The Heritage of the Haunted: Manila Film Center

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(Edited)

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Strange sounds, doorbells, and levitating items are paranormal activities that make our spines chill when we dare to enter so-called haunted places. We have tales of spirits returning from the dead to haunt places that they left behind. We have it heavily feature in the folklore of many cultures around the world from ancient times. Although the architectural style of these haunted buildings is not inherently frightful, and the stories boost the architectural style as scary and haunted throughout the year.

We associate preserved heritage buildings as curated around the life story of the owner and the place. We can saw family photos, collections, and everyday belongings displayed as space became museums. Due to our associations with the history of the buildings, we are most fond of the stories that give us thrills down our spine. We have several castles in Europe that we classify as haunted hotels.

The Philippines is rich with these stories. It is due to the brutality witnessed in the Philippines during the Second World War. The history of places like Baguio and Corregidor is a common cause of dormancy due to stories of Japanese troops and other war victims haunting the place. Many buildings in the Philippines have become well known for spine-topping stories, from the Spanish mansions to ancient hotels. While we are clueless about the reality of these stories, we can't deny that these stories pave the longevity and popularity of the buildings. Regardless of whether we think of the trueness of horror stories or not, we can't argue that it is our history.

Having these stories alive helps to preserve these buildings, and our love of Halloween enables us to commemorate them every year. Most of these stories involve culturally relevant buildings like the Diplomat Hotel in Baguio and the Manila Film Center in Pasay. These are not just horror destinations but historical haunts and architectural heritage. Many of these buildings are now abandoned and empty. Despite it, it floats in society from time to time due to the famous stories of hauntings.

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Manila Film Center

It started with Imelda Marco's dream of becoming the cultural capital of the East. She was then the first lady of the Philippines who desire to make a place that can compete with France and its Cannes Film Festival.

The center had a grandiose plan but eventually changed to an auditorium, a film lab, and film archives. National Artist Leandro Locsin created the Folk Arts Theater at an incredible pace of 77 days. They rushed the construction to meet the scheduled opening. It was like a ticking time bomb that a disaster waiting to happen. Due to rush and long hours results in the devasting event, scaffolding on the fourth story fell that traps workers in the quick-drying cement on November 17, 1981. Workers trapped in quick-drying cement to death.

Nine hours after the tragedy that responders granted entry to the scene, at least 168 workers died inside the hardened blocks of cement. There was a media blackout to prevent a scandal from blowing up. People saw a terrible sight of bodies protruding from the pavement. They continue the job by either tapering and covering exposed sections, according to the stipulation that they had to meet the deadline without making any excuses. That incident will then surrounds the theater with spooky stories.

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Several rumors are surrounding the center. Whether or not these rumors are true or not, they performed every attempt to purify it through exorcism rites, pagan rites, Catholic rites, and Chinese rites to ward off any unrest spirits so that they cross over to the afterlife. There are pigs and poultry offerings that are required to consume them. Despite their efforts, stories of unexpected encounters with the deceased workers linger throughout the center. Some claim to have seen the dead workers. These horrific stories continue to reverberate within the center's walls to this day. Some eerie and paranormal phenomena happen within the theater, according to the actors.

We can still hear these stories, especially during Halloween and in documentaries. The Manila Film Center, which resides at the southwest end of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex in Pasay, Philippines, is still a source of inspiration for horror writers and a popular site for ghost hunters and thrill-seekers. It is not just an icon of Brutalist architecture but for theater and films. It was a beautiful memory of the golden era of Filipino films. Some saw it as a symbol of the tyranny of Ferdinand Marcos. Maybe, it is why we always associate Brutalist architecture as dark, cold, and harsh due to the tyranny and spooky stories surrounding some of it. However, the ghost of Manila Film Center continues to haunt, literally and metaphorically.

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The Value of Stories in Architecture

Memories and stories add a lot to the beauty and value of architecture. Whether it is good or bad publicity, it is still publicity that boosts its value. A heritage site became popular to the people due to its storied past and its aesthetic value. The haunted buildings are one of the best places that personify them. We can always identify with a conserved heritage due to our deep intrinsic relationship through horror stories.

People love good stories about the place. While storytelling and narrative are interchangeable, architecture defines the two terms differently. Storytelling centers around the problem and solution creatively, while "narrative" requires context and a link of emotion. Whether we define it differently, an architecture that tells a story will always popular than that of aesthetic only.

Again, the architectural style of these haunted buildings is not inherently frightful, and the stories boost the architectural style as scary and haunted throughout the year. The heritage of an architectural masterpiece not only features aesthetics but always tells a good story. When I say good story, I mean stories that make the place remembered. It can be spooky at some times.

Photo Credit: Esquire PH, Patrick Roque and Ramil Timbayan



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We constantly heard horror stories from our grandparents. It was also our favorite topic during our childhood days, the funny thing was we were attentive to listen horror stories but we could not manage to stay in the room alone because the stories kept haunting in our innocent mind.

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I heard from my grandparents too. Stories that will make me not sleep in my room or go upstairs. Despite it gives chills, I enjoyed it. It was the good old days. !PIZZA

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Interesting post, @juecoree. When I was young, we would go to the back of this Film Center towards the bay for a picnic every weekend. Looking at this structure when I was a child, I heard my parents talk about a family friend who was an engineer who died and was buried along with the workers during this tragedy. This edifice holds a big part of that history. Did you watch Noli de Castro's coverage of this during one of his Halloween documentaries of Magandang Gabi Bayan?

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(Edited)

Looking at this structure when I was a child, I heard my parents talk about a family friend who was an engineer who died and was buried along with the workers during this tragedy.

I thought that the tragedy was a heresy, but it turns out to be true. Hearing the story of a family friend buried in the pavements, it validates what I have knew a few years back. It was really tragic.

Did you watch Noli de Castro's coverage of this during one of his Halloween documentaries of Magandang Gabi Bayan?

Yes, I can remember that I watched it from Noli de Castor's Magandang Gabi Bayan. I also did knew some facts about it from a documentary of NatGeo about spooky places. It was featured together with Clark Airbase Hospital !PIZZA

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This tragedy is definitely true. They just tried to cover it up especially at that time when media was tightly controlled. I didn't know about Clark Airbase Hospital and that it was featured in NatGeo too. Will try to look that up.

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They just tried to cover it up especially at that time when media was tightly controlled.

I couldn't agree more.

I didn't know about Clark Airbase Hospital and that it was featured in NatGeo too.

It was a documentary series on haunted buildings in ASIA.

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(Edited)

The center had a grandiose plan but eventually changed to an auditorium, a film lab, and film archives. National Artist Leandro Locsin created the Folk Arts Theater at an incredible pace of 77 days. They rushed the construction to meet the scheduled opening. It was like a ticking time bomb that a disaster waiting to happen. Due to rush and long hours results in the devasting event, scaffolding on the fourth story fell that traps workers in the quick-drying cement on November 17, 1981. Workers trapped in quick-drying cement to death.

Nine hours after the tragedy that responders granted entry to the scene, at least 168 workers died inside the hardened blocks of cement. There was a media blackout to prevent a scandal from blowing up. People saw a terrible sight of bodies protruding from the pavement. They continue the job by either tapering and covering exposed sections, according to the stipulation that they had to meet the deadline without making any excuses. That incident will then surrounds the theater with spooky stories.

Dear @juecoree,
I think Ferdinandi Marcos is the greatest tyrant in the history of the Philippines.
I was shocked to learn that 168 Filipinos had unfortunately died because of such poor construction. 😱

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sampoong_Department_Store_collapse

The Sampoong Department Store collapse (Korean: 삼풍백화점 붕괴 사고; Hanja: 三豐百貨店 崩壞 事故) was a structural failure that occurred on June 29, 1995, in the Seocho-gu district of Seoul, South Korea. The collapse is the largest peacetime disaster in South Korean history, killing 502 people and injuring 937. It was the deadliest modern building collapse until the collapse of the World Trade Center in New York City, and the deadliest non-deliberate building collapse until the 2013 Dhaka Garment Factory Collapse near Dhaka, Bangladesh.[1][2]

In Korea, the Sampoong Department Store collapse was caused by poor construction work.
A new building was built over the collapsed building, and I haven't heard of ghosts coming out of it yet. 😅

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In Korea, the Sampoong Department Store collapse was caused by poor construction work. A new building was built over the collapsed building,

I do some reading about it. It is a very tragic event.

and I haven't heard of ghosts coming out of it yet.

Maybe the Korean don't spread some ghost stories. !PIZZA

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The title was super interesting, I jumped on the post to read. You are absolutely correct as buildings are not inherently frightful, it's the stories that makes them and the abandonees of the structure which deteriorate it.
Such an amazing post, have a blissful day:)

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it's the stories that makes them and the abandonees of the structure which deteriorate it.

Definitely. Stories has impact on how we perceived architectural masterpieces. It may be from horror stories or from love stories. By the way, I appreciate the kind words. Have a blissful day too and keep safe!
!PIZZA

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[ENG] Hello @ Juecoree I greet you from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. Very good narration of the events that occurred, thank you for sharing this tragic and regrettable story of the workers, my respect for their memory and for their families. From here we send a sincere prayer to God so that their spirits may reach the light of Providence.

The value of stories in architecture Memories and stories add much to the beauty and value of architecture. Whether it's good or bad publicity, it is still the publicity that increases its value.

You are right, the history of the place increases interest in the place because its historical and cultural value is exalted. Friend, receive a strong virtual hug full of positive energy and lots of light. Infinite blessings for you and your loved ones.

[ESP] Hola @ juecoree Te saludo desde la República Bolivariana de Venezuela. Muy buena narración de los hechos ocurridos, gracias por compartir esta trágica y lamentable historia de los trabajadores, mi respeto para su memoria y para sus familiares. Desde aquí enviamos una oración sincera a Dios para que sus espíritus alcancen la luz de la Providencia.

El valor de las historias en arquitectura Los recuerdos y las historias añaden mucho a la belleza y el valor de la arquitectura. Ya sea buena o mala publicidad, sigue siendo la publicidad la que aumenta su valor.

Tienes razón la historia del lugar aumenta el interés por el lugar porque su valor histórico y cultural se enaltece. Amigo, recibe un fuerte abrazo virtual cargado de energía positiva y mucha luz. Bendiciones infinitas para ti y para tus seres queridos.

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the history of the place increases interest in the place because its historical and cultural value is exalted.

I couldn't agree more. What makes the place interesting is not just its aesthetics but the beautiful story behind it. By the way, thanks for the prayers. Have some !PIZZA

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