National Library of the Philippines

The National Library of the Philippines building isn't that impressive like the other Neo-Classical buildings near the area (i.e., old Legislative Building). I believe it's a five-story structure that needs to be torn down! Our rare Filipiniana collections deserves a much better edifice, a structure conducive for reading and research! I for one didn't know the history of the library but thanks to the internet and published books, I am now aware of its rich history (with its vast pre-war collection). Here are some of the information I was able to gather about its history and collection.

HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF THE PHILIPPINES

The forerunner of what is now The National Library may be traced back to the last decade of the Spanish colonial period, with the inauguration of the Museo-Biblioteca de Filipinas in 1891. Its location was on No. 12, Gunao Street, Quiapo, Manila. It had a collection of about 100 Filipiniana works open to the public free of charge.

The Philippine-American War brought damage to the collection; those recovered passed on to the collection of the American Circulating Library organized by the American Circulating Library Association of Manila on March 9, 1900. The American Circulating Library had some 10,000 volumes of collection, composed wholly of American books, most of which were fiction, while its Filipiniana comprised only a small portion. The Library's first location was on 70 Rosario St., Binondo, Manila.

The Association found it hard to maintain the Library's expenses. It decided to donate its collection to the American Military government in the Philippines. Act No. 96 passed by the Philippine Commission on March 5, 1901 formalized the donation. This date marks the foundation of public libraries in the Philippines.

In May 1904, the Library moved to the Oriente Hotel on Plaza Calderon de la Barca between Oriente and Veronica Streets. The government reorganization in November 1905 made the Library a division of the Bureau of Education. Hence, in March 1906, it moved again to the Bureau of Education building located at the corner of Cabildo and Recoletos Streets, Intramuros, Manila.

The lawmakers in the Philippines Assembly created the Philippine Public Library through Act No. 1849, June 3, 1908. A year after, on May 20, 1909, Act No. 1935 was passed renaming the Library as Philippine Library. In October 1911, the Library change its location to a building along Santa Potentiana Street, Intramuros, Manila. It stayed there until July 1927. Meanwhile, Act No. 2572 of January 31, 1918 merged the Library with two other offices - the Executive Bureau's Division of Archives, Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks and the Law Library of the Philippine Assembly - to be named The Philippine Library and Museums.

Act No. 3477 passed on December 7, 1928 separated the Museum from the Library, the one becoming the National Museum, the other The National Library. The latter moved to the Legislative Building remaining there until 1944. The reorganization of the Library after World War II also changed its location to the former Bilibid Prison, Oroquieta St., Sampaloc, Manila starting in June 1945. Executive Order No., 94, series 1947 changed the name of the Library to Bureau of Public Libraries which went back in June 1950 to its previous location at the Legislative Building. After several months there, the Philippine Assembly ordered it to move out, occupying the old Philippine Assembly buildings instead at the corner of Lepanto (now S.H. Loyola) and P. Paredes St., in Sampaloc.

In 1955, the Library moved once more to the discarded buildings of the Department of Foreign Affairs on Arlegui St., although the General Reference Division was still housed on P. Paredes Street and the Research and Bibliography Division, including the Binding Section were still located in the old Bilibid Prison in Oroquieta St. The passage of Republic Act No. 3873, June 18, 1964, reverted the name to the National Library.

Finally, from different locations, the Library is now located on the southeast side of Rizal Park. The building faces T.M. Kalaw Street, occupies a total of 26,400 sq.ft. of ground and has a total floor space of 198,700 sq.ft. It was inaugurated in June 1961 in commemoration of the 100th birth anniversary of the Filipino national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal.

Old Legislative Building

OLD LEGISLATIVE BUILDING BACKGROUND

Built in 1921, the Legislative Building at the corner of Taft Avenue and P. Burgos Drive was intended to be used as a museum-library as proposed in Burnham's Plan for Manila. The building was part of the "Capitoline structure," an impressive design in neo-classical architecture for a government center made by David H. Burnham.

The building, which occupies an entire triangular block, was started early in the 1920's. Work on it was sporadic, however, and it was finished in 1926 at a cost of P4,075,000. Upon the establishment of the Commonwealth government, the building became the Legislative Building (popularly Congress Building). Only half-finished, the National Library was allowed to occupy the basement. Though built to be earthquake-resistant, the building did not survive the Second World War devastation when the liberation forces bombed and shelled the building where the Japanese troops had made one of their last stands in Manila. Except for the central portion, the structure was beyond repair.

The building was reconstructed with some modifications. Designed by Ralph Doane and Antonio Toledo, the facade of the buildign had classical features using stylized Corinthian columns, ornamentation and Renaissance inspired sculptural forms.

VICTIM OF WAR

The bulk of the holdings of the National Library and Museum had been moved into the basement of the Legislative Building in the belief that it was a stronghold, safer than the other buildings they had been stored in. The Legislative Building, of course, was completely destroyed. The library holdings included 300,000 books and 25,000 assorted journals and pamphlets. The originals of some Rizal letters and other documents had been deposited in the Manila City Hall vault. They were never found again.

CURRENT LIBRARY COLLECTIONS

Today, the National Library has almost a million volumes of books, monographs, newspapers, and picture collections. Housed in the National Library of the Philippines are the following valuable collections: The President Manuel L. Quezon Papers, the President Manuel A. Roxas Papers, the Julian Cruz Balmaceda Collection, the Lope K. Santos Collection, the General Carlos P. Romulo Memorabilia, the Philippine Revolutionary Papers (1892-1906), rare Philippine newspapers and magazines such as El Indio Agraviado, La Lectura Popular, El Renacimiento, Muling Pagsilang, El Crito del Pueblo, El Heraldo de la Revolucion, and La Independencia. The "crown jewels" of the National Library are the Dr. Jose P. Rizal manuscripts, notably the original manuscripts of the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

Another part of history of the Philippines is the Philippine incunabulas. The incunabulas are the printed works thatwereproduced by the native printing press when it was still at its infancy. National Library of the Philippines has in its possession four extant copies of eight Philippine incunabulas.

SOURCES:
Texts: History of the National Library

Legislative Building Background: Official Buildings of the House of Representative
- The Legislative Building; and Imperial Tapestry: American Colonial Architecture in the Philippines by Norma I. Alarcon, Fuap; p. 132-133
Victim of War: By Sword and Fire: The Destruction of Manila in World War II
by Alfonso Aluit; p. 408
Current Collections: Manila Bulletin Article 107th Anniversary of the National Library of the Philippines; and National Library of the Philippines by Adoracion Mendoza Bolos; p. 232

Image: Imperial Tapestry: American Colonial Architecture in the Philippines by Norma I. Alarcon, Fuap; p. 133

Luneta Hotel

If you are at the corners of T.M. Kalaw and Roxas Boulevard, and you see an old, abandoned (and now being renovated) building, that is the famous Luneta Hotel. I immediately recognized the hotel when I was on my way to the library. I became aware of its existence after browsing through a Heritage Watch forum. Now abandoned, one can wonder how it would have looked like in the 1920s.

In the old picture of hotel below one can even see that it faced an unfenced bermuda plane of the Luneta, and its neighbors are no more than blocks of humble bahay na bato and bodegas.

Old Luneta Hotel

According to Wikipedia, Luneta Hotel was completed in 1918. A study done by Dean Joseph Farnandez of the University of Santo Thomas revealed that the hotel was designed by the Spanish architect-engineer Salvador Farre. The six-storey hotel is the only remaining example of the French Renaissance architecture with Filipino stylized beaux arts in the Philippines to date. The burnt out building survived the Second World War but never recuperated from its war wounds. The Luneta has been renovated in 1972 but the hotel has continuously deteriorated since then.

In a 1998 article "Restoration, not demolition, says Luneta Hotel’s new owner", Inquirer columnist and HCS founding member Bambi Harper described the “whimsical gargoyles in the form of lions, crocodiles, griffins and other mythical creatures that serve as decorative supports of (the hotel’s) balconies.” She also talked about the “delicate filigreed railings (on the balconies) that add a touch of lightness to the solid concrete facade.”

Also in a Heritage Conservation Society article Luneta Hotel and the Beautiful Era, it mentioned that the hotel has been known to serve rich breakfast and lunch, exotic among foreigners of the time. It’s just interesting to note that the gargoyles that adorn the building are meant to keep the water away from the walls so it would maintain a pristine appearance. It isn’t just burloloy, it actually has function. Its walls would turn into gold when the sun strikes it at high noon and onwards.

Wouldn't these be good reasons for the hotel to be restored? By the way the Luneta Hotel (like the Museo Pambata) was declared a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Institute.)

SOURCES:
Texts: Wikipedia entry of Architecture of the Philippines - American Architecture
Article Luneta Hotel and the Beautiful Era
Philippine Daily Inquirer Article Restoration, not demolition, says Luneta Hotel’s new owner

Images: Old Luneta Hotel from Luneta Hotel: Through the test of time
Luneta Hotel Now from TrekEarth Gallery

Museo Pambata

The Museo Pambata, which opened in December 21, 1994, is a children's interactive museum, the first of its kind in the Philippines. What most people don't probably know is that this museum was the Elks Club Building during the American Period.

Facade of the Old Elks Club Building

Here is a little bit of history of the building according to the book Imperial Tapestry:

"Because of homesickness, a group of former American soldiers turned businessmen, petitioned the Elk Headquarters in New YorkCity for the establishment of a clubhouse
in the Philippines. Upon approval of the petition, the first clubhouse of the Elks Club (formerly Clubhouse of the Order of the Elks) was established along Calle Victoria
in Intramuros. Then, in 1904, it moved to Calle Luis opposite the Old Luneta. Finally, in 1911, it built its permanent home at the site (that was used to be occupied by the Manila Overseas Press Club), now occupied by the Museong Pambata ng Maynila. Following the proposal of Daniel Burnham as to the location of recreational buildings in his Manila Plan, the Elks Club (the only Elks Club established outside of the US) was housed ina three-story building with features similar to its neighbor, the Army Navy Club. It was destroyed during the war afterwhich a two-story edifice was built by the Cojuangco family in February 1949. It was later acquired by the Philippine government. Besides holding convention, publications, and engaging in civic works, the clubhouse served as the meeting place of American businessmen.

Here are excerpts from the essay "Heritage Site Becomes the Museo Pambata" about the Elks Club and the Museo Pambata:

The heritage Elks Club building was one of a series of monumental buildings specified for the Luneta in the Daniel Burnham plan for Manila. The Elks Club was designed by the American architect William Parsons in 1908-1910, inthe vocabulary of Manila's radiant, new "City Beautiful" style. Educated at Yale, Columbia and the prestigious Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, Parsons came to Manilato implement the Burnham plan. The original Elks Club building has been totally recycled for its new life as a children's museum. No alterations were made that defaced the original architecture. The Museo Pambata completely respects the architecture of Parsons and is one of the city's few first rate examples of architectural reuse. The interactive exhibits electricity, human body, the rural and urban Filipino lifestyle, turn-of-the-century Spanish colonial Manila. Replicas of Filipino-Hispanic colonial homes and churches, scaled down to child size can be entered, felt, understood. There is a stationary tranvia to ride, as well as a galleon to stand on.

Museo Pambata ng Maynila

According to the Museo Pambata website, the museum owes its existence to Nina Lim-Yuson and former Department of Social Welfare and Development secretary Estefania Aldaba-Lim who both shared enthusiasm over the idea of having a children’s museum in the country. Museo Pambata features hands-on exhibits that encourage children to explore and discover various concepts while they play. Museo Pambata has eight theme rooms: (1) Kalikasan/Environment; (2) Maynila Noon/Old Manila; (3) Bata sa Mundo/Children in the Global Village; (4) Tuklas!/Science Through Discovery; (5) Paglaki Ko/Career Options; (6) Craft Room; (7) Pamilihang Bayan/Marketplace (8) Katawan Ko/Body Works

SOURCES:
Texts: Imperial Tapestry: American Colonial Architecture in the Philippines
by Norma I. Alarcon, Fuap; p. 82
Lugar: Essays on Philippine Heritage and Architecture
by Augusto F. Villalon; pp. 146-150
Museo Pambata Website

Images: Facade of the Old Elks Club Building from the Imperial Tapestry: American Colonial Architecture in the Philippines by Norma I. Alarcon, Fuap; p. 82
Museo Pambata from Museo Pambata Website

Museo Pambata, Luneta Hotel and National Library all in one day!

I had plans to visit the Museo Pambata at 8 AM but ended up slumbering in my bed until 10 AM. The timing can never be perfect because I had been wanting to go the National Library to do some research on the history of Philippine postcards for my other blog. The last time I visited the library was in 2001 when I applied for a library card, which I wasn't able to get and use. Now I have more reasons to visit the library.
But my research was cut short because of the commotion of the students in the room. They were rushing to get out because of the earthquake (which twice shaked the building!). Honestly I only felt the second one, and it didn't bother me at all that I still continued reading my books. But for everyone's safety the librarians decided that all should empty the building. With a disappointment in my face, I exited the room and decided to just visit the old Luneta Hotel, one of the few remaining structures that survived World War II. One can easily recognize the hotel if one is leaving the library. I was tempted to enter with hotel (which was undergoing renovation) but decided it's not a good idea (Am alone and an aftershock worried me and workers in the building.) It's the old, abandoned building at the corner of Kalaw and Roxas Boulevard which once was one of the most elegant hotels in Manila. Unfortunately I wasn't able to take any photos.

Philippine Blog Awards 2

Last night we attended the Philippine Blog Awards 2 at the One Esplanade MOA. My other blog, The World Thru Postcards, was nominated and a finalist for Best Blog under the Hobby/Recreation category.

First a little bit background about my hobby. Deltiology is the study and collection of postcards. Worldwide, deltiology is the third largest hobby after stamp collecting and money collecting. Postcards are collected because of their importance in research. For example, I have in my collection a postcard of Hyatt Terraces Baguio's restaurant, which, as we all know, was a casualty of the July 16, 1990 quake. Or I have a Bookmark reproductions of old postcards that shows buildings, images during the American period.

It has been almost 10 years now since I started collecting postcards. Now I have more than 2000 postcards in my collection so last year I decided to start blogging the postcards. I mainly collect Philippine postcards, UNESCO sites, Maps, Paintings, Bridges, Buildings (Hotels, Museums, Palaces, Schools, Airports, etc.), Places of Worship (Churches, Cathedrals, etc.), Planes, Ships, Birthday Greeting Cards.

Now back to the awards night. We arrived at the venue before 6pm and registered, and were then ushered to our seats. There I was able to see the faces behind some of the famous blogs, although I was only able to meet and conversed with just one blogger, Greg Quimpo, who owns the blog Dogs Are Us!, a blog that advocates the protection of dogs. (The Animal Kingdom Foundation Rescue Center is located in Capas, Tarlac.)

We saw several known personalities, Sen. Mar Roxas (who also blogs and gave a speech related to blogging) and Manuel L. Quezon III (one of the judges). I was hoping to meet Ivan Henares and Senor Enrique, two of the blogs I frequently read. PBA gave away 36 awards, including Best Blogs (Hobby, Personal Travel, etc., categories), Best Blog Design, Blogger's Choice Award, etc.

My blog didn't win. But heck, am happy that my blog is one of the finalist. I just want to increase awareness (maybe appreciation) on postcard collecting, and this is a good start!

To all the winners, congratulations. And KUDOS to the Philippine Blog Awards Committee!

29th Manila International Book Fair

The 29th Manila International Book Fair was held at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex last September 12-16, 2008. I only had plans to visit the book fair fora day, but ended up visiting the fair 3 times, and purchasing lots of old/new books, and not to mention they were discounted!


The fair not only showcased books, books and more books, but there were also events like book launchings, book reading sessions, etc. More than 300 exhibitors participated in the bookfair, from National Bookstore, National Historical Insitute, to UST/Ateneo/UP publishers, and others.

historian by heart

some would probably hate history, but i can honestly say i dont. we could learn a lot about ourselves from our history (mostly from books), but i learned a lot more after joining walk tours (i.e., oxford and intramuros), river cruises (i.e., loboc, singapore, bangkok, london), and museum tours.

this past few months, i got hooked with old intramuros or should i say pre-war manila (when we really were the "pearl of the orient"), especially our architecture, from the shopping center of escolta, mansions of ermita, and churches of intramuros! i even joined an online forum that shows images of old manila, bought lots of books (mostly about intramuros), and now am planning to take ab history, join a heritage conservation group and share our history thru this blog.

you can expect not only images from my travels but also little bit of history about the place -- and i hope that this will help our fellow kababayan appreciate our history and become prouder (even learn to conserve) of our heritage..

another survey.....

IF YOU WANT TO GET TO KNOW MORE OF ME. HERE YOU GO....

1. Where were you 5 hours ago?
-- MY BED

2. How did you get the idea for your Friendster name?
-- MISTAKEN IDENTITY (yes, this survey is from friendster)

3. What song are you listening to right now?
-- NADA

4. What color is your phone?
-- SKYBLUE

5. Do you click on pop-ups?
-- NEVER

6. Do you own a phone?
-- YES, LOTS haha

7. What was the first thing you thought of this morning?
-- WHAT'S FOR LUNCH

8. What are you going to do tomorrow?
-- WALK THE PARK, FULLY-BOOKED MODE

9. What did you do last night?
-- FIGHTING TO STAY AWAKE AT WORK

10. What's your favorite memory from high school?
-- CHRISTMAS PARTY, JUNIOR, CAKE ICING FIGHT! hehe

11. What are the last two digits of your phone number?
-- SECRET

12. What was the last thing that you ate?
-- CREAM-O (a chocaholic)

13. Who is the last person you hugged?
-- MY BABY

14. What was the last movie you watched?
-- CLOVERFIELD (BIG SCREEN)

15. What do you dislike at the moment?
-- LAUNDRY

16. What food are you craving for?
-- NEW YORK CHEESECAKE AND SONIA'S CUPCAKES

17. What did you dream last night?
-- NADA

18. What was the last TV show you watched?
-- WAS COFFEE PRINCE haha

19. What is your favorite piece of jewelry?
-- BRACELET THAT MY BABY GAVE

20. Name 2 people on your Top Friends who are most like you?
-- HMMMMM

21. Do you always lock your door?
-- YES

23. Are you on any medication?
-- VITAMINS

24. What side of the bed do you sleep on?
-- FACING THE WALL

10 Things About Me...

1. Are you single?
- NOPE

2. Are you happy about that?
- VERY, VERY HAPPY

3. Are you bored?
- NOPE

4. Are you sad?
- NOPE

5. Are you Italian?
-ERRR... HOW I WISH...

6. Are you pregnant?
- HAHAHA

7. Are you cool?
- VERY COOL

8. Are you Irish?
- ANOTHER ERR

9. Are you sick?
- NOPE

10. Are you punctual?
- ALMOST ALL THE TIME!

TEN FACTS
1. Initials
- FBM

2. Nicknames
- IAN, MARK

3. Birth place
- UP NORTH

4. Hair color
- BLACK

5. Hair style
- SHORT

6. Eye color
- BROWN

7. Birthday
- AM AVIRGO

8. Mood
- HAPPY


9. Favorite color
- BLUE, WHITE


10. Left or right handed
- RIGHT

TEN THIS OR THAT?
1. Love or money?
- LOVE!

2. Hard liquor or beer?
- BOTH HAHA

3. Cats or dogs?
- DOGS

4. A few best friends or many regular friends?
- FEW BEST FRIENDS BUT ALSO HAVE MANY REGULAR FRIENDS

5. Television or Internet?
- INTERNET

6. Pepsi or coke?
- PEPSI

7. Wild night out or romantic night in?
- ROMANTIC NIGHT IN AFTER A WILD NIGHT OUT

8. Money or Happiness?
- HAPPINESS...

9. Night or day?
- NIGHT

10. YM or phone?
- PHONE

TEN HAVE YOU EVERS
1. Been caught sneaking out?
- NOPE

2. Been skinny dipping?
- OH YES!!

3. Done something you regret?
- HMMMM...

4. Bungee jumped?
- ID LOVE TO TRY IT

5. Scuba dived?
- ID LOVE TO TRY IT, TOO; JUST DID SNORKELING

6. Finished an entire jaw breaker?
- NOPE

7. Changed a diaper?
- NOPE

8. Cried because you lost a pet?
- NO

9. Wanted to disappear?
- SOMETIMES

1o. Had dejavu?
- YEAH

TEN PREFERENCES IN A RELATIONSHIP
1. Smile or eyes?
- SMILE

2. Light or dark hair?
- DARK

3. Hugs or kisses?
-LOTSA HUGS & KISSES

4. Intelligence or attraction?
- BOTH

5. Hook-up or relationship?
- RELATIONSHIP

6. Trust or love?
- BOTH...NON-NEGOTIABLE

7. Long distance or close?
- CLOSE OF COURSE

8. Call or text?
- BOTH

9. Older or younger?
- OLDER THAN ME

10. Looks or Personality?
- PERSONALITY...LOOKS IS A PLUS

TEN LAST
1. Last phone call you made?
- TO MY BABY

2. Last phone call you received?
- MY BABY

3. Last person/people you hung out with?
- BABY AND SISTER

4. Last person to text you?
- MY BABY

5. Last person you tackled?
- MY BABY ?!?

6. Last person you im'd?
- ALVIN, COLLEAGUE

7. Last person you got mad with?
- HMMMM.. CANT REMEMBER

8. Last person you hugged?
- MY BABY

9. Last person you laughed with?
- MY CO-TRAINEES

10. Last person you ate with?
- MY CO-TRAINEES

Baguio Will Never Be The Same Again

There is a big difference of Baguio now to Baguio 20 years ago. I could still remember my first time I went to Baguio. That was 1987. No traffic, was very, very cold and still lots of pine trees.

Now, whenever you go to Mines View, you wouldn't be able to see the mines. You'd see houses, lots of them. The park is now too commercialize. The park contains more stalls than visitors! Binoculars, costumes, horses are all for hire! Gone were the days that kids would throw coins and several people would catch them below. Miss those days.

Botanical Garden also suffered the same as that of Mines View. Less plants more stalls, again!

I now hate Baguio. Too bad it wasn't taken cared of. Traffic is worst. Pollution, garbage and over population are as bad as before! No more pine trees to enjoy, but thank God for Camp John Hay. TRIVIA: pine trees at the top of Session Road is concrete!

But the reasons I'd go to Baguio are the weather, Ionic Cafe and Camp John Hay.