Palace sights in Philippines
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The Coconut Palace
Of all of Imelda’s wacky schemes, this one may be the wackiest. Hearing that Pope John Paul II was planning a visit to his flock in the Philippines, Imelda ordered that a grand palace be built. Huge teams of craftsmen laboured overtime to complete this edifice in time for the pontiff’s arrival. As Imelda readied herself to throw open the door to welcome the pope, she got stiffed. After sternly chastising that the US$37 million cost could have gone to better uses, such as clean water for the people, the pope went elsewhere. Today the palace is rented for wedding parties, but you needn’t get hitched to enjoy the place; tours of the palace are available. Among other…
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Malacañang Palace
The official residence of the President of the Philippines, Malacañang Palace was originally a Spanish grandee’s summer house. 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 hundreds of thousands and ask that the president leave, the executive branch prefers to keep the public a bit distant. Tours of the palace and the Museo ng Malacañang (Tel: 735 6201), which displays memorabilia related to the Philippines’ past 13 presidents, along with old photos of Manila, are possible by appointment only. You’ll need to write a letter of request to Jeremy Barnes, at…
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