Arts & Culture
PAALAM, NATIONAL ARTIST
FRANCISCO T. MAÑOSA
N
ATIONAL ARTIST Francisco T. Mañosa, who was
known as the "Father of Philippine Neo-vernacular
Architecture," passed away due to lingering illness
at age 88 today, February 20, 2019. He was sur-
vived by his wife Denise and children Bambi, Dino
and Gelo.
The Cultural Center of the Philippines mourns
the passing and will pay tribute to the departed
National Artist with a necrological service (date to
be announced later), followed by his internment at
the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
For more than 60 years of his architecture career, Bobby Mañosa cham-
pioned the Filipino architecture. From his landmark design of the Sulo
Hotel in 1960s until his retirement in 2015, he had passionately created
original Filipino forms and spaces with intricate and refined details an-
chored on Filipino sensibilities and cultures.
He strongly believed that Philippine Architecture must be “true to itself,
its land and its people.” He intensively studied, mastered and interpreted
the untapped DNA of Philippine architecture, especially the Bahay Kubo
and Bahay na Bato. He also pushed for the use of indigenous materials
such bamboo, coconut, rattan and capiz, among others for architectural
finishes, furniture and furnishings.
Intuitively, he pioneered the sustainable architecture - way before
this environmental design movement broke ground in the Philippines.
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He conceptualized the “edible garden” - a design where plants surround
the external walls of the structures. This is quite evident in the San Miguel
Building - one of his major works - with its rice terrace–like green balco-
nies and “tukod” (inwardly slanting windows).
While he had journeyed alone in his battle to uplift and promote Philip-
pine architecture, Mañosa wholeheartedly defended his philosophy and
developed the “Filipinism” design style.
One of his many landmark projects included: the Tahanang Pilipino (or
the Coconut Palace), where he invented numerous coconut product fin-
ishes with suppliers and orchestrating many artists and artisans to partici-
pate in the different rooms showcasing Philippine culture; the internation-
ally awarded Aman Pulo Resort, which celebrates deconstructed “bahay
kubos”; Our Lady of Peace Shrine in EDSA, Quezon City; Metrorail Transit
System Stations for LRT 1, circa 1980s; Quezon Memorial Circle Develop-
ment Plan; Chapel of the Risen Lord, Las Piñas City, which was the cover of
his first published book, Designing Filipino, among others.
He received several awards recognitions such as: Most Outstanding Pro-
fessional Award in the Field of Interior Design from Philippine Regulation
Commission in 2013; Lifetime Achievement Award from United Architects
of the Philippines in 2009; Outstanding Artist for Golden Years of Ser-
vice Award in the field of Architecture from the National Commission for
Culture and the Arts, in observance of the UNESCO World Theater Week
in 2009; Gawad Diwa ng Lahi sa Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award
in 2006; Gawad Ginto Likha Award from Architectural Archives of the
Philippines in 2005; The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) Award; 2004 Gawad
CCP Para Sa Sining Award in 2004; Papal Award, Noble Knighthood of the
Pontifical Order of St. Gregory the Great in 1982, among others.
He was conferred the National Artist Awards in 2018 for his valuable
contribution to the development, preservation and promotion of
the Philippine Architecture, which is essential to the Filipino identity.
www.culturalcenter.gov.ph