The Manila Central Post Office Through the Years
When we tell the story of Manila, it would be difficult to do so without mentioning the venerable Post Office Building.
The Manila Central Post Office has been one of our most important cultural landmarks for close to 100 years. Designed by Juan M. Arellano and Tomás Mapúa, the building has survived war, atrocities, and the ruin of time. The American urban planner Daniel Burnham had initially included the Post Office Building in his vision for a Manila that was patterned after Washington DC.
Unfortunately, the fire that hit the building on May 21, 2023, destroyed much of the beloved structure. Now we are left looking at the building's storied past, as one of Manila's finest and most enduring edifices faces an uncertain future.
Here are some photos of the Manila Central Post Office through the years:
The Manila Central Post Office under construction. It began in 1926.
A sketch of the original Manila Central Post Office done by Juan Arellano.
An aerial view of the Manila Central Post Office back in 1931.
Its construction had been met with several delays. The Manila Central Post Office building was completed in and around 1931 to 1932. Here's a photo from 1932.
More photos of the Post Office Building and its surrounding areas from the '30s.
The Post Office Building would be internationally acclaimed, solidifying Manila's image as the Pearl of the Orient and the Paris of the East.
A colorized look at the Post Office Building during the American occupation.
A still of the fabled neo-classical structure in 1947.
When the Battle of Manila erupted from February 3 to March 3, 1945, the city was decimated. Manila was the second most devastated city during that time right behind Warsaw in Poland. Here's a photo of the Post Office Building with a cloud of smoke.
The Manila Central Post Office was in ruins during the month-long battle that would claim the lives of hundreds of thousands of civilians.
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Another photo of the structure after the battle. It is said that 80 percent of Manila was destroyed.
Business as usual for Manileños. A file photo of the building from the National World War II Museum.
Later that year, the reconstruction of the building begins. The United States gave the Philippines $400 million worth of war damage payments plus another $120 million for public works
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A liberated Manila. Troops are seen here in front of the building on July 14, 1946.
Seen here is the building in 1947 after its reconstruction.
Shots of the Manila Central Post Office in the year 1950.
A photo of the building taken by the Bureau of Post.
A glimpse of life in the capital city in the 1960s. The Post Office building would remain untouched since then, apart from the occasional renovation work and maintenance costs.
In the 2010s, there had been reports that the Manila Central Post Office was to be turned into a five-star hotel. Attached to the project was the Fullerton Hotel in Singapore. Nothing came of it. At least, not yet.
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Detail on the Post Office Building before the fire.
It remains to be seen if the Post Office Building will be reconstructed once more or be bought out by developers and turned into something else. If the latter occurs, then we stand to lose another important cultural property. Should that be the case, a proper farewell is in order.
