The First National Bank Building

Built around 1915, The First National Bank Building (The rectangular building on the right) is only one of the few buildings in Manila that survived World War II The Battle of Manila. The neoclassic facade gives a majestic presence and beauty as such to compete with the Museums of Rizal Park! The first time i saw this building before its current state was left out dilapidated with grime just like its neighbor the El Hogar Filipino Building (left). The current new owner, The Juan Luna E-services seems to know a thing or two about adaptive reuse unlike some private companies who are ignorant enough to belittle heritage buildings demolishing them to make way for their condos and malls all in the name of good business, the new owners are currently renovating and retrofitting the latter as the new home for the call center industry!

This gorgeous building definitely deserves the attention its having; it has been given a second chance to bring back life in the city. Let it be a lesson and a reminder to all of us out there on how important these heritage buildings to us and to the identity of the city. Sometimes in order to be successful in the future, you need  to learn from the past. I can only wish, that another good-hearten owner would do the same to El Hogar and to the rest of the neglected heritage out there. Think how Manila would be, if it retained its post-war beauty...

Then the title of "The Paris of Asia" would not be no more a thing of the past....