It is a historic day for the Philippines as a new president in the person of Benigno Aquino III assumes the mantle of the country’s leadership. In the spirit of this momentous occasion, the Urban Roamer last week joined the “Power, Palace, and a Shot of Beer” tour of Mr. Ivan Man Dy which took me and some other guests mostly around Malacañang* Museum. *note: according to Mr. Man Dy, Malacañang refers to the whole Palace grounds: the Palace building itself, Kalayaan, Mabini Halls, New Executive Building, and the park at the opposite end of the Pasig River while Malacañan (the spelling we see on TV during press conferences) refers…
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A quick Met update
I know it has been a little over than a month since my last visit to the Manila Metropolitan Theater. In normal circumstances, you would not expect much to happen in an on-going rehabilitation effort like this one, considering the time involved in doing this work. But when politics and PR blitz is involved, you can expect things to go a bit faster than expected.
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To the head Tamaraw’s lair: inside the FEU Administration Bldg.
We are now approaching the final leg of our little virtual FEU tour. So I thought it would be appropriate to end it in the FEU Administration, another Art Deco masterpiece from Pablo Antonio which was completed in 1949.
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Continuing the journey to the Tamaraw’s abode
At the western end of the Far Eastern University Manila campus is what can be perhaps called the flagship building and the oldest in the campus: the Nicanor Reyes Hall, named of course after the founder of the university. It also represented best the campus’s Art Deco flavor with its grandiose facade that is still intact in the face of the city’s changing landscape. Designed by National Artist Pablo Antonio and completed in 1939, it also has arcade walkways that are common among many buildings along Recto Avenue and Quezon Blvd. where it is situated.