SPANISH PERIOD

Luneta, alternately called Bagumbayan (in Tagalog new town") was an ancient Tagal town set
upon marshy land and located 1.5 kilometer south of Manila. Roughly it confines
cover what is now Roxas Blvd. Extension in front of old Luneta, P. Burgos St. to Pasig River
down to San Luis St. (now T.M. Kalaw), to the beach which is now Roxas Blvd.
It was overlooked by the Spanish conquistadores in favor of Rajah Sulaymans large barangay
settlement until its strategic importance was discovered. In 1574, Chinese army led by Lim
Ah Hong attacked Maynila, and Bagumbayan provided a natural barrier for the defense of
the palisaded city.
In 1601, Bagumbayan was mentioned in the records of the Supreme Court of Spain under the
Spanish appellation, Nuevo barrio. The name was later change to Luneta, which in Spain
means a detached, crescent-shaped fort.
No piece of land is probably as sacred and hallowed. Between 1823 and 1897, 158 patriots and
martyrs were felled on the square by Spanish infantrymen, including the three priests;
Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora. The morning of December 30, 1896 was considered a
most memorable day. It was the time when Dr. Jose P. Rizal was executed by the Spanish
friars. It is said that the blood they shed served as a spiritual fertilizer which invigorated
the Filipino peoples yearning for liberty.

AMERICAN PERIOD
In 1902, during the American occupation of the island, Daniel Burnham, architect and
city planner, chose the Bagumbayan field as the site of the proposed American
Government center. Spanish Luneta was lengthened towards San Louis St. and
westward towards Manila Bay.
Burnham designed a U-shape composition of buildings but only three were actually
erected-the Congress, Finance and Agriculture (now housing the Department of
Tourism) buildings.
Then the Americans set about building a memorial to honor Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the
national hero. The monument was built with money raised by popular subscription
and with the cooperation of Governor-General William Howard Taft. The memorial
is the work of Swiss sculptor Richard Kissling who cast the bronze figure in
Switzerland. It was completed in 1913, fully 17 years after the hero's execution.
Today, it remains the most revered of the numerous monuments honoring Rizal.
Here, his entered remains are guarded night and day.

The park area east of the Rizal Monument was renamed Wallance Field. The area
where the memorial stood was called Old Luneta and the part reclaimed from
the sea, where the Quirino Grandstand and New Luneta are now, was known as
Burnham Green.
Wallace Field had an athletic field, often used for rodeo events and as military
parade grounds. For years, it was leased as the site of the gay Philippine
Carnivals, the countrys much awaited social event. In 1953, Wallace Field was
the site of the first Philippine International Fair(image below). After the event,
the site was abandoned and the whole area generally neglected.

FIRST LADY EVA MACAPAGAL PERIOD

The idea to develop Luneta into a
national park was started when Mrs.
Eva Macapagal, my mom, was still the
First Lady in Malacanang. A
committee headed by her was formed
and started to plan out and develop
the park.

TEODORO F.
VALENCIA PERIOD
Valencia announced publicly that he would try to give the
monument and the surrounding area facelift, The original
plan was to clean the monument itself, put it in a few flower
pots to give it some respectability, he said, But and money
started flowing in. it was totally unexpected. In one weeks
time, P30,000 was easily collected from the civic-spirited.
Valencia and a handful of fellow sympathizers were struck. They
had to go ahead and spend the amount accumulated. The
approach to the monument was cemented, lights were
installed and a few trees were planted. Valencia got the
Philippine Armys approval to put an honor guard.
Then came official support. National Parks Development
Committee was organized and there was no more stopping
for the mobilization of the project. First came the
beautification of the sea wall. Then the grandstand was
improved and completed. The development of the raised
portion facing the grandstand was rushed.

FIRST LADY IMELDA R.

MARCOS PERIOD
I want it to be

When the First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos took over as chairman of the
committee (Valencia was designated as vice-chairman), the heart of the
project was in earnest. The area behind the Rizal Monument started to
shape up. It was as if the last few pieces had been found to complete the
beautiful giant jigsaw puzzle.
By 1966, the pace of the work was fever pitch. Some half a million pesos was
being eaten up by the project every month. News about whatever little
improvement being done spread quickly until the whole nation stirred
with the desire to see the park improved. Cash donations continued to
pour in until it finally, P60 million had been spent for the beautification of
the entire park.

The money that went into the development of Rizal

Park came from government corporations, private
business houses, individual donors, taxi drivers,
cocheros, students and plain citizens.
What was apparently obvious was that an empty,
dusty wasteland had metamorphosed into a
beautiful park. But the sweeter success was the fact
that Mrs. Marcos and Valencia had rekindled a
dormant bayanihan spirit. The spirit which holds up
rural life was successfully transplanted to the city.
Rizal Park dispelled beliefs that the city folks were
selfish urbanities.
Many professionals and businessmen continued to
volunteer their free services and private
contributors continued to chip in. The park was
helped by budgetary appropriations from the
National Government. The City Government of
Manila shouldered the electric bills, provided a 42men security detail and helped with the
maintenance costs. Various sector were still
galvanized into one and the spirit of civic concern
had not flickered.

SO WHAT
HAPPENED
TO IT NOW?

GUESS WHAT!?
SOMEONE IS
BUILDING A CONDO
BEHIND ME!!!

FOR REAL???

THATS NO BIGGY
BOYS
JUST FIND A
GOOD ANGLE <3

SEE THE PHILIPPINES IN A NEW

PERSPECTIVE

EXPERIENCE THE OLD WAY OF GOING

AROUND

CAPTURE THE MARTYRDOM OF DR. JOSE

RIZAL
Schedule:
Wed-Sun
8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m.
Guided Tour
7:00-7:30 p.m.
Evening Presentation in Filipino
8:00-8:30 p.m.
Evening Presentation in English
Entrance Fees:
P 10.00
General Public
(50% discount for students) Guided TourP 50.00
General Public
(50% discount for students) Evening Presentation
The Martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal: A Light & Sound Presentation is a
project of the NATIONAL PARKS DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE,
under Executive Director Juliet H. Villegas.

BE MESMERIZED BY THE NIGHT LIGHTS

BE REJUVINATED BY
THE LUSH
COLLECTION OF
FLORA IN THE HEART
OF THE CITY

ONLY @
LUNETA BEYOND
MONUMENT