One of the Philippines greatest architects, National Artist Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa, died at 88 years old yesterday due to a lingering illness.
According to the Mañosa Group of Companies, his wake will start today at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig, at chapels 2, 3, and 4 beginning at 5pm. A necrological service open to the public will be held on Sunday at 9am at the CCP before he is buried.
Known for his designs that were heavily inspired by the bahay kubo (native hut) and the bahay na bato (stone house), Mañosa is noted for pioneering sustainable architecture in the country.
For his contributions, he was called the Father of Philippine neovernacular architecture by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).
He was the architect of iconic structures such as the headquarters of the San Miguel Corporation, the Coconut Palace, the Our Lady of Peace Shrine in EDSA, and the Amanpulo Resort in Palawan.
The son of an actor and a sanitary engineer, Mañosa grew up on Azcarraga St. in Manila, later known as Claro M. Recto. He originally wanted to be a musician or a painter but studied architecture upon the insistence of his father. After graduating at the University of Santo Tomas, he established an architecture firm in 1976 with his brothers Jose and Manuel Mañosa.
Mañosa died eight days after his birthday and four months after he was given the national artist award.
He will be laid to rest at the Cemetery of Heroes on Sunday, Feb. 24.
Mañosa is survived by his wife Denise and children Bambi, Dino, and Gelo Mañosa.
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