The Philippine Center is an agency of the

Philippine The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

Government in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

and

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...

in the United States. The New York City structure houses the Philippine Mission to the United Nations, the Philippine Consulate General, and the overseas offices of the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Tourism. The Philippine Center Management (PCMB) manages the building and its properties. It is committed to "nurture, promote, and propagate Philippine culture, encourage foreign tourists to visit the Philippines, expand foreign markets of Philippine products, and enhance the image of the Philippines."

History

On May 10, 1973, the first Philippine Center was established in New York by the then President Ferdinand Marcos on the Presidential

Decree A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state (such as the president of a republic or a monarch), according to certain procedures (usually established in a constitution). It has the force of law. The particular term used ...

No. 188 with the aim of integrating and coordinating activities of the

Philippine government The Government of the Philippines ( fil, Pamahalaan ng Pilipinas) has three interdependent branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The Philippines is governed as a unitary state under a presidential representative and d ...

offices in the United States. It is located at 556 Fifth Avenue,

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

, three blocks south of

Rockefeller Center Rockefeller Center is a large complex consisting of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th Street and 51st Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The 14 original Art Deco buildings, commissioned by the Rockefeller family, span th ...

and north of the

New York Public Library Main Branch The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, commonly known as the Main Branch, 42nd Street Library or the New York Public Library, is the flagship building in the New York Public Library system in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. ...

Bryant Park Bryant Park is a public park located in the New York City borough of Manhattan. Privately managed, it is located between Fifth Avenue and Avenue of the Americas ( Sixth Avenue) and between 40th and 42nd Streets in Midtown Manhattan. The e ...

. It was purchased by the

Philippine Government The Government of the Philippines ( fil, Pamahalaan ng Pilipinas) has three interdependent branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. The Philippines is governed as a unitary state under a presidential representative and d ...

from the

Knights of Columbus The Knights of Columbus (K of C) is a global Catholic fraternal service order founded by Michael J. McGivney on March 29, 1882. Membership is limited to practicing Catholic men. It is led by Patrick E. Kelly, the order's 14th Supreme Knight. ...

on October 29, 1973. After the purchase, extensive renovations were done and the interior of the building was redesigned. It became famous for "the only building on Fifth Avenue with no windows". The second establishment was placed i
San Francisco during 1974
and the third was placed in Sydney, Australia. After Marcos' death in 1989, the Philippine Center continued under the Presidential Decree No. 188. It has become to many Filipinos overseas as an international landmark representing the cultural identity of the Philippines or what some may call, "a home away from home". On September 15, 2005, President

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...

made a historic official visit to the Philippine Center New York, the first by a ruling

Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...

head of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...

."Visit of Her Excellency President

to Participate in the

2005 World Summit The 2005 World Summit, held between 14 and 16 September 2005, was a follow-up summit meeting to the United Nations' 2000 Millennium Summit, which had led to the Millennium Declaration of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Representatives ( ...

- High Level

plenary session A plenary session or plenum is a session of a conference which all members of all parties are to attend. Such a session may include a broad range of content, from keynotes to panel discussions, and is not necessarily related to a specific st ...

of the 60th Session of the

United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; french: link=no, Assemblée générale, AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN. Curr ...

, New York,

United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

, 12–15 September 2005", Press Kit, Office of the President, Government Mass Media Group, Bureau of Communications Services,

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...

, September, 2005.

New York Structure

During the 1920s to the 1950s, the present edifice was the flagship site of the defunct Schrafft's which was also a chocolate candy company. Carrere & Hastings, the renowned beaux-arts architectural firm originally designed the building for the Knoedler and Company Art Gallery in 1912. Carrere & Hastings were the architects of the New York Public Library, and the Frick Mansion. The Philippine Center has seven floors, two mezzanines, and a basement. The ''Kalayaan'' Hall (Freedom Hall), an auditorium which seats one hundred fifty, is the main reception hall. It also houses an Annex room, an art exhibit area (Philippine Center Gallery) located at the lobby. The upper floors are rented by offices belonging to the Government of the Republic of the Philippines. Philippine_Center_Gallery.jpg, Philippine Center Gallery Philippine_Center_Kalayaan_Hall.jpg, Philippine Center Kalayaan Hall Philippine_Center_Annex.jpg, Philippine Center Annex

San Francisco Structure

The Philippine Center in San Francisco was built in 1911 by Architect Fred Meyer. and encompasses a total floor area of . It is composed of two adjoining buildings located on Sutter Street, a block away from the prestigious Union Square and within a mile of San Francisco's financial district. It has 8 floors with a north and south penthouse.

Purpose

The Philippine Center was created to: *consolidate, integrate and coordinate all activities for all Philippine Government offices and agencies internationally during the Marcos era. *nurture, promote and propagate Philippine culture *encourage foreign tourists to visit the Philippines *expand foreign markets of Philippine products *enhance the image of the Philippines *house within its premises all the offices and agencies in New York of the Philippine Government

Philippine Government offices

The following government offices are housed in the New York Philippine Center: The following government offices are housed in the New York Philippine Center: *Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations *The Philippine Consulate General in New York *The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry *The Philippine Department of Tourism *Social Security Services *Philippine Center Management Board (PCMB) The following government offices are housed in the San Francisco Philippine Center. * The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco * The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry * The Philippine Department of Tourism * The Philippine Social Security System

New York Art Collection

From June 3–15, 2007, the Philippine Consulate-General and the Philippine Center Management Board exhibited the building's

art collection A museum is distinguished by a collection of often unique objects that forms the core of its activities for exhibitions, education, research, etc. This differentiates it from an archive or library, where the contents may be more paper-based, ...

for the first time in its 34 years of existence. The collection includes works by National Artists such as Hernando R. Ocampo, Vicente Manansala, Cesar Legaspi, Arturo Luz,

Ang Kiukok Ang Kiukok (March 1, 1931 – May 9, 2005) was a Filipino painter of Chinese descent and was a National Artist for Visual Arts. Early life and training Ang was born on March 1, 1931, in Davao, Davao Province, Philippines to Vicente Ang and Ch ...

and

Jose Joya Jose is the English language, English transliteration of the Hebrew language, Hebrew and Aramaic language, Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods ...

. The works of Manuel Rodriguez, the Father of Philippine Printmaking, Venancio C. Igarta, Hugo C. Yonzon II, Malang, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, Angelito Antonio, Norma Belleza,

Eduardo Castrillo Eduardo de los Santos Castrillo (October 31, 1942 – May 18, 2016) was a renowned Filipino sculptor. Early life Eduardo (commonly known as 'Ed') Castrillo was born in Santa Ana, Manila, Philippines, on October 31, 1942, the youngest of five ch ...

and Juvenal Sanso were also displayed. The art collecting project of the New York Philippine Center begun since its opening on November 14, 1974. Some art masterpieces were donated by the artists themselves. The public exhibit was officially presented as ''Pamana: Modernong Sining'' (A Heritage of Modern Art), to celebrate the 109th anniversary of the

Philippine Declaration of Independence The Philippine Declaration of Independence ( fil, Pagpapahayag ng Kasarinlan ng Pilipinas; es, Declaración de Independencia de Filipinas); es, Acta de la proclamación de independencia del pueblo Filipino, link=no) was proclaimed by Fili ...

.Endaya, Imelda Cajipe (artist and independent curator) and Cecilia B. Rebong (Philippine Consul-General). ''"Pamana: Modernong Sining"'' (A Heritage of Modern Art), An Art Exhibit from the Collection of the Philippine Center in New York, Printed Catalogue, The Consulate General of the Philippines, Philippine Center Management Board, and PCGNY.net, June 11, 2007

References

External links

Consulate General of the Philippines, New York
retrieved on: 12 June 2007
Philippine Tourism Office, New York
retrieved on: 12 June 2007

retrieved on: 12 June 2007
Philippine American Chamber of Commerce, New York, PhilChamber.org
retrieved on: 12 June 2007
Philippine Center, San Francisco, California, PhilippineCenterSF.com
retrieved on: 12 June 2007 {{Diplomatic missions in the United States Diplomatic missions of the Philippines Filipino-American culture in New York City

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

Philippines–United States relations Fifth Avenue