How, in such short time, the Palace was made more functional and conducive for people who work there
More than just a physical structure made of steel, stone, and wood, Malacañan Palace, officially the President’s residence and workplace, is the face of the nation. It is the primus domus, where the highest official of the land welcomes heads of states, dignitaries, foreign investors, and even international celebrities and athletes. They consider the Palace as a showcase of the nation, even a barometer of its “health.” After all, how could a nation claim to be an emerging economic powerhouse if its primary house is in shambles and disarray?
Malacañan Palace (should not be confused with Malacañang, which refers to the entire complex), however, is old. The Palace’s history stretches back to the Spanish times when it was first built as a summer residence in 1750. The walls, the wooden floor planks, the grand chandeliers of the Palace are thick with stories that couldn’t be revealed as they are just silent witnesses to pivotal moments in our history.
Through the years, the evolution of Malacañan echoed the progress of the nation. Eventually, the surrounding areas of the Palace were developed, and more structures were built, addressing the emerging needs of the bureaucracy, and keeping pace with the challenges of the times.
We may not be aware of it, but a President’s priorities are also reflected on the state of the Palace and the events it hosts. Now, it is easy to romanticize the Palace especially when you stand inside the Ceremonial Hall with a view of the Pasig River, but what it is, generally, is a place for work. It houses different offices that ensure the upkeep of the entire complex, each with its mandate and contribution, allowing the President to safely and efficiently conduct the affairs of the nation, such as meeting with his Cabinet or outlining his plans with the military and police.
Governance is not a one-man show and inside Malacañang are around 2,000-plus workers—the heart of the house—who play a crucial role in making the place functional, clean, and ensuring that the Palace’s guests are guided, fed, and, of course, entertained.
In the early days of the new administration, the President and the First Lady went around the Malacañang complex to get to know the workers, some of whom had served during the first Marcos administration. “They went around, with First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos asking everybody how they can help make their lives better while working inside Malacañang,” said Dina Tantoco, Deputy Social Secretary. “A lot of staff members requested for meals, so the First Lady decided that meals—breakfast, lunch, and snacks (including coffee)—should be provided for free for all employees of the Palace. For those who will work overtime, they can even request for dinner.”
This simple change—the provision of free meals—has lifted morale among Palace employees, who used to bring baon and eat at their work desks. But it didn’t stop there. A “proper” eating area was designed and built, expanding from the previous small corner.
“The eating area is now a welcoming space. It was designed by Social Secretary Bianca Zobel to be a Filipino-inspired cafeteria with chessboard-pattern flooring, ample gallery lights, and functional furniture. It has a place for break time, and proper changing rooms and comfort rooms,” said Dina. “This used to be a cramped place for eating, and also served as sleeping quarter for some of the staff. When the First Lady saw this area before, she suggested transforming this space into a cafeteria so the staff would have a clean and proper space to have their meals.”
Since the former sleeping quarter gave way to a bigger cafeteria, the challenge was to find a new sleeping quarter that will be used by the Malacañang staff. The First Lady found out that there was an underutilized Engineering warehouse just beside the Palace.
“The First Lady visited and saw that the Engineering warehouse could be converted into a fully equipped staff quarters,” said Dina. And that is what happened after a few months of renovations. The two-level staff quarter is now complete with multiple bunk beds (with thick mattresses), area for eating and rest, individual shower rooms, a fully equipped kitchen, plus a huge industrial washing machine. Any member of the Malacañang staff is welcome to use the facility; all services are free including the laundry.
“This was really a tremendous help for the staff since the job at the Palace is on a 24/7 basis. If they need to work late or wake up very early, they have a place to stay near the Palace. Everything here is taken care of. The President and the First Lady wanted to make sure that the people who work at Malacañang must not be inconvenienced, so that they can become more efficient and give their best to serve the nation.”
More Than Design
For a structure that has withstood the test of time, there are wears and tears that needed to be addressed inside the Palace. Some renovations are done for the purpose of practicality and make spaces more functional. For one, there is now a separate area for dishwashing. Before, it was merged with the hot and cold kitchens, crowding the space (and attracting accidents) during banquets and events.
To put it simply, the recent renovations were a matter of making things more efficient—and creating a more conducive work environment—for the Palace staff. Contrary to social media speculations that there are grandiose plans to create a massive catering/ party venue, our tour revealed otherwise. What we saw are new components to make the Palace more work-friendly: a stewarding area to keep the inventory safe, an organized stockroom, an indoor garden that supplies the Palace with fresh flowers, and office spaces that keep up with tech-driven times. The Socials Office is also fully renovated with ergonomics in mind, allowing staff to work and coordinate more efficiently. It even has a new glass-enclosed area for meetings.
The seven-month-old Marcos administration hasn’t hosted any State Visit yet, but by the looks of it, it is ready, as showcased in pocket events hosted by the First Lady such as the luncheon with lady diplomats, or on a grander scale, the recent vin d’honneur (an innovation was flashing digitally on the background the flag of the ambassador's country while being welcomed by the First Couple at the Reception Hall).
Speaking of the Reception Hall, the dark wooden walls of previous years are now in white, making the official presidential portraits pop up (selfies are much better with the background). The elegance remains and the lighter shade makes the hall more welcoming, a bit more modern, and lends a homey ambience in a Palace that is both home and office.
Amid all these developments, there are inevitable criticisms, more so in this social media age where everyone has an opinion. Asked if the First Lady is concerned, Dina said: “For her (FL), this is a way of contributing to the nation. I’m sure she is aware, but she just focuses on the work. She’s a positive person and looks for the best solutions. I’m sure she wants to put a lady’s touch—a mother’s love—to the Palace as it is the showcase of the nation.”
There are still a lot of things to do (and expect). A long-term goal is to make it truly a people’s place, with more areas open for the public aside from the Palace grounds, which was opened during Simbang Gabi.
More than its design or history, the Palace must be a showcase of nothing less but the best of the best of the Filipino. It couldn’t, however, achieve this goal if the heart of its house is broken or mired in inoperability. With efficient use of spaces, people can work well. With dignity in work, people are motivated. With the motivation, the team will use resources and time more efficiently. Productivity is up, turnover rate and unnecessary costs are down—the nation ultimately benefits.
So, what is the state of the Palace today? To complement PBBM’s vision of rightsizing the bureaucracy, there is also “rightsizing” currently underway at the Palace. Similar to the nation, we are delighted to report that “the state of Malacañan is sound.”
(All photos with MB logo by NOEL B. PABALATE / Other photos courtesy of Social Office)
