Fort Bonifacio

Fort Bonifacio
Taguig, Philippines
Main gate of the Philippine Army Headquarters
Type Military Base
Site information
Controlled by Republic of the Philippines
Site history
Built 1940s
In use 1940s-Present
Materials Concrete,Steel
Garrison information
Garrison Philippine Army, Philippine Marine Corps, PN Seabees (Naval Combat Engineering Brigade), Southern Police District Headquarters

Fort Bonifacio (formerly named as Fort McKinley), is the national headquarters of the Philippine Army (AFP) and is located in Taguig City, Metro Manila, Philippines. It is located near the national headquarters of the Philippine Air Force (AFP). The camp is named after Andres Bonifacio, the revolutionary leader of the Katipunan during the revolutionary period of the Philippines against Spain - Philippine Revolution.

Fort William McKinley

Philippine Scouts at Fort McKinley firing a 37-mm. antitank gun in training.

Fort William McKinley, now Fort Bonifacio, was established during the Philippine–American War in 1901. The land is situated south of Pasig River down to the creek of Alabang, Manila and was declared as a U.S. military reservation by the Secretary of War, Elihu Root, expropriating the land owned by Capitan Juan Gonzales without compensation. This expropriation was later challenged by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos and the US agreed to compensate, through him, in trust deposits.

In 1916, the 3rd Battalion of the 31st Infantry Regiment was formed here. Until December 1920, this was the home of the 31st Infantry Regiment. During World War II, the USAFFE headquarters for the Philippine Department and the Philippine Division were at the fort. The bulk of the Philippine Division was stationed there and this was where, under the National Defense Act of 1935, specialized artillery training was conducted.

After Philippine independence, on July 4, 1946, the US surrendered to the Republic of the Philippines all rights of possession, jurisdiction, supervision and control over the Philippine territory except the use of their military bases. On May 14, 1949, Fort McKinley was turned over to the Philippine government. The facility became the home of the Philippine Army and later the Philippine Navy and was renamed Fort Bonifacio. It lies in the cities of Pasay, Parañaque, Makati and Taguig. The Manila American Cemetery and Memorial was established here. Later, portions of it was turned into a real estate development area called Bonifacio Global City.

See also


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