Manila City - Cosmopolitan Capital Of The Philippines

Description

Fascination is an understatement of the feeling that one gets by visiting Manila, a lively metropolis commanding a magnificent view of the world-famous Manila Bay and its golden sunset. Historic, bustling, awe-inspiring, the “Philippine Cosmopolitan Capital” is a blend of cultures and flavors that offers an endless serving of places to see, sights to behold, and experiences to never forget. Right in the heart of Manila is found the “Walled City” – Intramuros. Constructed in 1571, during the period of Spain’s colonization of the Philippines, it comprised of European buildings and churches that have been replicated in different parts of the archipelago. It had been one of the world’s best preserved medieval cities. Here, dungeons and old churches share space with art galleries, theaters, a nature park. At the center of Intramuros is the grand Manila Cathedral, the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese of Manila. Then there is San Agustin Church, the oldest stone church in Metro Manila and one of the four Philippine Baroque Churches inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Marking its entrance at the northwestern tip is Fort Santiago, one of the oldest fortifications of Intramuros. Built in nearly 150 years through Filipino forced labor, it now houses a lush park with flowering trees, homing pigeons, and rides aboard horse-drawn carriages. Manila is home to Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the highest chief executive of the country and one of the most historic structures in the Philippines, and the National Museum of the Philippines, the official repository and guardian of the Philippine cultural, historical, and natural heritage. Along the northern bank of the historic Pasig river is Chinatown, a symbol of the long history of Chinese presence in the Philippines long antedating the arrival of the Spaniards. Today it is an important trade and business center, and a primary bargain shopping destination. Five-star hotels and restaurants, some of them housed in historic buildings, make the perfect party place in the city. The nightlife offers everything from dazzling cultural shows to futuristic discotheques, lively casinos, sensational entertainment lounges, and fashionable cafes. The popular districts of Malate and Ermita showcase a wild variety of restaurants, clubs, bars, cafes, art and antique shops – truly, the ultimate cosmopolitan paradise. Manila is geographically advantaged. It is an hour or two away from full-day excursions to Cavite and Corregidor Island, Batangas, and Laguna, replete with exceptionally beautiful beaches, stunning views, and local color. The city is over 17 hours away by air from Los Angeles, less than five hours from Tokyo, and seven and a half hours from Sydney. Wherever you are, you are less than a day away from one of Asia’s greatest cities – Manila.

Geography

The city of Manila is located on the west coast of the Philippine main island of Luzon and surrounded by fertile plains. The city straddles at the delta of the Pasig river, a short navigable stream that connects the fresh water lake of Laguna de Bay with Manila Bay and the South China Sea. It occupies a total land area of 38.3 square kilometers.

Population

The total population was 1,654,761 as of the 1995 census

Political Subdivision

The city is composed of 897 Barangays, which are subdivided into six Congressional Districts. It has been classified as a Highly Urbanized City.

Quezon City - City Of New Horizons

Description

That Quezon City has been dubbed as the “City of New Horizons” holds truth when it comes to culture and lifestyle – the experience is fresh and not quite what would be expected of the usual urban setting. Fast becoming a famous landmark in the metropolis is the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Nature Center, an experience of nature within the city. Conveniently located at the heart of Quezon City, the area was developed to simulate a natural forest setting and serve as a breather from high-rise and concrete. Found here are about 38 species of trees and shrubs, which are represented by 2,443 trees commonly found in Philippine forests. Nature tripping tastes all the sweeter as there is a grove, lagoon, rock garden, mini-zoo, craft village, and fishing village, among others. Diliman in Quezon City is home to the University of the Philippines, the country’s foremost institute of higher learning and considered the finest in the Far East. UP was established in June 1908, and is sprawled over an area of 450 hectares. The state-owned university has produced many of the country’s best leaders, artists, writers, and professionals. The city is likewise the home of Camps Crame and Aguinaldo, two of the most important military headquarters where the famous four-day peaceful rebellion called People Power or EDSA Revolution of 1986 had started. Holding court as the Cubao district’s focal point is Araneta Coliseum, the world’s largest covered dome during the 1960s. Towering 220 feet and with a seating capacity of 32,000, it captured the Philippines’ first post-war world boxing title by the legendary Gabriel “Flash” Elorde. Araneta Coliseum has since staged world-famous shows, from the classic “Fight of a Lifetime” between Mohammed Ali and Joe Frasier in 1976 to beauty pageants, basketball tournaments, musical concerts, athletic events.

Geography

Quezon City is 10 km. north of Manila. To the city's east are San Mateo, Rizal and Marikina City; to the west are San Juan and the city of Manila; to the north are Caloocan City and San Jose del Monte, Bulacan; and to the south are the cities of Pasig and Mandaluyong. Quezon City is five times bigger than Manila, and in area, it is second to the country's biggest city, Davao City. Rolling hills spread over a large portion of Quezon City. Its lowest altitude is 25 feet above sea level while its highest is 55. The city occupies a total land area of 166.2 square kilometers

Population

The total population was 1,989,419 as of the 1995 census.

Political Subdivision

Quezon City consists of 140 Barangays, which are subdivided into fours Congressional districts. It has been classified as a Highly Urbanized City.

Calookan City - Home Of Heroes

Description

No other city in the Philippines is quite like Caloocan. From humble beginnings had risen a city now in the face of relentless and continuing progress. Before Caloocan emerged into a city, it had modest beginnings – first, as a wilderness, then as an uninhabited hill, then as a hilltop village. Few know the full story of how the city began. Even fewer remember the very interesting details that make up its birth and growth. Today Caloocan continues progressing to be the great yet humble city that is the radiant vision of its residents and the current leadership. The main landmark of Caloocan City is the Bonifacio Monument, located at the intersection of Rizal Avenue and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, or EDSA. The monument commemorates the most proletarian of all Filipino heroes, Andres Bonifacio. It likewise marks the first encounter between Andres Bonifacio and his revolutionary group called Katipunan with the Spanish soldiers on August 3, 1896. The monument was immortalized by the great Filipino nationalist Guillermo Tolentino.

Geography

Caloocan City is located at the northern part of Metropolitan Manila. The city is divided into two parts: the urban portion, which is bounded on the north by Malabon, on the east by Quezon City, on the south by Manila and Navotas, and on the west by Manila Bay; and the rural portion, bounded on the north by San Jose del Monte in Bulacan, on the east and south by Quezon City, and on the west by Valenzuela. It occupies a total land area of 55.8 square kilometers.

Political Subdivision

Caloocan City is composed of 188 Barangays, which are subdivided into two Congressional Districts. It has been classified as a Highly Urbanized City.

Population

The total population was 1,023,159 as of the 1995 census.

Pasay City - Cultural Center Of Metro Manila

Description

The city of Pasay has long been a great earner for Metropolitan Manila, even when it was only a town. The economic life of the town had so steadily improved that its income exceeded the limit set for an ordinary town, and thus, it became a city. Farming was once an important livelihood in the barrios of San Isidro, San Roque, and Malibay but it later give way to the manufacturing industry. Fishing, too, was a good source of livelihood in the town – until the construction of Roxas Boulevard, which was formerly named Dewey Boulevard. Today, Roxas Boulevard is a recognized center for culture and the arts in the country. Found here is the Cultural Center of the Philippines, which was built to symbolize the country’s national cultural development. The CCP is an institution mandated by law to preserve, promote, and enhance the Filipino people’s cultural heritage. Not far from the Cultural Center of the Philippines stands the Folks Arts Theater. The work of Architect Leandro Locsin, the 10,000-capacity theater is used for popular performances which anticipate extensive audiences. Found in Pasay are the houses of two prominent people in the national government, Claro M. Recto and President Manuel L. Quezon. With its nearness to Manila and the proliferation of business firms and factories, Pasay has been the target destination of people from all walks of life who have wanted to settle and build beautiful residences in the metropolis. Pasay today is a progressive city boasting modern conveniences and, for its multitute of urban settlers, cheap forms of transportation.

Geography

Pasay City is the third smallest political subdivision in the National Capital Region. It is adjacent to the city of Manila and bounded to the south by Parañaque, northwest by Makati City, and Taguig to the west. It occupies a total land area of 13.9 sq. kilometers.

Population

The total population was 408,610 as of the 1995 census.

Political Subdivision

Pasay City consists of 200 Barangays under one Congressional District. It has been classified as a Highly Urbanized City.

Pasig City - The Urban Rainforest

Makati City - Wall Street Of The Philippines

Description

Urban lifestyle and affluence are nowhere more pronounced in the Philippines than in Makati, the country’s classiest city. Bustling and modern, it is the country’s model for city planning, rising in less than a decade from vast stretches of empty land to become the nation’s premier city. This affluent city southwest of Manila is the country’s financial center, earning it the nickname, “Wall Street of the Philippines.” The major banks, corporations, department stores as well as embassies of the different nations are based here. Situated along Ayala Avenue is the Makati Stock Exchange, which houses the trading of stock. Fully developed, well-reputed city villages provide the perfect address for office buildings, shops, and restaurants. Right in the heart of bustling Makati, spread along Ayala Avenue, is Ayala Center, the country’s business and financial center. Encompassing the Glorietta and Greenbelt shopping malls, among others, Ayala Center is also a commercial complex completely at par with the world’s most modern business cosmos. Within it is the Ayala Museum, among the city’s primary repositories of history, culture, and heritage, along with the Filipinas Heritage Library and Museo ng Makati. Makati has the highest concentration of the country’s finest department stores, fashion boutiques, exclusive jewelry shops and antique stores, shoe stores, bookstores, and most other commercial establishments. In identified portions, the city contains the most exclusive residential subdivisions, including Forbes Park, where many of the country’s wealthy and powerful families make their homes. Five-star hotels and restaurants further provide the ultimate avenue for a life of comfort and relaxation.

Geography

Around the northern and eastern borders of Makati City curl the serpentine length of the Pasig River, which separates the premier urbanscape from the adjacent cities of Pasig and Mandaluyong and the municipality of Pateros. Fort Bonifacio and its crowded barangays sprawl along the eastern fringes. Due west is Pasay City, joined at various points to Makati's major arteries via the South Superhighway, Gil Puyat and Taft Avenues. Across Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) from the Ayala Center are the posh villages of Forbes Park and Dasmariñas. The trend spills over Makati's boundaries all the way down the South Superhighway towards the newer subdivisions of Magallanes and Merville Park in Parañaque, and Ayala Alabang in Muntinlupa. Villamor Air Base, skirting the highway due southwest, is the headquarters of the Philippine Air Force. The city occupies a total land area of 29.9 sq. kilometers.

Population

Makati City has a population of 444,867, according to the 2000 Census. This figure represents an increase of 39,824 or 8 % over the 1995 Census figure. Among the cities and municipalities in Metro Manila, Makati ranks fifth in population, with a 5 % share. In a span of 97 years, Makati's population grew 193 times. The 1903 Census placed the population at 2,700. Although its population is slightly less than half a million, the daytime population of Makati City is estimated to be a million during a typical working weekday because of the large number of people who go to the city to work, shop, and do business, especially in the Central

Political Subdivision

The city consists of three Barangays, which are subdivided into two Congressional Districts. It has been classified as a Highly Urbanized City.

Mandaluyong City - The New Tiger Of Metro Manila

Description

Mandaluyong, the heart of the “Golden Triangle” (Manila, Makati, and Quezon City), has finally emerged as a veritable boom city. It is one of the leading business and industrial centers in the country today, the “New Tiger” of Metro Manila, which made an unprecedented giant leap to progress. A popular landmark of Mandaluyong is the EDSA Shrine. Located along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, or EDSA, the shrine serves as a monument to the Virgin Mary, considered to be the protector of those who participated in the People Power Revolution of 1986, the country’s first peaceful and bloodless revolution, which led to the downfall of the corrupt regime under President Ferdinand Marcos. What used to be a swampy, stagnating town is now the haven of industrial giants and business conglomerates. The astonishing growth of Mandaluyong gained headway because its local and foreign investors hone a conducive climate for capital growth. The city today boasts top-class amenities, from deluxe hotels and commercial centers to high-rise offices and residential condominiums.

Geography

Mandaluyong lies on a heart-shaped 26 sq. km. of land, 7 km. southeast of Manila and 8 km. west of Pasig. To the south lies Makati, to the northwest, San Juan, and to the northeast, Quezon City. Thus, Mandaluyong is located at the very center of Metro Manila. With this geographical advantage, it has in recent years emerged as a veritable boomtown, the leading business and industrial mecca of the country.

Population

The total population was 286,870 as of the 1995 census.

Political Subdivisions

Mandaluyong City is composed of 27 Barangays under one Congressional District. It has been classified as a Highly Urbanized City.

Marikina City - Shoe Capital Of The Philippines

Description

A city once threatened by a residential housing pandemonium, Marikina has emerged to reap various national awards for excellence in local governance and environmental preservation. In 2002 alone, it was a “Clean and Green” awardee of the Gawad Pangulo sa Kapaligiran – a category for which it has already been a Hall of Famer as early as in 1996, when it was still a municipality. On the same year, Marikina was also recognized for having a healthy workplace and marketplace. In various occasions, the city has been awarded as well as the “Best Local Government Unit.” Thriving proof of the city’s continued quest for excellence is the Marikina River Park. Spurred by the death of natural resources resulting from the continuous growth in residential area, Marikina took pains in rehabilitating and converting the 220-hectare Marikina River into a sports and recreational park. The city is no stranger to popularity. It has long been famous for its export-quality shoes, the products that gave Marikina the monicker, Shoe Capital of the Philippines. The city’s former Bigasang Bayan is presently being rehabilitated to become the Shoe Museum, showcasing no less than Marikina shoes. Part of the collection are the famous Imelda Marcos shoes. Don Laureano Guevarra, popularly known as Kapitan Moy, who hailed from Marikina, is considered as the founder of the country’s footwear industry. Marikina also used to be a fulcrum of regional sports events when it was still a part of the province of Rizal. It used to be the training ground of some of the best athletes the country has ever produced.

Geography

Marikina, a lush valley bounded by mountain ranges and sliced by a river, is one of the twelve cities and five municipalities comprising the Metro Manila area. It is approximately 16 km. away from Manila, passing through Quezon City. It occupies a total land area of 38.9 sq. kilometers.

Population

The total population was 357,231 as of the 1995 census.

Political Subdivision

The city is composed of 14 Barangays under one Congressional District. It has been classified as a Highly Urbanized City.

Valenzuela City - Industrial Boomtown

Geography

The city of Valenzuela is situated in the northern part of the National Capital Region. Valenzuela City, together with Navotas, Malabon, Pateros, Taguig, and Muntinlupa, form the Metro Manila outer ring of towns. It is bounded to the north and northwest by Caloocan City and Malabon, and to the west by Navotas. The city occupies a total land area of 47 square kilometers.

Population

The total population was 473,165 as of the 1995 census.

Political Subdivision

Valenzuela City is composed of 32 Barangays under one Congressional District. It has been classified as an Urbanized City.

Muntinlupa City - Residential Haven

Geography

Muntinlupa is located at the southwestern part of Metropolitan Manila, bounded on the north by Taguig, on the northwest by Parañaque, on the west by Las Piñas, on the southwest by the province of Laguna, and on the east by Laguna de Bay.

Parañaque City - Novena Mecca Of Metro Manila

Las Piñas City - Salt Center Of Metro Manila

Description

The city of Las Piñas is famous for the Bamboo Organ, praised for its unique, rare, and melodious sound. The unique bamboo organ can only be found inside the St. Joseph Church of the Parish of Las Piñas. It was in the year 1822 that the construction of this one-of-a-kind musical instrument started; it was completed in 1824. Fr. Diego Cera initiated building this organ using bamboo, wood, and metal. Yearly, a Bamboo Organ Festival is being held at the Parish during the month of February. Las Piñas has also come to be known as a major site of Philippine revolts. During the Philippine-Spanish revolution of 1896, it was occupied by the forces of General Emilio Aguinaldo, President of the First Philippine Republic. Similarly, the city, then only a town, figured prominently during the World War II. Beliefs on the true origin of the town’s name vary. Some say it is derived from the word “Piña,” meaning pineapple, since traders from the provinces of Cavite and Batangas shipped their pineapples for sale first to this town before the nearby markets. Others believe that the name was really “Las Peñas,” owing to the quarrying of stones and adobe, which were used to construct buildings and bridges. The name could also have originated from the two political groups that ruled the town at that time. An inscription in an old church bell, which has been preserved inside the museum of the Las Piñas Parochial Church, states, “Siendo Cura-del Pueblo de Las Peñas el M.R.P. Padre Diego Cera se Fundio este equilon ano de 1820.” It shows that, as early as during the time of Fr. Diego Cera, the town’s first parish priest, the town had been called “Las Peñas” – until after sometime that the town’s name was somehow changed to “Las Piñas.”

Geography

Las Piñas City is bounded on the north and northeast by the city of Parañaque; on the east and southeast by the city of Muntinlupa; on the south by the municipality of Imus, Cavite; on the southwest and west by the municipality of Bacoor, Cavite; and on the northwest by the scenic Manila Bay. It occupies a total land area of 41.54 sq. kilometers.

Population

The total population was 413,086 as of the 1995 census.

Political Subdivision

The city is composed of 20 Barangays under one Congressional District. It has been classified as a Highly Urbanized City.

Malabon City - A Coastal Capital

Description

The city of Malabon was an important literary center of the revolutionary Filipinos during the period of Spain’s colonization of the Philippines, which ended with the revolution in 1896. It was here, in Malabon’s Asilo de Huertanos, that the “La Independencia,” the voice of the revolutionary government, was printed. On the same site were housed children who had been orphaned due to the plague of 1882. Today Malabon has become a coastal city situated in the northern part of Metro Manila. Malabon, together with Navotas, Valenzuela, Pateros, Taguig, Pasig, and Muntinlupa, form the Metro Manila outer ring of towns, with the city of Manila as the center. A primary attraction in the city is the Malabon Zoo and Aquarium. It is a well kept and unique conservatory of both endemic and exotic animals, including a large variety of unusual fishes, stashed inside a one-hectare tropical rainforest environment. An amusing destination for the old and the young, it indulges its visitors with the distinct privilege to pet wild animals that normally avoid human contact. The zoo is an accommodating classroom for nature lovers as it educates people on the environmental preservation of forests and wildlife.

Geography

The town of Malabon is basically a coastal town situated in the northern part of Metro Manila. Malabon, together with Navotas, Valenzuela, Pateros, Taguig, Pasig, and Muntinlupa, form the Metro Manila outer ring of towns, with the city of Manila as the center. The municipality is bounded on the north and northeast by Valenzuela, on the west and southwest by Navotas, and on the southeast by Caloocan City. It occupies a total land area of 23.4 square kilometers.

Population

The total population was 347,484 as of 1995.

Political Subdivision

Malabon is composed of 21 Barangays under one Congressional District. It has been classified as a 1st Class Municipality.

Navotas - Fishing Capital Of Greater Manila

Geography

Navotas is a small fishing town in the northwest portion of Metropolitan Manila. It is a long island system presenting an aggregate shoreline of approximately 4.5 km. fronting Manila Bay. Towards the north, Navotas shares a common border with the town of Obando in Bulacan along the Sukol Creek. The eastern boundaries of Navotas are the Binuangan river, Daang Cawayan river, the Bangculasi channel, and the Estero de Maypajo, all bodies of water sharing a common boundary with Manila in the south. In the west, the waters of Manila Bay wash the shores of Navotas. The minucipality occupies a total land area of 2.6 square kilometers.

Population

The total population was 229, 039 as of the 1995 census.

Political Subdivision

The municipality consists of 14 Barangays. It has been classified as a 1st Class Municipality.

Taguig - Rice Bowl Of Greater Manila

Geography

Taguig, a first class municipality, is situated at the northwestern shore of Laguna de Bay at the upper mouth of the legendary Pasig River, also known as the Napindan Channel, through which Laguna drains its flood waters. It occupies a total land area of 33.7 sq. kilometers.

Population

The total population was 381,350 as of the 1995 census.

Political Subdivision

Taguig consists of 18 Barangays. It has been classified as a 1st Class Municipality.

Pateros - The Philippines' Duck Egg Capital

Description

The foremost tourist attraction in Pateros is also its biggest and most famous industry - balut-making. Balut are duck eggs, and have been the source of a thriving industry in Pateros, which has been handed down from generation to generation. It presently accounts for about 23% of the total industry. Balut makers mostly come from Aguho. Another attraction, and another industry, in Pateros is its popular Alfombra slippers. In fact, slipper manufacturing was one of the earliest and original skills of the people of Pateros. Today, the Alfombra slipper business ranks fourth in the registered industrial establishments of Pateros, with stores situated along the streets of M. Almeda and B. Morilla.

Geography

Pateros is approximately 13 km. southeast of Manila and north of the Pasig River. It is bounded by the following municipalities: Pasig in the northeast, Taguig in the south, Makati in the northwest, and the Pateros River in the west. It occupies a total land area of 10.4 sq. kilometers.

Population

The total population was 55,286 as of the 1995 census.

Political Subdivision

Taguig is composed of 10 Barangays under one Congressional District. It has been classified as a 4th Class Municipality.

San Juan - Brave Men In History

Geography

San Juan is situated in the central part of Metropolitan Manila. Its northern and western boundaries are Quezon City and the city of Manila, respectively, while the city of Mandaluyong form its southern and eastern boundaries. It occupies a total land area of 10.4 sq. kilometers.

Population

The total population was 124,187 as of the 1995 census.

Political Subdivision

San Juan is composed of 21 Barangays. It has been classified as a 1st Class Municipality.