Traces of Opulence in the People’s Park in the Sky

View of the Mansion Grounds from one of the Terraces

The excesses of the Marcoses were quite well documented but most of them were kept inside the Malacanang Palace Museum in Manila, most notably were the two thousand pairs of shoes that the former First Lady Imelda kept. The People’s Park in the Sky was something like an open air museum of the Marcoses and it is open to the public. Although it was never completed, traces of its intended grandeur were still visible. The rooms themselves though dark and empty were quite spacious. Naturally, there were a lot of viewing decks here to maximize the location.

Not Angkor Wat, This is the People's Park in the Sky

Looking down at the mansion is a rather peculiar structure. A kidney shape can easily be recognized on the ground. This used to be a location of what was supposed to be a swimming pool. One would have to question why would anyone build a swimming pool at this altitude since it will be freezing to do so. The pool has since been filled in with earth and is now a small garden. There is a small brige which crosses the pool too, which is a little strange since the pool has already been filled in.

Open Air Ampitheater

The mansion also has an open air ampitheater, I’m not sure how recent the ampitheater is but I don’t think the Marcoses would be expecting a lot of guests here. It could have also served as an open air chapel of some sort for the family. What is a little sad is the state of disrepair of the mansion. Mould is all over the walls of the mansion and I was afraid to touch the walls. The ground floor is now infested with vendors selling souvenir items, although they were orderly enough. Upstairs has a stall renting out binoculars and at the same time offering henna, which is quite a strange combination I might say.

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