Manila American Cemetery

The Manila American Cemetery, located in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, is the largest American military cemetery outside the United States. Spanning 152 acres, it honors over 17,000 U.S. service members who lost their lives during World War II, particularly in the Philippines and New Guinea campaigns.

The site is striking for its serene layout—eleven circular burial plots framed by tropical trees and a central white chapel adorned with mosaics and sculptures.

One of its most poignant features is the Tablets of the Missing, which bear the names of over 36,000 individuals whose remains were never recovered; a small rosette is added beside a name when remains are later identified, with 439 rosettes currently in place.

The memorial also includes 25 massive mosaic maps that visually narrate key military operations across the Pacific, China, India, and Burma—essentially a graphic war diary. Interestingly, the floor of the memorial is inlaid with the seals of all U.S. states and territories, grounding the site in shared national memory. Among the WWII graves lies a single burial from World War I, a quiet nod to earlier global ties.

And in a bit of local trivia, the cemetery was once the subject of a jurisdictional tug-of-war between Makati and Taguig, with the Supreme Court finally ruling in favor of Taguig in 2021. Beyond its solemn purpose, the cemetery is a masterclass in quiet symbolism and historical storytelling.