45. FORT William McKINLEY Then ... BONIFACIO GLOBAL CITY Now, in Postcards

Aerial view of Fort William McKinley with a nice poem about the fort. 

We know Bonifacio Global City as a new city with high-rise condominiums, office buildings, trendy restaurants, and shops. But we do not know that it used to be called Fort William McKinley. These old Fort McKinley postcards show us how the scene and landscape had changed over the years.

Fort William McKinley was established in the Philippines during the Philippine-American War in 1901 when the whole land south of Pasig River down to Alabang was declared a U.S. Military Reservation. The US government acquired a 25.78 square kilometer property of Taguig for military purposes. This area (TCT dated 1902) was turned into a camp and was then known as Fort William McKinley after the 25th US President, William McKinley

US Philippine 4 centavos stamp of
Pres. William McKinley on postcard

During the World War II era, it was where USAFFE had its headquarters for the Philippine Department and the Philippine Division. The bulk of the Philippine Division was stationed here and this was where, under the National Defense Act of 1935, specialized artillery training was conducted. The 3rd Battalion of the 31st Infantry Regiment was formed here, in 1916. Until December 1920, this was the home of the 31st Infantry.

After Philippine independence, on July 4, 1946, the US surrendered to the Republic of the Philippines all rights of possession, jurisdiction, supervision, and control over the Philippine territory except the use of their military bases. On May 14, 1949, Fort McKinley was finally turned over to the Philippine government.

Under the AFP leadership of Gen. Alfonso Arellano, Fort McKinley was made the permanent headquarters of the Philippine Army in 1957 and later the Philippine Navy. It lies in both the cities of Makati and Taguig.

Review at the Fort William McKinley

It was subsequently renamed Fort Bonifacio after the Father of the Philippine Revolution against Spain, Andres Bonifacio, whose father, Santiago Bonifacio, was a native of Makati city. The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial were established here. Later it was turned into a real estate development area called Bonifacio Global City.

Now Bonifacio Global City is a city with towering residential condominiums like the Pacific Plaza Towers, Bonifacio Ridge, Essensa, Serendra, and Regent Parkway and office buildings such as Net One and Bonifacio Technology Center.  It is a center where one can find great restaurants, clubs, and retail outlets that are located in Serendra and Bonifacio High Street.  One can find a large shopping center like the Ayala Land's Market! Market! Also, it houses the world-class state-of-the-art St. Luke's Hospital with top-of-the-line medical facilities.

Parade Grounds

Truly, Bonifacio Global City is a historical landmark from a US Army fort back in 1901, now turned into a world-class city.   

Source: Wikipedia

Infantry Barracks

Officer's Club Building

Officer's Row

The Army Club

Camp McKinley, near Manila

Cavalry Barracks

Calvary Headquarters

Post Headquarters

Hospital

Infantry Barracks

Officers' Quarters

Military Prison

In the Field. Entering Camp at Target Range

In the Field, Target Range. Pitching Tents

Street in Fort Wm.  McKinley

Back of a postcard describing Camp McKinley near Manila as the largest

 in the area in the world is two and one-half miles in circumference.
It is the headquarters of the United States Army in the Philippines