| Malacañang Park | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Manila, Philippines |
| Coordinates | 14°35′37″N 120°59′55″E / 14.59361°N 120.99861°E / 14.59361; 120.99861 |
| Created | 1930s |
| Facilities | Bahay Pangulo |
The Malacañang Park is a park in Manila, Philippines and is part of the Malacañang Palace complex.
History
Malacañang Park was created during the administration of President Manuel L. Quezon. The land occupied by the park was originally rice fields south of the Malacañang Palace across the Pasig River and was acquired by the government in the late 1930s. The original plan for the park intended for recreational retreat use include three buildings; a recreation hall, a community assembly hall, and a rest house. The buildings were constructed by the Bureau of Public Works and designed by Juan Arellano and Antonio Toledo. In addition to the three buildings; a putting green, stables, and tennis courts were also built.
During the World War II era, the putting green was expanded into a small golf course under President Jose P. Laurel after a failed assassination attempt on him at the Wack Wack golf course. A gazebo was also built during his administration.
President Manuel Roxas's administration expanded the golf course further and established a truck garden as part of its food self-sufficiency program while President Ramon Magsaysay's administration, as part of a housing program by the Government Service Insurance System for presidential guards and other employees, filled in the estuary dividing the Malacañang Park and the Bureau of Animal Industry. The park itself underwent renovation in the early 1960s, which was initiated by First Lady, and wife of President Diosdado Macapagal, Eva Macapagal. The resthouse was renamed as the Bahay Pangarap.
President Ferdinand Marcos' administration was responsible for the repurposing of the Bureau of Animal Industry building as the headquarters of the Presidential Guards (now the Presidential Security Group). Gen. Fabian Ver gained jurisdiction the recreation hall, which became the PSG Gymnasium, and the community assembly hall which was converted to the presidential escorts building. The golf course club house also became the residence of Marcos' mother Josefa Edralin.
During the administration of President Fidel V. Ramos, the Bahay Pangarap was renovated under the initiative of Ramos' wife, Amelita Ramos, and was made it into the club house of the Malacañang Golf Club with the help of architect Francisco Mañosa. In 2008, the house was demolished and replaced with a contemporary structure designed by architect Conrad Onglao.
Facilities
Bahay ng Pagbabago
Main article: Bahay ng PagbabagoThe Bahay ng Pagbabago is a contemporary house inside the Malacañang Park which has served as the official residence of two Philippine presidents; Benigno Aquino III and Rodrigo Duterte. It was formerly rest house of the park as well as the former clubhouse of the park's golf course.
Golf Club
The Malacañang Park has its own golf course. It hosts the Malago Clubhouse which is also used as a meeting place.
PSG Compound
The Presidential Security Group's headquarters, formerly the office of the Bureau of Animal Industry, is often associated with Malacanang Park. However the Presidential Museum and Library citing a 1940 map, insists that the Malacanang Park has always been a recreational park with the PSG headquarters not within the park's grounds.
The park also host the 5-bed capacity PSG Station Hospital which was built in 2020.
References
- ^ "Briefer on Bahay Pangarap and Malacañang Park". The Official Gazette. Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office. July 29, 2010.
- "Bahay Pangarap is Duterte's official residence". ABS-CBN News. 2016-07-06. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- "Covid-19 pandemic response heads don't have to be doctors: PRRD". Philippine News Agency. 25 March 2021. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- "MRP Foundation-funded PSG Station Hospital topped off". BusinessMirror. 24 February 2020. Retrieved 26 June 2021.