Malacañang Palace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Malacañan Palace |
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Palasyo ng Malakanyang (Filipino)
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Malacañan Palace as viewed from the Pasig River
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| Alternative names | Malacañan Palace Malacañang |
| General information | |
| Type | Residence and Office |
| Architectural style | Bahay na bato, Neoclassical |
| Location | San Miguel, Manila |
| Address | Jose Laurel Street formerly called Calzada de Malacañán, and then Calle conde de Avilés |
| Country | Philippines |
| Coordinates | 14°35′38″N 120°59′40″E / 14.5939°N 120.9945°E |
| Current tenants | Bongbong Marcos President of the Philippines and the first family |
| Construction started | 1750 |
| Owner | Government of the Philippines |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | 9,931 square metres |
Malacañan Palace is the official home and main office of the President of the Philippines. It is located in the Manila district of San Miguel. People often use the name Malacañang to refer to the president and their team. The palace complex has many buildings. They are built in traditional Filipino and neoclassical styles.
The first building was a summer house built in 1750. It belonged to Don Luis José Rocha Camiña, a Spanish doctor. It was located in San Miguel, right by the Pasig River. The government bought the property in 1825. It became the summer home for the Spanish governor-general.
After a big earthquake in 1863, the governor-general's old home was destroyed. So, Malacañan became the main seat of power. This continued when the United States took over the Philippines in 1898. General Wesley Merritt was the first American governor to live there. Since 1863, many leaders have lived in the palace. This includes Spanish governors, American governors, and Philippine presidents. The palace has been made bigger and better many times. It survived heavy bombing during World War II. Today, it remains a very important building in Manila.
Contents
About the Name
What Malacañan Means
The name Malacañán likely means "place of the fisherman." This idea comes from old Spanish writings. Historians like Felipe de Govantes wrote about it in 1877. The Tagalog word mamalakáya means fisherman. So, the original name might have been Mamalakáya-han. This means "place of fishermen." The Spanish later shortened it to Malacañán.
How the Name is Spelled
During Spanish rule, the name was spelled Malacañang. When Americans took over, they changed it to "Malacañan." This was supposedly to make it easier to say. But in 1953, President Ramon Magsaysay changed it back to Malacañang. This was to honor its history.
Later, President Corazon Aquino made a rule. "Malacañan Palace" refers to the president's home. "Malacañang" refers to the president's office. This helps tell the two apart.
Palace History
Spanish Rule and Early Days
Spanish leaders first lived in a palace in Intramuros. Malacañang Palace started as a small country house in 1750. It was made of stone and wood. Don Antonio V. Rocha owned the land. He sold it in 1802 for a thousand pesos. Later, the government bought it in 1825. It became a summer home for governors-general. They used it to escape the heat of Intramuros.
On June 3, 1863, an earthquake destroyed the old governor's palace. After that, Malacañang became the official residence. Rafaél de Echagüe y Bermingham was the first Spanish governor to live there. He found it too small. So, he added a wooden two-story part to the back. He also built stables and boat landings.
More earthquakes and typhoons caused damage. So, the palace was rebuilt and made bigger between 1875 and 1879. They strengthened the posts and replaced roof tiles. Balconies were fixed, and the inside was made beautiful. By 1898, Malacañang Palace was a large group of wooden buildings. They had sliding capiz windows and open patios.
American Rule and Changes
After the Spanish–American War, the Philippines came under American rule. Malacañang Palace became the home of American governors-general. General Wesley Merritt was the first in 1898. William Howard Taft was the first civilian governor in 1901. They kept making the palace better and bigger. They bought more land and added wings. They also raised the ground floor to prevent floods. Workers replaced wood with concrete. They made the inside beautiful with wood panels and chandeliers.
Commonwealth Era and Filipino Presidents
The palace became the official home of the Philippine president in 1935. This was when the Philippine Commonwealth was formed. President Manuel L. Quezon was the first Filipino to live there. He fixed the flooding problem by building a concrete wall along the Pasig River. He also turned the ground floor into a social hall.
Emilio Aguinaldo, the first Filipino president of the revolutionary government, did not live in the palace. He lived in his home in Kawit, Cavite. But he was held as a prisoner in Malacañang for a few weeks in 1901.
Malacañang Palace was the only major government building left after the Second World War. Only a small part was damaged. During the war, in 1942, the Japanese used Malacañang. President Jose P. Laurel, who was installed by the Japanese, lived there.
Later Years and Modern Changes
When President Diosdado Macapagal moved in, the palace needed many repairs. His wife, Eva Macapagal, started a big project. She made the muddy areas into beautiful gardens.
President Ferdinand Marcos and his wife, Imelda, lived in the palace for a long time. They were there from 1965 to 1986. In the 1970s, the area around the palace was closed to the public. This was after a student protest.
Between 1978 and 1979, Imelda Marcos oversaw a big reconstruction. The palace was expanded on all sides. The president's living areas were made bigger. A new dining room and guest suites were added. The old palace was almost completely rebuilt. It was made stronger with concrete and steel. It was also made bullet-proof and had central air-conditioning. Architect Jorge Ramos led this work. The new palace opened on May 1, 1979.
After the People Power Revolution in 1986, protesters entered the palace. The palace was then opened to the public as a museum for three years.
President Corazon Aquino chose to live in a nearby house. This was to show a simpler lifestyle. Her successor, President Fidel Ramos, also lived there. After the Second EDSA Revolution, security at the palace was increased.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo lived in the main palace. She had lived there before as a child. Former presidents Benigno Aquino III and Rodrigo Duterte, and current president Bongbong Marcos, chose to live in Bahay Pangarap.
Inside the Palace
Malacañang Palace is the main building. It has 10 important halls. Some of these have been restored to their historical look.
Entrance Halls
Visitors enter through the Entrance Hall. It has beige Philippine marble floors and walls. Straight ahead are doors to the Grand Staircase. To the left is the Palace Chapel. To the right is the Heroes Hall. The doors to the Grand Staircase show Malakas (Strong) and Maganda (Beautiful). These are the first Filipino man and woman from mythology.
Heroes Hall
From the Entrance Hall, you walk through a mirrored passage. It has paintings of famous Filipinos. The large room next to it was once the Social Hall. First Lady Eva Macapagal renamed it Heroes Hall. She asked Guillermo Tolentino to sculpt busts of national heroes.
In 1998, three large paintings were added. They show important moments in Philippine history. One painting shows the Propaganda Movement and the Philippine Revolution. Another shows early history, like Lapu-Lapu and the death of Magellan. The third painting shows events from the Philippine–American War to modern presidents. This hall is as big as the Ceremonial Hall above it. It was used for meetings and state dinners.
Grand Staircase
The Grand Staircase is made of fine Philippine hardwood. It is covered in red carpet. The walls are made of small wood pieces. They look like traditional sawali panels. At the top of the stairs is a landing. This leads to the Reception Hall.
Spanish and American governors and Philippine presidents used this staircase. It was narrower before 1979. There is a story that José Rizal's mother, Teodora Alonzo, climbed these stairs on her knees. She begged for her son's life.
Portraits of Spanish conquistadores hang on the balcony. These include Hernán Cortés and Ferdinand Magellan. A large painting by Fernando Amorsolo is also there.
To the left at the top of the stairs is the famous painting 'The Blood Compact'. It was painted by Juan Luna in 1886. The door on the left leads to the president's private living areas.
Rizal Ceremonial Hall
This is the largest room in the palace. It is also called the ballroom. It is used for state dinners and large meetings. Guests sit on upholstered benches. For dinners, the benches are removed, and round tables are set up. Orchestras sometimes play from balconies.
Three large chandeliers light the hall. They were carved in 1979 by Juan Flores. They are masterpieces of Philippine wood artistry. This hall used to be smaller. It had glass doors that opened to verandas overlooking the Pasig River. Many outdoor parties were held there. The verandas were combined in 1979 to create the huge Ceremonial Hall.
A special palace event is the presentation of credentials. This happens when a new ambassador arrives. During the Marcos years, new ambassadors presented their papers in a formal ceremony. They would walk through the Reception Hall. The president would be waiting at the end. The ambassador would give their documents to the president.
State Dining Room
The State Dining Room is mainly used for Cabinet meetings. Before 1935, this room was the ballroom. Presidents dined here with important guests. A long table can seat about fifty guests. The finest glassware and china were used for special events. The chandeliers and gilded mirrors are from the Spanish era.
Two paintings are in the room. The larger one is a fiesta scene by National Artist Carlos "Botong" Francisco. It shows tinikling dancers and rural life. The other painting is an early rural scene by Amorsolo.
This room was made wider in 1979. A mirrored ceiling was added. The State Dining Room is also where Emilio Aguinaldo was held prisoner in 1901.
Presidential Study
The Presidential Study is the president's official office. It is like the Oval Office in the United States. Presidents from Quezon to Marcos used this room. It is on the second floor of the palace. The presidential desk has been used since the Commonwealth of the Philippines. All presidents from Quezon to Marcos used it. President Ramos restored it. President Arroyo also restored it and used it as her office. A large chandelier from the 1930s is in the study.
Music Room
This room's use has changed over time. It was a bedroom, then a library, and finally the Music Room. First ladies often met visitors here. A Luna painting, 'Una Bulaqueña', used to hang above the piano. Small concerts were sometimes held here.
Imelda Marcos decorated the room in mint green. She would sit on an antique French sofa. The room behind the Music Room was Imelda Marcos's office. It later became President Fidel Ramos's private office. Today, the room is used by the president to meet visitors.
Private Quarters
Each new presidential family chose their own bedrooms. A president with many children sometimes had problems. This was especially true when a foreign leader visited. Many important people have stayed in Malacañang. The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VIII) visited in the 1920s.
The Marcos family decided to expand the palace in 1978. The bedrooms of the president and first lady were made bigger. Suites were built for their children. The private living room was also expanded.
- Bedroom Suites These suites open from the former private dining room. They have large canopy beds and gilded wardrobes. The King's Room leads to a balcony. From this balcony, Pope John Paul II blessed a crowd in 1981. President Arroyo said this was her bedroom when she was a child.
- Reception Room This was the family dining room until 1979. It had a beautiful ceiling. A famous painting by Fabián de la Rosa, Planting Rice, used to hang here. Other paintings by Fernando Amorsolo were also in this room. The room beyond was used by the Marcos family as a living room or chapel.
- Discothèque A third floor was added in 1979. It has a roof garden and a discothèque. The disco is right above President Marcos's bedroom. It had special lights and music equipment. A waterfall fountain is on the terrace outside. Steps lead up to a helipad on the roof. It has not been used since 1986. During the Macapagal-Arroyo time, it was changed into a music hall.
Kalayaan Hall
The old Executive Building is now called Kalayaan Hall. It is the oldest building in the Palace complex. Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison built it in 1921. It was the main office building until the end of Ramon Magsaysay's presidency. It was renamed Maharlika Hall in the 1970s. Then, President Corazon Aquino renamed it Kalayaan Hall in 1986. This was to remember the People Power Revolution.
Presidential Museum and Library
The Presidential Museum and Library is in Kalayaan Hall. It holds items from past presidents of the Philippines. It was created in 2004. It has exhibits and galleries about presidents from Emilio Aguinaldo to the present. You can see clothing, personal items, gifts, and documents. There are also artworks and furniture from the palace.
New Executive Building
The New Executive Building is on the other side of the palace grounds. It was once the administration building of San Miguel Corporation. President Manuel L. Quezon first suggested buying it in 1936. President Ferdinand E. Marcos planned to make it part of the palace. The old San Miguel Brewery buildings were taken down in 1978–79. But it was President Corazon C. Aquino who rebuilt it in 1989.
It now houses offices like the Presidential Spokesperson's office. Across the street is an old Spanish colonial house. It is called Bahay Ugnayan (Ugnayan House). It used to be the office for public complaints. Now, it is a museum about Marcos Jr.'s campaign.
Mabini Hall
Mabini Hall is the current Administration Building. It is a large building to the left when you enter Gate 4. It started as the Budget Building in 1936. After World War II, it temporarily housed the Supreme Court. It was later expanded. It holds offices for the executive secretary and presidential advisers. After a fire in 1992, President Fidel V. Ramos rebuilt it. He renamed it Mabini Hall, after Apolinario Mabini.
Bonifacio Hall
The Premier Guest House is now Bonifacio Hall. It is a glass-fronted building across the garden. American governors-general built it as servants' quarters. It was remodeled in 1975 to be a guest house.
The Marcos family lived here while the main palace was being rebuilt. President Corazon C. Aquino used this building as her office from 1986 to 1992. President Joseph Estrada and his family also lived and worked here.
In 2003, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo renamed it Bonifacio Hall. This was to honor Andrés Bonifacio. President Benigno S. Aquino III also had his private office here for a time.
Malacañang Park and Bahay Pagbabago
Malacañang Park is across the river from Malacañang Palace. It has a Recreation Hall and a small golf course. It also has the guesthouse Bahay Pangarap.
President Quezon created the park in 1936–1937. It was meant for relaxation. It had three buildings: a recreation hall, a community assembly hall, and a rest house. The rest house is now called Bahay ng Pagbabago. It served as the official home for presidents Benigno Aquino III and Rodrigo Duterte. The buildings were designed by Juan M. Arellano and Antonio Toledo. The park also has a putting green and tennis courts.
It is now the official home of current President Bongbong Marcos. He has lived there since June 30, 2022.
Other Buildings in the Complex
The palace complex has other facilities. These include a television station and two churches.
- Laperal Mansion or the Arlegui Guest House is a large mansion built in the 1930s. It is on Arlegui Street. During World War II, it was the home of Benigno Aquino Sr.. After the war, it was temporarily the National Library. The Laperal family later owned it. In 1975, it was taken by presidential security forces. First Lady Imelda Marcos made it a grand guesthouse. President Corazon Aquino chose to live here instead of the palace. President Fidel V. Ramos also lived here.
- Legarda Mansion was built in 1937. It is one of the first Art Deco houses in Manila. It now houses La Cocina de Tita Moning, a restaurant. It aims to bring back the feeling of old Manila parties. The house has paintings by Félix Resurrección Hidalgo and Juan Luna.
- Goldenberg Mansion
- Teus Mansion
- Valdés Mansion is on San Rafael Street. It is not as well-kept as other mansions. It is now used as an office for palace security.
- Presidential Broadcast Staff Radio Television Malacañang (PBS-RTVM) was formed in 1986. It is in charge of TV coverage and documentation of the president's activities. They provide news and public affairs content.
- San Miguel Church was founded by the Jesuits in 1603. It became a parish church in 1611. The church also helped Japanese Christians who were escaping persecution. The current church was built in 1918. It is known for its twin bell towers. It was declared the National Shrine of Saint Michael, the Archangel in 1986.
Gardens
The large grounds of Malacañang are like a park in Manila. They have tropical plants, old acacia trees, and even a balete tree. The lawns are wide and green. This shows how Manila might have looked long ago.
The public garden is called 'Freedom Park'. It has statues that represent the four freedoms: religion, expression, want, and fear. These statues came from a fair in the 1950s. An Art Deco fountain from the 1930s still flows near the main palace entrance. Cannons and lamp posts from the Spanish era are also found in the gardens.
A bamboo teahouse used to be by the river. It was built in 1948. It is no longer there. The large balete tree is at the main entrance. It is said to have a resident kapre (a mythical creature). During Christmas, it is lit with colorful lanterns.
Security
The palace is protected by the Presidential Security Group. The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police also help keep it safe.
Historical Marker
A marker for Malacañang Palace was put up in 1941. It tells the history of the site. It says the property was bought in 1802. It became the summer home for the governor-general in 1847. After the 1863 earthquake, it became the main residence. The building was rebuilt and improved many times. President Manuel L. Quezon was the first Filipino leader to live there.
See also
- Aguinaldo Shrine
- The Mansion, Baguio, the official summer residence of the president of the Philippines
- Malacañang sa Sugbo, the official residence of the president of the Philippines in the Visayas
- Malacañang of the South, the official residence of the president of the Philippines in Mindanao
- Malacañang of the North, presidential museum and former official residence of the president of the Philippines in Ilocos Region
- Coconut Palace, commissioned in 1978 as a government guest house
