Ideas Immortalized: Telling the Story of the University of the Philippines

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The University of the Philippines is one institution that needs no introduction. Just mention UP and people express their awe to show how much they look up to this university, the country’s premier university where many of the country’s brightest minds sprang from.

UP’s status and prestige today makes one overlook how far it has come ever since it was established more than a century ago. Then again, not many know the story of the university’s early years, the struggles and the triumphs it encountered during that pioneering period in UP’s history. That was, until the Museum of a History of Ideas opened in UP’s Manila campus last October 22, 2014.

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A Visit to the First United Building Community Museum

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So much has been said about Escolta Street and its glory days as a premier center of commerce in Manila, its eventual fall from grace after World War II, and the current efforts to revitalize commercial activity here again. With the state of things in the city these days, such efforts are admittedly a tall order. Nevertheless, the work continues with much vigor and passion, thanks to the various groups and individuals with their unceasing love for Escolta and their common dream to see it reclaim its glory as Manila’s “queen of streets.”

interior of Escolta’s First United Building

One of those stakeholders happen to be the owners of the First United Building, the Syliantengs whose have been deeply rooted in Escolta beginning with their patriarch, Sy Lian Teng, an entrepreneur who ran Escolta’s (and Manila’s as well) premiere department store, Berg’s. As a tribute to Escolta’s heritage, the Sylianteng family’s passion for Escolta, and to honor the legacy of the patriarch who has made an invaluable contribution to this street, a community museum was opened last May 16 this year in the premises of the building: the First United Building Community Museum.

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Roaming McKinley Hill, Part 2 (the businesses, the schools, and the rest)

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McKinley Hill was envisioned to be an all-encompassing towmship, which means almost everything you would expect in a city can be found here. Over the years, McKinley Hill would have a supermarketi, convenience stores, most major banks, courier branch, to name a few.

the commercial establishments along One World Square

As such, McKinley Hill was developed as place where your place of stay, study, and work are located within a single area. Last time, we talked about the residential developments; this time, we will talk about the business buildings and schools in the area, among other things. 

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Roaming McKinley Hill, Part 1 (The commerce and residences)

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This entry here at the Urban Roamer is something “personal” you might say as this is about a particular place that has grown close to me over the years. For 5 1/2 years, this was the environment where I worked and as such, I’ve witnessed the many changes that have come about this area. So as I will be moving on to a new environment, figuratively and literally, I figured I would devote some space here to write about this area called McKinley Hill.

Named after the old name of Fort Bonifacio which was Fort McKinley, (which in turn was named after US President William McKinley, under whose administration the Philippines became an American colony) McKinley Hill was a township developed by property developer Megaworld since 2004, on the heels of its achievement of developing its first township, Eastwood City in Quezon City.

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