By virtue of a Royal Decree issued on Sept. 24, 1778, the El Polvorin was built by Jose Belesta under the command of Governor General Basco y Vargas.
Located in present San Juan City in Manila, the El Polvorin was a Spanish gunpowder depot built in case Manila was attacked.
On Aug. 30, 1896, Andres Bonifacio and the other members of the Katipunan attacked the facility. —Marielle Medina, Inquirer Research