Photo from the National Quincentennial Committee Facebook page, 2021
Malacañan Palace
MALACAÑAN PALACE
THIS WAS THE FORMER SITE OF SUMMER RESIDENCE PURCHASED IN 1802 FROM LUIS ROCHA BY COLONEL MIGUEL JOSE FORMENTO, WHOSE TESTAMENTARY EXECUTORS SOLD IT TO THE SPANISH GOVERNMENT IN 1825. BY ROYAL DECREES OF 1847, THIS PROPERTY WAS SET ASIDE AS THE SUMMER RESIDENCE OF THE GOVERNOR GENERAL. THE PALACE IN INTRAMUROS HAVING BEEN DESTROYED BY THE EARTHQUAKE OF JUNE 3, 1863, THE GOVERNOR GENERAL MOVED TO THIS PLACE, THEN KNOWN AS THE “POSESION DE MALACANAN:’ THIS BUILDING WAS RECONSTRUCTED, NEW LOTS WERE PURCHASED, OLD GROUNDS RAISED, REGRADED AND PARKED DURING AMERICAN AND FILIPINO ADMINISTRATIONS. EXTENSIVE IMPROVE¬MENTS WERE MADE IN 1929-1932 UNDER GOVERNOR GENERAL DWIGHT F. DAVIS AND IN 1935-1940 UNDER PRESIDENT MANUEL L. QUEZON, THE FIRST FILIPINO CHIEF EXECUTIVE TO OCCUPY THIS PALACE.
THE EXECUTIVE BUILDING ADJOINING WAS COMPLETED IN 1939.
