Not only because the utter destruction of our capital in the Liberation of Manila in 1945 started exactly 61 years ago today but also because we lost yet another architectural masterpiece in this groaning city of endangered beauty. The modernist 1950's masterpiece that was once the Philippine Veterans Bank's former headquarters in Arroceros, Manila is finally gone. Destroyed silenty and right under the steady gaze of the Manila City Hall clocktower, it's clean space age lines and glamorous curves are no more. It's no secret that the structure was already condemned due to major structural damage caused by the 1991 earthquake but still, it's sad that there wasn't any feasible way that we as Manilenos could have saved these physical manifestations of our history. As Nick Joaquin said about the postwar Manileno towards his history. It's sad "that not only have we forgotten, but we have forgotten that we have forgotten."I wonder if anybody out there has a photo of the original structure.
