manila)

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Our 9 – 11 AM Intramuros Mini Walk, hosted by Renacimiento Manila, was capped by our tour of the 3-storey, grand and imposing Casa Manila, a museum depicting colonial lifestyle during Spanish colonization of the Philippines, located across historic San Agustin Church and bounded by Calle Real, General Luna, Cabildo and Urdaneta streets.

Check out “”San Agustin Church” and “Casa Manila (2008)”

Museum entrance

I have visited this museum before but only got to see its façade of balconies, overhanging wooden gallery and its beautiful inner courtyard paved with piedra china with a decorative fountain that forms its centerpiece.  This would be our first time to explore its exhibits which chronicle the social history of Manila during the Spanish Colonial era.

Tour group at the sala (living Area)

Decorated and furnished in authentic period style, it is typical of the homes of affluent Filipino families, offering a fascinating glimpse of a bygone era. Built in 1981, this museum is a faithful, beautifully-done reproduction of a typical, lavishly appointed, ca. 1850s Spanish bahay na bato (stone-and-wood) residence of Binondo merchant Don Severino Mendoza.

Antesala (Antechamber)

Oratorio (oratory)

This house once stood along Calle de Jaboneros in San Nicolas, Binondo, one of the grand houses (the other two are the ca. 1650 Los Hidalgos and ca. 1890 Cuyugan Mansion) in Barrio San Luis (one of the four original villages of Intramuros ).

Dining Area

The museum, designed by Arch. J. Ramon L. Faustmann, is arranged over three floors.  Though the house is just a reproduction, its exhibits aren’t.  Its interiors, designed by Martin I. Tinio, Jr., displays finely-crafted, antique Philippine, Chinese and European furniture and furnishings; antique 17th to the early 20th century jewelry, and other items from the Intramuros Administration’s collection, offering an intriguing glimpse of 19th-century domestic life in Manila. 

Master Bedroom

Bedroom

At the entrance is a zaguan (from the Arabic word meaning “corridor”) where the carruajes (carriages) and karitelas entered and deposited passengers by the stairs and were parked.

Grand Stairway

The flight of stairs leads to the middle floor which contains the two adjoining bedrooms (where immediate family member took siestas or naps as the rooms were relatively cooler in the afternoon) and the office-library.

Opisina (office)

Business is usually conducted at entre suelo or mezzanine (also where the bachelor of the house usually stays).

Entre suelo (mezzanine)

Furnishings include a caja de hiero (safe) and a baul (family treasure chest) that safely housed gold and silver coins and other valuables.

Caja de hiero (safe)

Baul (treasure chest)

We also saw a special, period-style double latrine designed for use by two people at the same time. One interesting feature of this period of architecture is the lack of hinges on any of the doors as was done during that era.

Toiley

The principal living area, occupying the topmost floor, was reached via a grand staircase. Here we admired antique furniture from China and Europe, as well as items made by local artisans that show the luxury of the era.

Grandfather Clock

Don’t miss the impressive grandfather clock, as well as artworks, Persian rugs, Chinese ceramics, silverware, crystal chandeliers, a 4-poster ebony bed, religious images, antique grand piano (made in Boston in the 1850s), an old organ and harp, high marble top tables, pedestals holding  European sculptures and other fine decorative objects which a wealthy family would have enjoyed accumulating.

Grand Piano and Harp

Our tour ended at the kitchen where we imagined hard-working domestic staff carrying the heavy pots and pans back and forth in the intense heat from the charcoal oven as the family waited in anticipation of a delicious feast around the 18-seater dining room table, cooled by the punkah, a ceiling fan operated manually for the comfort of themselves and their guests.

Cocina (Kitchen)

In the kitchen, we also noticed a nevera (ice box), a bangerra (dish rack) and a rainwater cistern which provided running water to the household.  After we have thoroughly explored the kitchen, we exited the museum via an external staircase to the courtyard.

Banguerra

Nevera (ice box) and Berkefeld water filter

Casa Manila: Plaza San Luis Complex, Gen. Luna cor. Real St., Intramuros, Manila 1002.  Tel: (632) 527-4084. Open Saturdays to Sundays, 9 AM to 5 PM.  Admission: Php50 for children, students with valid ID and faculty members; and PhP75 for adults.

Libingan ng mga Bayani (Taguig City, Metro Manila)

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Libingan ng mga Bayani

The 103-hectare Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB, translated as “Heroes Cemetery”), the final resting place of more than 49,000 deceased  Filipino soldiers, statesmen, heroes, and martyrs, is a national cemetery within Fort Bonifacio (formerly Fort William McKinley).

Formerly the Republic Memorial Cemetery, it was first established in May 1947 as a tribute and final resting place for the 33,520 to 58,780 Filipino soldiers who died during the Philippine Campaign (1941–42) and the Allied Liberation of the Philippines (1944–45) in World War II. The cemetery is the Filipino counterpart to the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, which houses the remains of United States personnel who died during the same war.

Presidents of the Republic of the Philippines (Section A)

On June 16, 1948, Republic Act 289 (also known as An Act Providing for the Construction of a National Pantheon for Presidents of the Philippines, National Heroes, and Patriots of the Country) was signed into law by Philippine President Elpidio Quirino.

Veterans of World War II, Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor (Section IX)

On October 27, 1954, President Ramon Magsaysay renamed the Republic Memorial Cemetery as the Libingan ng mga Bayani. On May 28, 1967, Presidential Proclamation No. 208 was issued by President Ferdinand Marcos who ordered the reservation of 142 hectares of land within Fort Bonifacio Military Reserve in consideration for the Libingan ng mga Bayani to serve, not only as a cemetery for Philippine military personnel, but also as a national shrine for fallen heroes.  Marcos  also ordered it placed under the administration of the Military Shrines Services of the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, an agency under the Department of National Defense.

Chief of Staff, AFP (Section C)

On April 9, 1986, President Corazon Aquino and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Fidel V. Ramos  issued Armed Forces Regulations G 161-373. This military-issued regulation, also known as “The allocation of Cemetery Plots at the LNMB,” established the interment policy that would become the basis for the burial of personalities at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Bulwagan ng mga Bayani

On October 26, 1993, President Fidel V. Ramos  issued Executive Order No. 131 making National Artists and National Scientists of the Philippines eligible for interment at the cemetery.

Heroes Memorial Gate

In 2007, due to overcrowding at the Fort Bonifacio site, the cemetery’s administration started exploring sites for Libingan ng mga Bayani annexes in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The ₱24-million, five-hectare extension at Camp Hernandez in Dingle, Iloilo was the only one completed so far.

On January 4, 2019, Secretary of National Defense Delfin Lorenzana approved a five-year development program for the cemetery (projected to cost about ₱3.3 billion) whose goal is to rehabilitate and transform the LNMB into a world-class national cemetery at par with the nearby Manila American Cemetery. The first phase of the program, to be implemented by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority, includes the construction of a dignified cemetery area, a historical theme park, and a memorial shrine.

Grave of President Ferdinand E. Marcos

On November 18, 2016, amid much controversy resulting in a handful of protests in various parts of the Philippines, former president Ferdinand Marcos was buried in a private ceremony with military honors after the Supreme Court of the Philippines dismissed petitions against his burial on 8 November 2016.

Grave of President Elpidio Quirino

Today, the cemetery is administered and maintained by the Grave Service Unit (GSU), a unit of the Philippine Army Support Command of the AFP. Their mission is:

  • to provide burial and niche services to deceased military personnel and other personalities interred at the cemetery
  • to maintain the cemetery and the military grave site at Manila North Cemetery
  • provide mortuary and memorial services to authorized personnel 

Grave of President Diosdado Macapagal

According to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Regulation G 161-373 and based on the The Allocation of Cemetery Plots at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, the following persons are entitled to interment at the Libingan ng mga Bayani:

  • Medal of Valor awardees
  • Presidents or Commanders-in-Chief, AFP
  • The secretaries of National Defense
  • AFP Chiefs of Staff
  • Generals/Flag Officers of the AFP
  • Active and retired military personnel of the AFP (including active draftees and trainees who died in line of duty, and active reservists and CAFGU Active Auxiliary who died in combat-related activities)
  • Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals
  • Senators and Senate President
  • Former AFP members who laterally entered/joined the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)
  • Veterans of the Philippine Revolution of 1896, the First and Second World Wars, as well as recognized guerrillas
  • Government dignitaries, statesmen and other deceased persons whose interment has been approved by the commander-in-chief, Congress or the Secretary of National Defense
  • Former Presidents and widows of former Presidents and Chiefs of Staff
  • National Artists and National Scientists of the Philippines

Grave of President Diosdado Macapagal

However, the same regulation also says that the prohibition of interment applies to “personnel who were dishonorably separated/ reverted/ discharged from the service and personnel who were convicted by final judgment of an offense involving moral turpitude” from interment at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Grave of President Carlos P. Garcia

When we visited, the first structure we saw upon entering the grounds of the cemetery complex was the Heroes Memorial Gate.  This large concrete tripod, with a stairway leading to an upper view deck, has a metal sculpture at the center.

Grave of Vice-President Salvador H. Laurel

Near the Heroes Memorial Gate and erected on opposite sides of the main entrance road are two 12-ft. high black stone walls.  They bear the words that General Douglas MacArthur uttered during a journey to the Philippines in 1961: “I do not know the dignity of his birth, but I do know the glory of his death.”

Grave of Carlos P. Romulo

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the main structure at the center of the cemetery, is where wreath laying ceremonies are held when Philippine government officials and foreign dignitaries visit the cemetery. The tomb is inscribed with the words: “Here lies a Filipino soldier whose name is known only to God.” Three marble pillars, behind the tomb, represent the three main island groups in the Philippines: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Around the cemetery are a number of pylons commemorating the gallantry of Filipino soldiers who died in various wars in world history. The Korean Memorial Pylon honors the 112 Filipino officers and men who were members of the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK) who perished during the Korean War.

Vietnam War Veterans Memorial Pylon

The Vietnam War Veterans Memorial Pylon is dedicated to the members of the Philippine contingent and Philippine civic action groups (PHILCON-V and PHILCAG-V) who were sent to Vietnam during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1971

Philippine World War II Guerillas Pylon

The Philippine World War II Guerrillas Pylon, erected by the Veterans Federation of the Philippines, serves as “a testimony to the indomitable spirit and bravery of the Filipino guerrillas of World War II who refused to be cowed into submission and carried on the fight for freedom against an enemy with vastly superior arms and under almost insurmountable odds.”

Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Pylon

The Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Memorial was erected in 1977 in memory of those who served during World War II.

Marawi Heroes Memorial

The Marawi Heroes Memorial (Marawi Pylon) honors the 165 soldiers who died during the Marawi Siege, a five-month long battle between government forces and Islamic State-inspired terrorists.

Grave of Alejo S. Santos

There are 46 allocated grave sites for presidents.  The presidents buried here are Elpidio Quirino (1890–1956), the 6th President; Carlos P. Garcia (1896–1971), the 8th President; Diosdado Macapagal (1910–1997), the 9th President; and Ferdinand Marcos (1917–1989), the 10th President.

Grave of Arturo M. Tolentino

There are also 94 plots allotted for secretaries of national defense, government dignitaries, and statesmen.   They include:

Grave of Chief Justice Fred Ruiz Castro

Secretaries of National Defense buried here include Fortunato Abat (1925–2018), Rafael Ileto (1920–2003), Alejo Santos (1911–1984) and Ernesto S. Mata (1915–2012).

Grace of Rafael Ileto

One hundred thirty-three slots are allotted for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chiefs of staff.  Buried here are:

Grave of Artemio Ricarte

Some 1,375 slots are allotted for National Artists and National Scientists of the Philippines.  Buried here are

Grave of Fortunato U. Abat

There are 118 slots allotted for Medal of Valor awardees.  They include:

Grave of Haydee Yorac

183 slots for other generals and flag officers, 5,334 slots for World War II veterans and the remaining grave sites are designated for retired AFP personnel and veterans.  Other notable persons buried here include:

Grave of Maximo V. Soliven

Libingan ng mga Bayani: Bayani Rd., Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City 1630, Metro Manila, Coordinates 14.520°N 121.044°E.

PEFTOK Korean War Memorial Hall (Taguig City, Metro Manila)

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PEFTOK Korean War Memorial Hall

The PEFTOK Korean War Memorial Hall (PKWMH), built through the joint efforts of the Philippines and South Korea, through their respective defense ministries and veterans affairs offices among other agencies, serves to give a long overdue recognition and appreciation to the soldiers who helped defend and rebuild South Korea.

PEFTOK Korean War Memorial Museum

Inaugurated last March 29, 2012, it also gives recognition to President Elpidio Quirino, under whose term the country sent men to help the United Nations during the Korean War. A bust of the president stands just beside the entrance of the museum.

Bust of Pres. Elpidio Quirino

The Philippines was unique among United Nations (UN) combatants in that it was the only one with an active communist insurgency and the only one whose soldiers had immediate combat experience.

Some 7,420 officers and men (the sixth largest UN contingent) of the Philippine Army served in South Korea under the flag of the elite “Philippine Expeditionary Force to Korea” (PEFTOK), the third UNC ground combat unit to enter the Korean War.

Floor panel showing the history of the 19th BCT

A significant number of PEFTOK soldiers had also fought against the Japanese during World War II. On September 19, 1950, the 10th BCT, the first of five Battalion Combat Teams from the Philippine Army, landed in Busan.

The five battalion combat teams acquitted themselves creditably in combat. Despite having to adapt to the Korean winter, the Philippine contingent fought bravely and took part in decisive battles such as in Battle of Yultong and the Battle of Hill Eerie.

On April 23, 1951, the massively outnumbered 10th BCT, with only 900 men, withstood the night attack of an entire Chinese army of 40, 000 men during the Battle of Yultong in North Korea. Considering the strength of the Chinese, all UN forces retreated, except the Filipinos who engaged the Chinese in a bitter close quarter fighting. UN Command ordered the Filipino forces to disengage but the order was ignored and, instead, they engaged the enemy up to the last man. On September 5, 1951, the 20th BCT relieved the 10th BCT which returned to the Philippines covered in glory as “The Fighting Tenth.”

The 20th BCT again seized Hill Eerie, a strategic observation post that proves invaluable to PEFTOK in the coming battles against the CPV.  On 21 June 1952, the 19th BCT, which replaced the 20th BCT, emerged victorious after a fierce four-day battle to defend Hill 191 and Hill Eerie. Heavy losses were inflicted on the Chinese at the gory “Battle for Combat Outpost No. 8″and the triumphant Filipinos plant the National Flag on the summit of Hill 191 to proclaim their victory over the Chinese.

On March 26, 1953, the 14th BCT takes over the PEFTOK colors in Korea. It was then followed by the 2nd BCT, the last PEFTOK contingent, who arrived in Korea on April 19, 1954 and returned in the Philippines on June 1955.

Not one PEFTOK battalion was overrun or made incapable of combat as a result of enemy action despite many hard-fought battles. PEFTOK fought successfully against its main enemy in scores of actions in hills, cities and towns along the 38th parallel.  They also helped rebuild South Korea after fighting ended in the Korean War.

Some 500 Filipinos were killed, wounded or captured in the Korean War. The 112 dead include Capt. Conrado D. Yap (posthumously awarded the Philippine Medal of Valor, the U.S. Distinguished Service Cross  and the First Class Taegeuk Cordon of the Order of Military Merit on the 65th anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement) and Lt. Jose Artiaga, Jr. (posthumously awarded the Philippine Distinguished Conduct Star).

The museum details how the war went for 3 years (from 1953 to 1955), ending in a truce, but no permanent peace treaty that was signed. Inside is a sizable array of artifacts and memorabilia of those who fought in the Korean War, which included a future Philippine president, Fidel V. Ramos as well as two former Philippine ambassadors to South Korea (Col. Nicanor Jimenez and Gen. Ernesto Gidaya).

A bazooka and two mortars

Korean War-era weapons on display include machine guns (M1917A1 .30 caliber water-cooled machine gun), mortars, the semiautomatic M1 Carbine, rifles (Mosin-Nagant Sniper Rifle, M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle, etc.), submachine guns (M3 submachine gun Caliber .45, M1A1 Thompson submachine gun Caliber .45, PPS43 Pistolet-Polemyot Sudaeva, PPSh41 Pistolet-Polemyot Shpahina, etc.), bazookas (Green bazooka portable rocket launcher), bayonets, etc..

A Browning automatic rifle (above)

Just outside, beside the memorial building, is a 105 mm. M101 A1 howitzer.  Nearby is the PEFTOK Memorial Wall and the PEFTOK historical marker installed by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines in 2015.

105 mm. M101 A1 Howitzer

Also on display are uniforms, dog tags, belts, water canteens, mess kit and helmets; medals, campaign ribbons and citations; newspaper clippings; old photos and sketch portraits of the commanding officers of the 2nd, 10th, 14th, 19th and 20th BCTs.

PEFTOK Historical Marker installed by the NHCP in 2015

Media colleague Arthur Dominic “Art” J. Villasanta, whose late father, Juan “Johnny” Villasanta, was a war correspondent (he wrote news stories for his newspaper, The Evening News) during the Korean War, provided the pictures and wrote the narrative of the history of the Philippines‘ role in the Korean War which were printed on all the large floor panels and part of the wall panels laid out at the museum.

PEFTOK Memorial Wall

Visual aids narrate the historical timeline of the Korean War, the performance of each BCT during the war and the roster of men in each BCT.

The author (left) with son Jandy and museum curator Mark R. Condeno

PEFTOK Korean War Memorial Hall: Bayani Rd., Libingan ng mga Bayani Annex, 1630 Taguig City, Metro Manila. Tel: 8844-1855. Open Mondays to Saturdays, 8 AM to 5 PM.  Curator: Mark R. Condeno. Coordinates: 14.5248637,121.0454924.