Many people believe that the Manila International Airport, later renamed Ninoy Aquino International Airport, was the first international airport in the National Capital Region. Little did many know, though, that the first international airport in Manila was located in Caloocan City, and this is Grace Field Park, Kaloocan (Caloocan).
What? An airport in Caloocan City? Where?
The former Grace Park Airfield is where the current World Citi Colleges (WCC) Aeronautical & Technological College (ATC) in Caloocan are currently located. In fact, Grace Park Airfield was where Philippine Airlines’ ancestor, the Philippine Aerial Taxi Company (PATCO) that flies between Manila and Baguio began services.
The First Airport in Manila
Constructed in 1935, Grace Park Airfield was the very first airport located in Metro Manila that hosted domestic flights, particularly that of PATCO.
Grace Park Airfield was located in the Grace Park area of Caloocan (Kalookan), which lies to the north of Manila in the NCR on Luzon. You may know it as “Manila North Airfield” as well. Manila is located in the south. Today, the area that was formerly a runway is home to the Grace Park subdivision, which is located between Highway 54 (now EDSA), which runs perpendicular to the north, and Highway 52, which runs perpendicular to the former airfield.
However, in 1937, Nielson Airfield (now Blackbird Restaurant) in the area of Makati City opened. In fact, for some time, you had two airports in Metro Manila competing until World War II broke out.
Using concrete, the Japanese constructed a runway. An additional runway was Highway 54 (EDSA) close to Balintawak Market. U.S. carrier planes and bombers launched attacks beginning in September 1944 and continuing until January 10, 1945.
U.S. Army liaison planes, such as Piper L-4 Cubs and Stinson L-5 Sentinels, took off from Grace Park Airfield in late January 1945 to conduct artillery spotting and observation flights over the Manila area. There were no USAAF units stationed at the airfield year-round in 1945.
The End of Grace Park Airfield
All commercial flights were relocated to the Villamor Airbase in 1946 when the liberation of Manila rendered Grace Park Airfield unusable. The Manila International Airport was established here.
Houses now stand on what was once a runway near 8th street, turning Grace Park into a residential neighborhood. Rizal Avenue Extension between 2nd and 11th streets is the site of the old airfield. There is no longer a “park” or remnants of the “strip” in this urban core. Near where the modern-day Gotesco Mall stands is where the Japanese-built runway once stood.
First love never dies. I fell in love with airplanes and aviation when I was a kid. My dream was to become a pilot, but destiny led me to another path: to be an aviation digital media content creator and a small business owner. My passion for aviation inspires me to bring you quality content through my website and social accounts. Aviation is indeed in my blood and blog!
