The pre-war Juan Arellano-designed Art Deco-streamline old Meralco building on San Marcelino Street in Manila’s Ermita district is now just an empty lot devoid of any historical and architectural significance after it was completely demolished to give way to two commercial projects.
Italian sculptor Francesco Riccardo Monti stayed in the Philippines from 1930 until his death in 1958. During his stay, he worked with local architects and sculptors on major projects commissioned by the government and private individuals.
“It’s like making a copy of an Amorsolo [painting] and then destroying the original Amorsolo,” a heritage conservationist described the fate of “The Furies” of Italian sculptor Francesco Riccardo Monti.
