Bulwagang Lungsod ng Maynila

Bulwagang Lungsod ng Maynila
[Manila City Hall]

 

How many times have we passed “City Hall”, not knowing (or not caring) that it is a historical site after all? To be honest, it was my first time really going inside the City Hall. For one I am not a Manilenyo so I have no business in there. I was with Andrew and with Mark this time. We went to the Department of Foreign Affairs earlier to get Andrew’s passport. Our plan was to go to Intramuros. But since it is just across, we went to City Hall first.

And then we cannot find the marker (again. haha.) We asked the guard where the marker is and he said, it’s on the second floor (what?! why on the second floor?!). So we went inside and upstairs. Of course it’s not there. Haha. We explored around and we found another staircase leading down, and we saw the marker! Hahaha.

So this is the citation [according to the NHI book, because what is on the plaque is the shorter version]:
“Ang Unang Ayuntamiento ay itinatag sa Intramuros noong 1571. Ang unang gusali ng Bulwagang Lungsod ng Maynila na yari sa tabla ay itinayo sa pook na ito noong Marso 7, 1904 sa panunungkulan ni Alkalde Arsenio Cruz Herrera.

Ang unang bato ng gusaling ito ay inilagak ni Presidente Manuel L. Quezon noong Oktubre 1937 at ang unang bahagi nito sa may panulukang Taft at P. Burgos ay natapos at ginamit noong 1939.

Ang kabuuan ng gusali kasama ang tore ay itinayo noong 1941 at pinasiyaan noong Agosto 19, 1941 sa panahon ng panunungkulan ni Alkalde Eulogio Rodriguez.

Halos nasira noong 1945, libirasyon ng Maynila. Sumuko ang mga Hapon kay Hen. Douglas MacArthur sa isang parte ng gusali na ito na nasira ng digmaan.

Ang gusali ay muling itinayo ng unti-unti noong 1946 ng pamahalaang Amerikano sa bisa ng Philippine Rehabilitation Act 1946.”

Literal translation
“The first Ayuntamiento [government building] was established at Intramuros during 1571. The first City Hall of Manila made of tabla was founded in this site on March 7 1904 under the leadership of Mayos Arsenio Cruz Herrera.

The first stone of the building was installed by President Manuel L. Quezon on October 1937 and the first part located at Taft Avenue corner P. Burgos was finished and used on 1939.

The whole building including the tower was finished in 1941 and was blessed on August 19, 1941 under the leadership of Mayos Eulogio Rodriguez.

Almost destroyed during 1945, Liberation of Manila. The Japanese surrendered to General Douglas MacArthur on the part of the structure destroyed during the war.

This building is re-constructed on 1946 by the American government under the Philippine Rehabilitation Act of 1946.'”

 

Marker installed by the National Historical Institute, 1977.