I was recently invited by Commissioner of Customs Antonio Bernardo to take a look at the old Customs building and the site of a planned heritage center for the Bureau of Customs. Commissioner Tony was a high school classmate of mine at the Don Bosco Technical Institute in Mandaluyong. He had graduated class valedictorian and we all figured him as the most likely to succeed. Apparently, he has. Since taking over as commissioner almost a year ago, revenues are up by 25 per- cent, no mean feat in a bad year … or any year for that matter.
The Bureau of Customs in the Philippines has a colorful history that goes back to the founding of Spanish colonial Manila. The first anchorage fees were charged on visiting Chinese junks in 1575. In 1581, taxes were levied on trade between China and Manila. The first customs house was established in the late 18th century and from then on, several structures located in the major ports of the country housed the functions of the office.
In the American period, the customs house was expanded by an American architect, Edgar Bourne, to fill the needs of expanding trade. Operations grew so much that both the quays on the Pasig River that were used for docking the lighters and the building itself became too crowded. By that time, the south harbor was completed and the bureau was moved to the new site. A grand building befitting Manila’s status then, of being South East Asia’s busiest port, was planned.
The stately colonnaded building was designed by architect Antonio Toledo of the Bureau of Public Works in 1937 and saw completion two years later. It was this that Commissioner Tony asked me to look at. I would have begged him for the chance, in any case, as I had always wanted to look at Tolentino’s masterpiece and to gawk at its Neoclassic splendor.
The building sits on a raised plinth, giving it an even better view of port activities. The world’s best piers lay nearby. The world’s longest passenger pier, in fact, was Pier 7 (now Pier 13), right beside the Manila Hotel. Passengers from all over the globe arrived in luxurious splendor. The Customs building was to them what our NAIA is to us today.
The building is a courtyard type of building, as were most of the structures before the war. Large windows allowed good light and ventilation without air-conditioning. Ceilings were high and corridors wide enough to accommodate visitors, unlike many of today’s government buildings that seem designed for vertically-challenged people with constant need for air-conditioning.
The building is topped by a tall spire which served as a lighthouse and lookout point. I climbed to the top. The view was magnificent. Few people ever notice the bay anymore and we should really try and bring this resource back to the people. On a clear day, you can see Corregidor and beyond!
The building was completed just before the war. It was one of the few buildings in that area that was not destroyed in the retaking of Manila. It suffered only minor hits and was one of the first to be rehabilitated after the war. This building has a lot of history to tell and still performs an important function for the nation.
The Bureau of Customs performs an important economic task for the government. The health of the nation’s economy is reflected in the vibrancy of this office. The bureau’s history also parallels the country’s. This is manifested most noticeably in the physical changes to the buildings that house its functions as well as in records, pictures and related documents accumulated over the last hundred years.
The story of the Bureau of Customs is an important part of our economic and politcal history and should be shared with the general public. Its historical archives and artifacts should be conserved and presented as part of this narrative of public service. The best vehicle for this would be a Bureau of Customs Heritage Center. The center would be a repository of the records and artifacts of the bureau as well as a facility accessible to the general public for tours, events and educational purposes.
The most appropriate location for this Heritage Center would be the original Customs house designed by Antonio Toledo. The building is indeed one of the most elegant examples of Neoclassic, commonwealth-era structures in the country. It is arguably as beautiful as the Manila Post Office. Locating the center there would also serve to highlight this veritable gem of Manila’s waterfront district.
The center and related facilities can be housed in the existing Social Hall and courtyard of the building. This would be good adaptive-reuse. Attached to this main exhibit area is a planned outdoor landscaped courtyard and café. This facility will cater to both the visitors and customs personnel. Historic artifacts are also planned to be displayed in this courtyard. For future expansion, more displays may be housed in the customs tower. This can be made part of the itinerary for tourist and school groups.
I wish the commissioner and his bureau all the best on their 101st anniversary. Carry on the great work! It would be great to one day soon be able to visit this planned heritage center. An even better scenario would be if the whole port area were to be revitalized. Most other cities in the world, like Sydney, San Francisco and Singapore, have developed their port areas as tourist destinations and functional districts of their respective cities. To go visit then would be a delightful duty paid, and one that would garner more revenues in public good than a fleet of container ships.