Isko eyes Manila clock tower as tourist attraction

MANILA, Philippines — Manila Mayor and presidential candidate Isko Moreno has inaugurated the renovated and historic city hall clock tower.

In a statement yesterday, Moreno likened the city’s clock tower to London’s “Big Ben” or the old post office and clock tower in US capital Washington.

Manila’s clock tower can be a tourist attraction for foreigners interested in city hall’s role in history, Moreno said during a site inspection last Wednesday.

The clock tower will house a coffee shop for visitors, he added.

The clock tower was designed by architect Antonio Toledo and built in the 1930s. The Manila city hall was renovated after it was destroyed during World War II.

The clocks in the hexagon-shaped tower were painted gold when Moreno took over as mayor in 2019.

The clocks were red during the term of Moreno’s predecessor Joseph Estrada.