It was commissioned in 1978 by former First Lady Imelda Marcos as a government guest house and offered to Pope John Paul II during the Papal visit to the Philippines in 1981 but the Pope refused to stay there because it was too opulent given the level of poverty in the Philippines.
Bangunan tersebut dicanangkan pada 1978 oleh mantan Ibu Negara Imelda Marcos sebagai rumah tamu pemerintah dan ditawarkan kepada Paus Yohanes Paulus II pada kunjungan Kepausan ke Filipina pada 1981 namun Paus menolak singgah disana karena terlalu tingginya tingkat kemiskinan di Filipina.