There is one old building here in Manila that is being dismantled and pulled into pieces. I am quite affected by this demolition simply because this structure has been part of my young college years. Being just across our campus, I have always tagged this marvel as the extension of our college grounds.
Me and my collegemates then has considered its spacious airconditioned lobby as our place of solace, our relaxation spot and our undisturbed hideaway. We truly adore the clean and spotless toilets which were way better, fresher and tidier than the lavatories in our campus. During cram periods, instead of going to the library, a quiet corner within the building has been our retreat to focus on reviewing prior to an intense exam.
iconic piece of architecture (photo not mine)
hey! that’s our usual spot!
The building’s large cafeteria was our go-to dining hall every time our school’s canteen serves super oily, flavorless and unsavory dishes. The only thing that we seem to have failed to do was to hold the actual class inside that building!
The long airconditioned hallway of the ground floor from the main entrance leading to its side door has been me and my classmates’ short-cut route when we want to go to the nearby mall. My college mates may not know this but I personally admire the huge old trees outdoor that surrounds the building and I gape and ogle towards the gorgeous art pieces (sculptures & mural paintings) that lies and hanged around the main lobby.
the facade of the main entrance… (photo not mine)
miss those quiet spots
This building has been so part of my college life. Me and my classmates even celebrated a milestone with this building because its marvelous auditorium was in fact the venue of our baccalaureate mass and graduation rites when we finished our college degree in the old Manila Doctors College.
And lately have I only known that the stunning auditorium was renowned for its excellent acoustics. I never knew that this auditorium was done by the same engineers who did the Sydney Opera House. If I only knew then, I should have instead sung an enchanting song when I was tasked to deliver the graduation speech during our college graduation rites.
with those acoustics, i should have sung a song!
philamlife building u.n. ave.
With all these memories and recollections, the ongoing ripping into pieces of the iconic and magnificent Philam Life building along United Nations Avenue in Manila is truly making me sad.
Nengkoy 
😦 truly sad… I believe someone promised that they’d preserve this…
sayang…
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I really hope so 🤞
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are they demolishing the building? i can still recall my elementary days at the ermita catholic school. our barkada would take long walks, and the philam life building was always one of the highlights of our walks then.
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yes. unfortunately. new owner (smdc who seem to own half of the philippines, hahaha!) is constructing condo buildings in the area. thanks for reading by the way.
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Doesn’t look like an old building. I’m older than you. I’ve seen many familiar buildings torn down and new neighborhoods built. It just happens.
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Sad, such a beautiful building being destroyed. Now nobody counts the carbon footprint, later they will say that the new building is green building. Sad.
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It’s always sad when a building that played such an important role in one’s life is torn down.
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The interiors are particularly striking. The auditorium is phenomenal. The loss of treasured architecture and meaningful spaces is a sorrow. One reason I love Europe, and especially Great Britain — they preserve their history, maintain and care for their heritage — in architecture, art, books, documents, records of all that came before this present world of ours.
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I was born and raise in Philippines before coming to Canada .I remembered the PhilAm Life building as an iconic structure in the nation’s capital–Manila. You will sadly just have to take photos of the place yourself to keep as souvenirs. Sadly, modern developers are looking into profit and building generic structures and not preserving history. That building had something to do with Philippine-American diplomatic relationships.
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