Presidential Car Museum

A gleaming 1924 Packard Single Six Touring car, imagine it gliding down the streets of Manila. This, my friends, is just one piece of history you’ll find inside the Presidential Car Museum. The Presidential Car Museum, here in Quezon City, isn’t just a collection of cars. It’s a journey through the Philippines’ presidential past. It opened its doors on August 19, 2018, thanks to the efforts of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. They gathered these vehicles, some from a warehouse in Pampanga, restored them, and brought them here to the Quezon Memorial Circle. The Presidential Car Museum houses cars from Emilio Aguinaldo’s Packard to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s Mercedes-Benz S600. Each car tells a story. For example, President Quezon’s 1937 Chrysler Airflow was a marvel of aerodynamics, a rare sight even in its time. President Marcos favored a 1980 Lincoln Continental, complete with keyless entry and a digital trip computer. And Corazon Aquino’s Mercedes-Benz 500SEL, seemingly understated, was the first presidential car with bulletproof glass and panels. The Presidential Car Museum doesn’t just showcase presidential vehicles. You can also see other historically significant vehicles here. Like the kalesa, a horse-drawn carriage, owned by León Apacible, a member of the commission that drafted the Malolos Constitution. Or the 1943 Willys Jeep gifted by General Douglas MacArthur to Ramon Magsaysay. And then there’s Imelda Marcos’ 1960 Rolls-Royce Phantom V, complete with compartments for champagne and cigars. The Presidential Car Museum offers a fascinating look into the lives and times of Philippine presidents. It’s a place where history meets horsepower, where the stories of the nation unfold on four wheels.