List of historical markers of the Philippines in Metro Manila

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This list of historical markers installed by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) in Metro Manila is an annotated list of people, places, or events in the region that have been commemorated by cast-iron plaques issued by the said commission. The plaques themselves are permanent signs installed in publicly visible locations on buildings, monuments, or in special locations.

While many Cultural Properties have historical markers installed, not all places marked with historical markers are designated into one of the particular categories of Cultural Properties.

Markers in Manila were first to be installed, following the establishment of the Philippine Historical Research and Markers Committee (PHRMC), the earliest predecessor of the NHCP. These were markers installed in 1934 for Church of San Agustin, Fort Santiago, Plaza McKinley, Roman Catholic Cathedral of Manila, San Sebastian Church, Concordia College, Manila Railroad Company, Dr. Lorenzo Negrao, Church of Nuestra Señora de Guia, and University of Santo Tomas (Intramuros site). The installation of markers were first limited to identify antiquities in Manila. Many markers were destroyed or lost due to World War II, along with the structures they represent, and many have been replaced by post-war markers.

In 2002, during the unveiling ceremony of the marker National Federation of Women's Club in the Philippines in Manila Hotel, former president Fidel Ramos joked that the curtain raising reminded him of striptease, and everybody laughed. That was the last time that the curtains were pulled upward, and from then, the unveiling has involved curtain pulling instead.^[1]

Following the move to relocate the marker of the first shot of the Filipino-American War from San Juan Bridge to the corner of Sociego and Silencio, Santa Mesa, Manila, former NHI Chairperson Ambeth Ocampo was declared persona non grata in San Juan. The NHCP then issued a replacement marker on the bridge, indicating it as a boundary between Filipino and American soldiers during the war, instead of it being the site of the first shot.^[2]

The marker concerning the First Congress of the Republic of the Philippines 1946-1949 was the biggest marker made, measuring at 52x72 inches. The 1946 marker was replaced on January 27, 2010, when governor Carlos Padilla of Nueva Vizcaya asked why his father, Constancio Padilla was missing from the list of the legislators. Luis Taruc, Jesus Lava, and Amado Yuson of the Democratic Alliance were not in the marker even though they appeared in the Congressional Records, while Luis Clarin, Carlos Fortich, and Narciso Ramos were in the 1946 marker, but not in the present Congressional Records. The Taruc, Lava, and Yuzon were dismissed from Congress, although the latter moved to the Nacionalista Party. Fortich died before completing his term and was replaced by his widow, Remedios Ozamis Fortich. Ramos won as the congressman for the 5th district of Pangasinan, but was appointed soon after to the United Nations, and was replaced by Cipriano Allas.^[1]

The historical marker (installed in 1939) of the Jesuit institution La Ignaciana in Santa Ana, Manila was stolen. A replacement marker was planned to be installed by the end of 2014,^[3] but it never took place.

The historical marker dedicated to Patricio Mariano in Escolta, Binondo received social media attention regarding its then derelict state. On January 28, 2015, on the occasion of Mariano's 80th death anniversary, the Escolta Revival Movement wrote to the NHCP regarding the situation of the marker. The NHCP renovated the marker the day after.^[4]

Days before the Bonifacio Day of 2017, reports surface the demolition of the Bonifacio centennial monument in Makati, along with its historical marker (entitled "Memorare"). It was done by the Department of Public Works and Highways to build a bridge connecting Ortigas and Bonifacio Global City business districts without informing and seeking the approval of the NHCP. DPWH, however, stated that it informed the local government unit and temporarily removed the statue to protect it from the construction. The department also said that it has allotted ₱39 million for the restoration of the park after the project has been completed in 2020.^[5][6][7]

A statue and marker (entitled Filipina Comfort Women Statue and "Memorare," respectively), remembering the comfort women of World War II, installed on December 8, 2017, along Baywalk, Roxas Boulevard, Malate, Manila, caught the attention from the officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Japanese Embassy in Manila.^[8] In response, Teresita Ang-See, said that the memorial should not become an insult versus Japan.^[9] On April 27, 2018, the DPWH removed the memorial for a drainage improvement project along the Baywalk. Many individuals and groups, including Gabriela Women's Party condemned the removal, stating historical revisionism and submission to Japanese policy. They also stated that this has been an unlawful removal, since the heritage act protects markers and memorials by the NHCP.^[10][11] President Duterte remarked that the memorial can be placed in a private property, since the state would not want to "antagonize" other countries.^[12]

This article lists five hundred twenty-six (526) markers from the National Capital Region.