In the tug-of-war between development and conservation, the heritage sites of our metropolis have long been on the losing team. Their deep entanglement in a web of red tape, politicking, and financial motive often bests their clout as invaluable witnesses to the culture and history they have withstood. Julia Nebrija delves into the measures

we should be taking before time runs out

P H O T O G R A P H S B Y N E A L O S H I M A

capitol THEATERArchitect: Juan NakpilYear Established: 1935Location: Calle Escolta, BinondoCoordinates: 14°35’50.4”N 120°58’39.3”ENotable Features: P Double balconies, which were a rare architectural choice of the time.P Bas-relief sculptures on the building depicting women dressed in traditional Filipino terno dresses, by Italian sculptor Francesco Riccardo Monti.P Lobby murals by modernist painters Victorio Edades, Botong Francisco, and Galo Ocampo.Original Use: The theater screened movies and staged theater productions during the Japanese Occupation.Current Status: Closed, though under watch by the Escolta Commercial Association Inc., a group of property owners involved in the revitalization of the Escolta area.

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Passing from Carriedo to Central Station on the LRT, I strain past the other passengers for a view of the Met-ropolitan !eater of Manila. Like a castle reduced to ruins, it begs to be noticed. It is the most visually excit-ing frame of the scenes unfolding from the train win-dow: the all-encompassing faded pink; the magni"-

cent façade; the female statues by Francesco Riccardo standing guard over a Manila landscape that has changed drastically since their installation in 1931. Each time I see the !eater, I imagine what Manila was like back then, and I struggle to imagine what life the !eater would take in the Manila of today.

!ese buildings are our windows to a shared history that will be forgotten when they no longer stand and the people who re-member what they mean are gone. For the same reasons monu-ments are erected to commemorate important events or persons, architecture embodies the in#uences and narratives that shape the way we live today.

Manila has already lost an overwhelming majority of its his-torical buildings, "rst to warfare, then to the lack of appreciation by the public and government alike. !e Jai Alai building was leveled in 2000 for a City of Manila Hall of Justice that was never built. In 2012, there was a public outcry over SM’s acquisition of the PhilAm !eater as rumors spread that it would be leveled or adulterated through excessive commercialization, although no such evils have come to pass yet. We lost the Meralco headquar-ters in 2012, a demolition deemed artistic murder. Recent photos of a gutted Army Navy Club and a partially demolished Admi-ral Hotel, both along Roxas Boulevard, raised renewed alarm among citizens. And these are just the ones we hear about; there are countless others being sacri"ced before their signi"cance can even be determined.

When we see the photos of bulldozers and gutted ruins on

Architect: Carlos ArguellesYear Established: 1961Coordinates: 14°34’51.2”N 120°58’58.1”ENotable Features: P Its stout figure was designed to grow in line with Manila’s design context at the time, which was a mass of low-rise structures.P Most noted is the building’s auditorium, with its acoustics developed by Bolt, Beranek, and Newman, who are credited for developing the acoustics of places like Lincoln Center’s

Avery Fischer Hall and the Sydney Opera House.Original Use: O!ce spaces for the Philip-pine American Life and General Insurance Company.Current Status: Purchased by the SM Devel-opment Corporation (SMDC), for a supposed residential complex. SMDC, however, released a statement saying they will “save and preserve the culturally historic Philam Life Theater.”

PHILAM LIFE

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Architect: Luis Z. AranetaYear Established: 1939Coordinates: 14°36’01.2”N 120°59’02.8”ENotable Features:P Interiors marked by Art Moderne relief panes.P The staircase leading up to the theater bal-cony is cantilevered and is made of veneered black marble steps.Original Use: A stand-alone movie theater that could seat 800 people for a single screen viewing.Current Status: Operational though dilapi-dated, the theater still runs local action films.

TIMES theater

Facebook, our heartstrings tremble and while we wonder how it’s possible that this keeps happening, I’m surprised, given the circumstances that the situation isn’t worse. !e Heritage Law of 2009 exists but is repeatedly, blatantly disregarded. !e cultural agencies in charge, the National Museum, the National Histori-cal Commission of the Philippines, and the National Commis-sion on Culture and the Arts have vague mandates that allow them to wait and respond, rather than proactively enforce the law, rules, or regulations. !e main system of checks and balances is the City of Manila itself, since it receives construction permits, but the gaping hole at the front of the Admiral Hotel shows that local government is rarely a reliable heritage partner. In the end, citizens are the only vigilant eyes on the street, yet there are not enough Ivan Henareses, Paulo Alcazarens, and Carlos Celdrans to keep watch on every building constructed before 1962.

We are lucky to still have the Manila Metropolitan !eater, the country’s crowning Art Deco work and the career master-piece of Juan Arellano. In our midst we also still have the Capi-tol !eater ( Juan Napkil, 1935) one of the city’s "rst “popcorn palaces,” the Times !eater (Luis Araneta, 1939) and the GSIS building (Federico Ilustre, 1954) all belonging to the Art Deco period in Manila.

Art Deco emerged as the country came into its own in the 20th century, when the Filipino people held hope of independence from America and looked excitedly towards a new chapter in the nation’s history. Art Deco became a vehicle for this expression: clean lines, industrial in#uences, anything that signi"ed machin-ery or speed and thus the desire for an accelerated move forward. In the moldings, staircases, sconces, and tiles are clues to the past that inform us of our urban history. !e mural of Philippine his-tory by Juan Nakpil, Carlos Francisco, and Victorio Edades in the Capitol !eater is as valuable an artifact as the structure itself.

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gsis building!e details are also a memorial to Filipino ingenuity in ar-

chitecture. !e notable architects of this period, including Juan Arellano, Juan Nakpil and Tomas Mapua adapted Art Deco forms from abroad to the national context and created a unique vocabulary through their designs. If we could go inside the Met-ropolitan !eater, we could witness the natural cooling principles and sense of openness at the core of the bahay na bato which were manifested in new ways, drawing air through detailed wrought iron grills and feeding light through rooms with high ceilings and large windows. !ere is evidence of how indigenous materials like bamboo and capiz accompanied cement and steel and na-tive ornamentation including stylized "ora and fauna and folk art patterns can come to life in stained glass windows, paintings, and wall coverings.

While they may seem decrepit and useless today, these build-ings actually memorialize a city that was forward thinking, in-clusive, and connected to the world but kept true to itself. !ese are characteristics the city should be proud to remember. !ey are characteristics which are rarely re"ected in architecture today.

!is uniqueness helped de#ne the city then and it can lend de#nition to Manila today. However, #nding ways to make the old fabric relevant with the new urban landscape is trying. Preservation has to #nd a place within the wider context of urban development.

Manila as a city remains a hard sell. When heritage build-ings were designed they stood at the center of urban life in a city that was clean, accessible, and prosperous. Who wants to stay at a luxury boutique hotel on a dark street that’s di$cult to get to and simultaneously functions as a homeless shelter, toilet, and trash dump? No one. Patrons would rather go to the central business districts of Makati or Fort Bonifacio.

A city development strategy is needed, in general, but also to spur the systematic revival of heritage infrastructure. !ere is strength in numbers and individual buildings would excel if

Architect: Federico IlustreYear Established: 1954Coordinates: 14°35’26.6”N 120°58’56.2”ENotable Features:P The curved corner of the building em-bodied the streamlined architectural style of the decade.P Other exterior features such as the geometrically ornamented iron wrought

doors and large pillars are art deco staples.Original Use: O"ce spaces for the Gov-ernment Service Insurance System after the Second World War.Current Status: Functions at present as a parking lot. However, if all goes as planned, it may be used in the far future as the City of Manila Hall of Justice.

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pitched within a wider vision that encompassed the heritage districts of Binondo, Intramuros, Rizal Park, and Santa Ana and neighborhoods like Ermita, Malate, and Paco. Cultural assets need to be identi!ed, mapped, and linked throughout Manila to produce a fabric that can sustain individual structures. "e GSIS building is a relatively unknown structure and today sits like an afterthought on Arroceros street. If all the assets in proximity to the building like Arroceros Park, the Post O#ce, and the Metro-politan "eater are revived and linked, it would be given a stron-ger context. Cities like Vigan and Iloilo are leading the way in this regard and guidelines do exist to aid interested localities in developing heritage zones.

In the end, short-term pro!ts are more easily realized when buildings are leveled to make way for new developments. Real solutions require tedious, long-term processes which will only be stomached by visionary exponents of urban planning who also have the power to make change. Metro Manila has yet to be blessed with one.

To revive these buildings we also need to give these buildings new meaning. Adaptive reuse is the mantra for urban designers, but in Manila it has yet to be developed as a viable method.

If all goes as planned, the GSIS building could be one of the heritage success stories. Originally built for the Government Ser-vice Insurance System o#ces, it will reclaim this use in the future as the City Manila Hall of Justice. "is means there is likely to be little change to the original layout. Located on Arroceros Street, the old GSIS building was designed by architect Federico Ilustre and constructed in 1954 for the agency after its previous prop-erty was destroyed in World War II. It would be refreshing if the Supreme Court sees this as an opportunity. "e GSIS build-ing could be like the United States Capital Building and pro-vide public tours that allow visitors to experience the architecture while learning about how the administration is bringing justice to the streets of Manila and providing better public services through her courts.

METROPOLITANtheater

PADRE BURGOS AVE.

Architect: Juan M. ArellanoYear Established: 1931Coordinates: 14°35’38.2”N 120°58’49.9”ENotable Features: P Lobby paintings by Fernando Amorsolo.P Sculptures by Francesco Riccardo Monti.P Filipino-inspired art deco features (local

flora in bas-relief on the ceilings and Malay batik motifs) by Arcadio Arellano.Original Use: Hosted operas, Broadway reproductions, Filipino plays, and housed the Manila Symphony Orchestra.Current Status: Closed.

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Architect: Ramon Jose De Irureta Goyena Rodriguez & Fran-cisco Perez-MuñozYear Established: 1914Coordinates: 14°35’46.2”N 120°58’32.5”ENotable Features: P Its Classical Revival style is apparent through the symmetri-cal patterns of its windows and balustrade roof.P Renaissance influences are also seen through the arched shape of the windows, high ceilings, and the ironwork details on the staircase.Original Use: El Hogar, or “home,” was created to celebrate the marriage of Doña Margarita Zobel y de Ayala to Span-ish businessman Don Antonio Melian y Pavia. It was used by financing cooperative Sociedad El Hogar Filipino, and Smith Bell and Company. Current Status: The building now has a new owner that has yet to be identified. No news has been released on whether the structure will be refurbished or demolished.

for this use only. After supposedly allocating between 50-100 million pesos to restore the Metropolitan !eater, performances alone could not sustain a building of its magnitude.

Rather than compete for audiences with neighboring institu-tions, these theaters have to "nd an advantage or be redesigned to accommodate a variety of other uses. !eir con"guration is limiting since they were designed speci"cally for audiences, so designers and business owners will have to get creative. !e Met-ropolitan !eater in Winnepeg, Canada reinvented itself as the Metropolitan Entertainment Centre, marrying dinner theater and the national love of sports. During season, patrons enjoy local dishes while watching live broadcast of the Winnipeg Jets on the big screen.

Independent Filipino "lmmaking o#ers a potential niche market for these theaters. !e rising popularity of this industry means you have to buy Cinemalaya Film Festival tickets in ad-vance, but it might not be mainstream enough to support a stand-alone independent "lm theater.

Heritage buildings in cities around the world are being repur-posed as studio, gallery, cafe, and performance spaces. To support the adaptive reuse of heritage buildings as centers for art and cul-ture, the community in Manila has to also be strengthened and supported. If the government put a percentage of reconstruction costs to support Filipino artists and build public awareness about art and culture there will be a proliferation of art to show and people interested to see it. As it is now, existing institutions are struggling to keep a$oat.

New York City has repurposed its standalone theaters through commercial zoning—American Apparel, Modell Sports, Hard

el hogar

!e El Hogar building in Escolta is a desirable movie set for period "lms. Built in 1914, it was designed by Spanish-Filipino architects Ramon Jose de Irureta-Goyena Rodriquez and Fran-cisco Perez-Muñoz. True to its Spanish meaning, El Hogar, or “home,” became the house of business for all the companies under the Don’s empire and other Spanish businessmen to come and go throughout its history. Its gallery hallways, ironwork detailed staircase, and high ceilings commemorate a time when business was promising and deserved to be celebrated with great views, lots of light, and the romantic details lent by beaux arts, neo-clas-sical, and renaissance in$uences.

Escolta is still a bustling commercial hub and with the half-baked revival of the Pasig River Ferry and active neighborhood heritage partners, El Hogar may yet "nd an entrepreneurial spirit with Don-like savvy to give us reason to celebrate again. Who wouldn’t want an o%ce with a view of the Old City, garden court-yards, and sculpted gri%ns greeting you on your way to work?

Finding new uses for the stand alone theaters like Capitol !eater and Times !eater in Manila are particularly challeng-ing. !e city’s "rst cinemas were not just movie houses but highly ornamented temples. Art deco captured the Hollywood glamour mesmerizing audiences and made it available to the masses. !is coincided with the Golden Age of Film in the Philippines when "lmmaking was an emerging art form. Cinemas were treated like museums. Today it is a matter of location, bottomless popcorn, and degree of lazy boy recline which attract people to one mall cineplex over another to see the latest blockbuster.

!e Times !eater has reverted to showing old action "lms and it is unlikely that the Capitol !eater can survive if renovated

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Architect: Information UnavailableYear Established: 1939Location: Pedro Gil Street, PacoCoordinates: 14°34’41.9”N 120°59’35.4”ENotable Features:P Its trapezoidal shape marks the corners of three streets, namely Pedro Gil, Angel Linao, and General Luna.P Little is known about the building, except for the two markers brandished at the top

depicting the structure’s name and the year it was built.Original Use: The land on which the build-ing is built on was the original site of De La Salle College, before the school moved to its permanent Taft Avenue home in 1921. The property was sold to Don Vicente Madrigal.Current Status: Unkempt, though some com-mercial establishments have made use of the building’s ground floor.

pako BUILDINGRock Cafe are few tenants of the city’s former cinemas. Heritage purists might consider this an adulteration, but the Long Island University turned the Paramount !eater into a collegiate gym; at least the original organ is still played, even if it’s at the half time of a basketball game.

!ere is a chance for entrepreneurs and designers to get cre-ative and look towards current cultural in"uences to determine what uses these buildings can accommodate or foster. Gaming for instance is a huge industry. !e Metropolitan !eater could be converted into a gaming center, with consoles, a stage for live or televised competitions, and studios for game development.

In re-imagining these buildings, we have to look within our-selves and decide what we as a society consider to be an appropri-ate, culturally relevant use of our heritage. Will we be comfortable turning the Metropolitan !eater of Manila into gaming hub or the Gilas headquarters?

!e public became wary upon learning SM acquired the Philam Life !eater in 2012. Even though the developer has publicly promised to preserve the theater in full, critics reacted negatively to it becoming part of a monolithic real estate regime. In 2012, concerned citizens worried the GSIS building would be demolished to make way for SM Manila’s Annex Building. Turns out it will become part of the new Manila City Hall of Justice for its property owners the Supreme Court, but the apprehension shows that in their reinvention, people are searching for some-thing more meaningful than architectural facelifts. Exactly what though, we have yet to verbalize.

We, as a city, have a lot of soul searching to do. !e Metropolitan !eater of Manila is our last hope. It is re-

"ective of the urban forces in which it exists and its reinvention will therefore be representative of another chapter in the city’s history. Hopefully it is one worthy of her grandeur so that when other women in the future are greeted by the female statues dur-ing their commute, they will know they are somewhere unique, somewhere with a story that started long before them and is still being written.�

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