The Philippines Today, Yesterday, and Tomorrow
The painting “El Asesinato del Gobernador Bustamante” (The Assassination of Governor Bustamante) by Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, which hangs in the National Museum of Fine Arts, depicts a significant and controversial historical event. Governor-General Bustamante, upon assuming office in 1717, discovered significant losses in the Royal treasury and arrested several officials and members of religious corporations … Read more
Portrait of an Old Woman by Araceli Limcaco DansARACELI LIMCACO DANS(1929-2024) The National Museum of the Philippines mourns the passing of Araceli Limcaco Dans, an artist, art educator, and Presidential Medal of Merit awardee for co-founding the Philippine Art Educators Association (PAEA). She was known for her hyperrealistic paintings of calado, an embroidered pineapple or … Read more
The Lost Cluster On the north side of Calle Hidalgo, east of San Sabastian Bridge stands an area devoid of heritage structures and any points of interest. This row of bahay na bato structures was demolished one at a time starting in the 1970s and up until the 2000s. Only the massive Martelino House at … Read more
Padilla House One of the more maintained heritage houses along Calle Hidalgo, Owned by the Padilla Family. The house stands at the corner of Calle Hidalgo and Calle Mendoza (De Guzman Street, with most of the house facing Mendoza. The house fell into disrepair but was rehabilitated in the 2010s and converted into the Padilla … Read more
The Zest Theater (built circa 1933 | status: demolished) was an art deco-style movie house that once stood along Calle Hidaldo, facing the junction of Calle Carcer. It once featured English movies and later Tagalog films. The theater eventually fell into disuse and was bought by the neighboring Manuel L. Quezon University (MLQU). It was … Read more