At the corner of Plaza Moraga and Plaza Cervantes stands the old Insular Life Building. When it was completed in 1931, the Insular Life Building was one of the tallest structures in Manila.
The building soon became a landmark of Downtown Manila, whose corner tower and cupola became Iconic due to the eagle statue proudly perched on its top. It served as the head office of Insular Life, the first Filipino life insurance company. The building was gutted by fire in 1945 during World War 2 but was repaired soon after.
In the 1960s, Insular Life built a new head office in Makati. The Binondo building was sold and it was later “modernized” and renovated, losing much of its details. The unrecognizable building was gutted by fire in 2018 and has since been left in ruins.