The YMCA came to the Philippines in 1898. When the American Army in Manila moved to Fort William McKinley in February, 1905, an independent association for Manila was organized under the direction of the Army and Navy departments made a formal request to the YMCA International Committee in New York City for assistance. In 1907, John R. Mott, general secretary of the foreign department, visited Manila and met with the directors and interested friends where it decided to conduct a campaign for funds for an adequate and permanent association. Mott guaranteed P170,000 for the construction of a building on condition that friends in the Philippines secure the site and adequately furnish the building. The campaign for funds was begun here on February 15, 1907, and, by the 15th of March following, P83,000 was subscribed, nearly one thousand different persons contributing. Thereupon the Young Men’s Christian Association of Manila was incorporated under the law of the Philippine Islands and received its character in June, 1907. A site for the new building was selected on Calle Concepcion, Ermita, and the building contract was let on the 8th of January following. The cornerstone was laid with appropriate ceremonies on July 10, 1908, and the building was formally dedicated on October 20, 1909.
A description of the building is as follows:
The building is composed of three parts. The main structure, located in the center, is three stories high and includes a reception hall, social hall and game rooms, lecture room, library, reading room and rooming apartments. The small building lying to the left of the principal structure, as one faces the front from Called Concepcion, is the kitchen and servant’s quarters. The large wing to the right is known as the athletic building, where the bowling alleys, swimming pool, locker rooms and gymnasium-auditorium are located. The construction is of reinforced concrete with steel trussed roof covered with interlocking red tiles.
The main or central portion of the building is 150 by 45 feet and stands 20 meters back from the sidewalk. An iron canopy, suspended by brackets, projects over the driveway which lies in front and shelters the main entrance. A wide arched doorway opens into a large reception room, on the left of which is the public office and the secretary’s private office, while on the right is the reading and writing rooms, and beyond that the library, each about 30 feet square. From the reception room, on the left, a broad concrete stairway leads to the second floor.
Passing out of the rear of the reception hall one enters upon a veranda some 15 feet in width running the full length of the main structure which looks out on the tennis courts and affords an excellent place for lounging, games and general social purposes. To the left of the entrance hall and also opening upon the veranda are two large rooms of about the same size as those on the right of the reception hall, the first being the billiard room and the other the restaurant. The athletic building is entered from the rear veranda. It is a two story wing 68 by 85 feet. Passing from the veranda into the athletic hall one finds first, on the left, the toilet room, and beyond this, to the rear, the shower baths and locker rooms. The swimming pool is in the center of the athletic wing and is 60 by 19 feet in size, lined with cement. To the right of the swimming pool are the bowling alleys. A wide stairways leads to the second floor. Above the swimming-pool and bowling alley is a large room 50 by 85 feet which is the gymnasium and also the auditorium when occasion requires. About one-third of the roof converting the athletic wing is used as a roof garden.
The second and third floors of the main building are given over almost wholly to rooming apartments and baths. On the second floor over the entrance hall is a members’ parlor, from which a small balcony projects over the main entrance. The remainder of the second floor and all to the third are composed of the living rooms. These apartments, of which there are 14 on the second and 20 on the third floor are approximately 18 by 14 feet each. They provide accommodations for 64 men.
Note:
The YMCA Building survived World War II and continued to exist until 1999 when the Association was moved to another modern building. The old YMCA Building was sold by the City of Manila to the SM Group of Companies. The historical building was demolished and SM Manila now stands on the site.
Written by Vic Torres
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| Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) Building, ca. early 20th century. Concepcion St. (now Natividad Lopez-Almeda St.), Ermita, Manila |
The building is composed of three parts. The main structure, located in the center, is three stories high and includes a reception hall, social hall and game rooms, lecture room, library, reading room and rooming apartments. The small building lying to the left of the principal structure, as one faces the front from Called Concepcion, is the kitchen and servant’s quarters. The large wing to the right is known as the athletic building, where the bowling alleys, swimming pool, locker rooms and gymnasium-auditorium are located. The construction is of reinforced concrete with steel trussed roof covered with interlocking red tiles.
The main or central portion of the building is 150 by 45 feet and stands 20 meters back from the sidewalk. An iron canopy, suspended by brackets, projects over the driveway which lies in front and shelters the main entrance. A wide arched doorway opens into a large reception room, on the left of which is the public office and the secretary’s private office, while on the right is the reading and writing rooms, and beyond that the library, each about 30 feet square. From the reception room, on the left, a broad concrete stairway leads to the second floor.
Passing out of the rear of the reception hall one enters upon a veranda some 15 feet in width running the full length of the main structure which looks out on the tennis courts and affords an excellent place for lounging, games and general social purposes. To the left of the entrance hall and also opening upon the veranda are two large rooms of about the same size as those on the right of the reception hall, the first being the billiard room and the other the restaurant. The athletic building is entered from the rear veranda. It is a two story wing 68 by 85 feet. Passing from the veranda into the athletic hall one finds first, on the left, the toilet room, and beyond this, to the rear, the shower baths and locker rooms. The swimming pool is in the center of the athletic wing and is 60 by 19 feet in size, lined with cement. To the right of the swimming pool are the bowling alleys. A wide stairways leads to the second floor. Above the swimming-pool and bowling alley is a large room 50 by 85 feet which is the gymnasium and also the auditorium when occasion requires. About one-third of the roof converting the athletic wing is used as a roof garden.
The second and third floors of the main building are given over almost wholly to rooming apartments and baths. On the second floor over the entrance hall is a members’ parlor, from which a small balcony projects over the main entrance. The remainder of the second floor and all to the third are composed of the living rooms. These apartments, of which there are 14 on the second and 20 on the third floor are approximately 18 by 14 feet each. They provide accommodations for 64 men.
Note:
The YMCA Building survived World War II and continued to exist until 1999 when the Association was moved to another modern building. The old YMCA Building was sold by the City of Manila to the SM Group of Companies. The historical building was demolished and SM Manila now stands on the site.
Written by Vic Torres
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