DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 25 Aug) – President Rodrigo R. Duterte said that he will change within his term the name of the official residence of the country’s chief executive into “People’s Palace” to do away with “imperialism” attached to its current name, “Malacañang Palace.”
He told an early morning press conference Thursday that the centuries-old Malacañang Palace, which was constructed during the Spanish era where Filipinos were made servants to the elite class of the Spaniards, “sucks with imperialism”
“Sino man ang nagpangalan ng ‘Malacañang Palace’? Mga Español man yan. Why should I not just address it as the ‘People’s Palace of the Republic of the Philippines’?” he said.
The palace, which sits by the Pasig River, is located along Jose P. Laurel St., San Miguel in Manila.
He said that never has he called the president’s official residence as “Malacañang Palace” but rather a “palace of the people called Malacañang.”
The palace was constructed in 1750 and had since undergone remodeling, renovations, and expansions over the years.
According to www.malacañang.gov.ph, “the palace has two types of rooms” – historic rooms that have “significant value to former presidents” and state rooms “that serve specific state functions.”
He said that he is planning to invite different people to come to visit the palace to see for themselves how it looks like inside and invite wounded soldiers over dinner at the palace.
“And one day, I’ll invite also everybody,” he promised, adding that even those from Tondo, and from nearby Pandacan, will get to see the “palasyo ng tao. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
