The First Office Towers of Manila
The first office buildings that rose above the rooftops of Manila (aside from its many churches) were the El Hogar Building and Uy Chaco Building.
The El Hogar Filipino Building was built in 1914, facing the Pasig River. The Neoclassical and Renaissance-inspired building was a wedding gift of Antonio Melian to his wife. The building once housed the offices of the Sociedad El Hogar Filipino a financing cooperative.
The structure is currently in a state of decay and is threatened with potential demolition.
The Uy Chaco Building was an Art Noveau office building built in 1914. Its iconic feature was its corner clocktower that was visible in Plaza Moraga and while crossing Jones Bridge. The building once housed the offices of the Uy Chaco Hardware Company.
Today, it is owned by Philtrust Bank and is in a relatively good state of preservation. The clocktower, however, was destroyed in 1945.
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