The Mansion House

The Mansion House constructed from 1907 to 1908 at the instance of William Cameron Forbes to serve as the residence of the Philippine Chief Executive during the summer months. William Parsons, an aide of architect Daniel Burnham, designed the mountain retreat in accordance to the City Beautiful Movement. In 1910, the building was used for the special sessions of the Second Philippine Legislature. The fighting during the Second World War damaged some parts of the structure, but the original stone wall façade, arched entrances, and gate survived the bombings. The building was restored after the war and was used as the venue of important events, such as the second session of the United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East (ECAFE). In 1947, the second session of the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the first meeting of the Southeast Asian Union, more commonly known as the Baguio Conference of 1950, which was conceived and convened by President Elpidio Quirino. On January 16, 2009, the board of the National Historical Institute, through Resolution No. 1 series of 2009, declared the Mansion House as a National Historical Landmark.