Malacañang Palace

Lonely Planet review

The official residence of the President of the Philippines, Malacañang Palace was originally a Spanish grandee's summer house. It used to be possible to go on tours of the palace but these are no longer offered. Likewise, the Museo ng Malacañang, which displayed memorabilia related to the Philippines' past 13 presidents, along with old photos of Manila, is now closed. Unlike some other recent presidents, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo actually lives and works in the palace.

Given the propensity of the Philippine people to show up in the hundreds of thousands and ask that the president leave, executive branch prefers to keep the public a bit distant. Check with the museum or the DOT Information Center in case you can once again wander the grounds.