Wikipedia

GSIS Building

The GSIS Building is the headquarters of the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), the corporation that handles social security of the employees of the government of the Philippines. Located in the city of Pasay, it shares space with the Senate and its related constitutional body, the Commission on Appointments (CA).

GSIS Building
GSIS Building is located in Metro Manila
GSIS Building
Location within Metro Manila
General information
LocationGSIS Bldg, Financial Center, Jose W. Diokno Boulevard, Pasay, Philippines
Coordinates14°32′48″N 120°59′1″E / 14.54667°N 120.98361°E / 14.54667; 120.98361
CompletedMay 1997; 29 years ago (1997-05)
Design and construction
ArchitectJorge Ramos

History

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Old building

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The original headquarters of the GSIS was on Arroceros Street, Manila. Built in 1957, it was designed by Federico Ilustre. Gerald Lico said that it "adhered to a stylistic tendency that stood at the intersection between Neoclassical and modern aesthetics" in his book Arkitekturang Filipino.

Assassination of former governor Juan Alberto

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On September 18, 1967, former Catanduanes governor Juan M. Alberto was at the GSIS building when he was assassinated by an unknown gunman.[1] Alberto had been waiting for an elevator at the building's ground floor when the gunman shot him in the head at close range and fled the scene, with witnesses claiming to have seen him escape with two other accomplices.[1] The National Bureau of Investigation, the Manila Police District and the Criminal Investigation Service soon named a distant relative of Salvador Rodolfo Sr. as the prime suspect in Alberto's assassination,[2][3] with the number of suspects increasing to four after nine days of investigation.[4][5][6]

Planned demolition

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In 2017, it was reported that much of the structure will be demolished, save for the facade. The Manila Hall of Justice will be built in its place.[7] Two years earlier, it was proposed to be used as a homeless shelter.[8] Although the eighth groundbreaking for the new building was done in 2012, no actual construction happened until 2019.[9] The Supreme Court said that the new building will be built by June 2022.[10] In December 2024, the Supreme Court said that construction would start on the first quarter of 2025; the delay was due to a design flaw that found in the original plans.[11]

Current building

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The new headquarters in Pasay was designed by Jorge Ramos.[12] The Senate transferred to the GSIS Building in 1997, after sitting at the Old Congress Building in Manila. President Joseph Estrada, comparing the Old Congress Building and the GSIS building, said that the latter looks like a bank, while the former had character and ambiance.[13]

On November 30, 2025, a fire broke out at the Senate's Legislative Technical Affairs Bureau located in the third floor, causing water damage to the Senate's session hall.[14]

Usage by the GSIS

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The GSIS houses a Filipino-themed art museum, the GSIS Museo ng Sining, in the building. It is covered by parquet floors and is home to pre-colonial and colonial period artwork.[15]

Usage by the Senate

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The Senate, which meets in a separate place from the House of Representatives which is in the Batasang Pambansa Complex, rents usage of the building from the GSIS. In 2009, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago urged the Senate to build its own building, as they are paying 7.8 million pesos for the building and 500,000 pesos for the parking lot, every month. This totaled to almost 100 million pesos in a year.[16]

By 2017, Senator Panfilo Lacson, who is also the chairman of the Committee on Accounts, said that the Senate has paid 2.24 billion pesos to the GSIS since 1996. Arguing that the Senate could have paid for a new building with this amount, there have been moves to find a new building for the Senate. The Manila Film Center was suggested, but due to urban legends of it being haunted by the ghosts of the construction workers who built it prior to a major accident, the Senate decided to look for other options.[17] Lacson spearheaded a successful vote approving the transfer of the Senate to a new building in Taguig.[18]

The Senate has its museum in the building.[19]

Senate escape incident

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Senate CCTV footage showing Sen. dela Rosa running away from the NBI

On May 11, 2026, the NBI accompanied by former senior lieutenant and senator Antonio Trillanes IV attempted to arrest Sen. Bato dela Rosa on the day of the impeachment proceedings of Vice President Sara Duterte, which was based on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. A CCTV footage was presented by the Senate as evidence, showing dela Rosa running from NBI agents up the stairway the moment he surreptitiously entered the Senate building through the assistance of the newly sworn-in Senate President Alan Cayetano.[20] Witnesses reported hearing gunfire during the chase. In response to the report the NBI stated that nobody was injured.[21] Dela Rosa arrived at the Senate plenary claiming he had been "wrestled" by the NBI.[22] The Senate placed the entire building into a full lockdown, prohibiting all individuals, including the NBI agents and Trillanes, from leaving the building. It was later lifted in the evening.[23] Dela Rosa was then placed under Senate protective custody by Senate Pres. Cayetano.[24] Consequently, the NBI agents who attempted to arrest dela Rosa were cited in contempt by the Senate as soon as surveillance footages were presented at the plenary.[25] Dela Rosa stayed in the GSIS Building until May 14, when he left the compound at approximately 2:30 A.M. accompanied by Sen. Robinhood Padilla.[26] The Senate security chief was ordered suspended by the Ombudsman after a shootout at the Senate premises that resulted in a temporary blackout and dela Rosa and Padilla's escape.[27]

Other usage

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Its theater hosted the funeral of former Senate President and nationalist Dean Jovito Salonga in 2016.[28] The Philippine Olympic Committee announced that it would hold a special election for its officers in 2019 after meeting at the building. The election was then held at the Senate premises.[29]

References

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  1. 1 2 "Gov. Alberto slain [-] Suspect nabbed, denies role in slay". The Manila Times. Vol. XXII, no. 207. The Manila Times Publishing Company. September 19, 1967. p. 1. Governor [Juan] Alberto was waiting for an elevator ride on the ground floor of the GSIS building when he was gunned down shortly before noon yesterday.
  2. ↑ "FM forms special investigation team". The Manila Times. Vol. XXII, no. 212. The Manila Times Publishing Corporation. September 24, 1967. p. 1. The police identified the man as Eulalio Vargas, 40, a relative of Maj. Salvador Rodolfo[...]
  3. ↑ "Alberto case snagged". The Manila Times. Vol. XXII, no. 213. The Manila Times Publishing Corporation. September 25, 1967. p. 1. A security team went to the house of the witness, but the mother of the girl reportedly refused to allow her daughter to leave. The mother was reported to have expressed fears for the life of her daughter.
  4. ↑ "Alberto slay: Double-cross is new motive". The Manila Times. Vol. XXII, no. 216. The Manila Times Publishing Corporation. September 28, 1967. p. 1. The twist developed as PC operatives are set to pick up four suspects, including a woman, whose identities have been established.
  5. ↑ "Suspect quizzed today". The Manila Times. Vol. XXII, no. 217. The Manila Times Publishing Corporation. September 29, 1967. p. 1. This man will be the second suspect who reportedly bears the striking resemblance of the gunman who fire the .45 caliber pistol, killing Alberto with a single shot on the ground floor of the GSIS building on Sept. 18.
  6. ↑ "Witness identifies Alberto gunman". The Manila Times. Vol. XXII, no. 218. The Manila Times Publishing Corporation. September 30, 1967. p. 1. A witness to the slaying of[...] Juan M. Alberto yesterday identified the suspected gunman from a police photograph.
  7. ↑ Sembrano, Edgar Allan (May 7, 2017). "Hall of Justice to replace old GSIS building in Manila". Inquirer Lifestyle. Archived from the original on July 23, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  8. ↑ Ronda, Rainier Allan (October 4, 2015). "Abandoned GSIS building eyed as shelter for homeless families". philstar.com. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  9. ↑ Torres-Tupas, Tetch (October 22, 2019). "P2.8 B state-of-the-art Manila Hall of Justice to rise soon". INQUIRER.net. Archived from the original on January 1, 2025. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  10. ↑ Banzuelo, Neil (October 22, 2019). "Manila Hall of Justice eyed for completion by June 2022". BusinessWorld Online. Archived from the original on February 23, 2025. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Long-awaited Manila Hall of Justice to start construction in 1Q 2025". Philippine News Agency. Archived from the original on December 11, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Past meets future at Apartment Ridge". philstar.com. December 21, 2009. Archived from the original on July 23, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  13. ↑ "House a homeowner while Senate remains homeless". The Manila Times. May 25, 2015. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  14. ↑ "Fire hits Senate building". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on November 30, 2025. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Philippines to host 'Freedom & Love' exhibit". The Manila Times. September 15, 2019. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  16. ↑ Lim Uy, Sasha (May 28, 2019). "The Senate is About to Get a Stylish New Home, After Decades of Planning". Esquiremag.ph. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Homeless no more?". Business Mirror. November 27, 2017. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  18. ↑ Lardizabal, Cecille (November 21, 2017). "Senators agree to move Office of the Senate to Taguig". CNN Philippines. Archived from the original on November 23, 2017. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
  19. ↑ Canet, Carla N. (July 27, 2018). "Visiting the Senate Museum". Sunstar. Retrieved May 19, 2025.
  20. ↑ Ager, Maila (May 11, 2026). "CCTV footage shows dela Rosa being chased by NBI agents at Senate". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Lockdown in Philippine Senate after gunshots fired". BBC News. May 13, 2026. Archived from the original on May 14, 2026. Retrieved May 13, 2026.
  22. ↑ Laqui, Ian (May 11, 2026). "Dela Rosa makes Senate comeback, decrying Trillanes, NBI's presence". Philippine STAR. Archived from the original on May 13, 2026. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  23. ↑ Clores, Keith (May 11, 2026). "Senate under lockdown after NBI–Dela Rosa altercation". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  24. ↑ Ager, Maila (May 11, 2026). "Sen. Dela Rosa placed under Senate protective custody". INQUIRER.net. Archived from the original on May 12, 2026. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  25. ↑ Clores, Keith (May 11, 2026). "Senate cites NBI agents in contempt over Dela Rosa arrest attempt". INQUIRER.net. Archived from the original on May 12, 2026. Retrieved May 11, 2026.
  26. ↑ Sigales, Jason (May 14, 2026). "Dela Rosa no longer in Senate – Cayetano". Inquirer.net. Retrieved May 16, 2026.
  27. ↑ "Ombudsman suspends Senate Sergeant-at-Arms after shootout, 'escape' of dela Rosa wanted by ICC". Interaksyon. May 15, 2026. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
  28. ↑ Musico, Jelly (March 16, 2016). "President Aquino, LP family pay tribute to former Senate President Jovito Salonga". Philippine Canadian Inquirer. Archived from the original on July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  29. ↑ Murillo, Michael Angelo S. (June 25, 2019). "Philippine Olympic Committee set for a special election | BusinessWorld". Business World. Archived from the original on July 25, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
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