Here's another impressive restoration job. The Art Deco St. Cecilia's Hall inside Sts. Scholastica's College. It's like a mini Metropolitan Theater!


St. Cecilia's Hall exterior

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/pe68f006f87db00b9716e8efba608f6eb/f89522d6.jpg


St. Cecilia's Hall lobby

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/pc937992edc7223fadd0849c0a3bd4c55/f89522d4.jpg

hey, that's my dorm. the ugly maroon lowrise. how were you able to enter st scholastica's? would really love to come inside. hehe.

Super ganda!That ST. Cecilia's Hall should be a cultural heritage as well!If buildings in the heart of the capital would be beautifully restored and revived and not be converted into malls or semolished for new modern buildings, then Manila would be synonymous to Paris, Milan or Rome. That's an edge we could have among all the other ASEAN metropolises.

maganda ang estrada street maraming aliw na buildings. may bagong ginagawa sa bandang taft pero mukhang ok naman.

Here's another pic of St. Scho. I was able to go inside because my niece had a recital. She's the girl in the lower left corner of the first pic above.

St. Scholastica

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid118/pf324d0f9d60f61127bb0da626cbb304c/f8934bbf.jpg


This part of Malate really is full of architectural treasures, there's the Instituto Cervantes/Mayflower, St. Scholastica's, the La Salle Press, the Escudero house, and Becky's Kitchen. Sige, puwede na rin Benilde Angelo King building. La Salle is also building a new structure for its Institute of Design in the Area. By the way, no fooling, a friend and I once saw a ghost-like figure standing in front of the Escudero house while driving past it at 2 am in the morning. Kinilabutan talaga kami.

Final plug, please pick up today's copy of the Manila Bulletin and read the "Home" section. Na-a-angst na editor namin kasi wala daw nag-e-email ng feedback!
Also, please check out the latest text for the Philippine tourism "City Nightlife" ad in the Samahan thread. Comments and suggestions needed! Bukas na deadline ko! Aaaargh!

universities and colleges restore their buildings beautifully. UST also has well-restored buildings.

I agree...they are all beautiful. maintainence is very good...

Nobody's emailing feedback because it's not available online maybe? If I find things interesting I would feed something back, but I guess I'd have to back to the Philippines to pick up a copy of the Bulletin...

can't grab one now. too late. sarado na newsstands. :(

becky's kiitchen astig. sarap pa mga tinda nila. mejo mahal nga lang para sa budget ko.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid60/p8ee00becce62380689d5170d408b87c2/fc522084.jpg

ayan para di off topic. kuha noong 2003 sa rooftop ng burgundy transpacific sa pablo ocampo street.

Nice picture. My sister was a... what do you call them? Kulasa? But I think she wouldn't really count. She only stayed there until grade 1. Then we moved to the States.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid77/pc7dafd0349e49f73ef4b36feeb0d68c9/fb301c05.jpg

Anyone know what these buildings are being used for these days? Any history on these buildings?

(btw... this is the 6000th post on the resurrected Philippine forums)

I think it's the side of the buildings facing away from the river that are being used. One of them is being used as a warehouse yata and if I'm not mistaken was the setting for some scenes of the Joyce Jimenez/Jomari Yllana movie "Warat".

If you get to look at the Buhayin ang Maynila exhibit and coffee table book, part of Atienza's future projects include the redevelopment of Escolta. Fortunately, he won another term, so the project will have the chance to be implemented. I hope the redevelopment efforts extend to these buildings.

While going through my old files, I found this set of Intramuros pics that I took a year or so ago. Sigh, if only Intramuros weren't bombed to bits by the insensitive Americans in WW2. MacArthur may be admired by most Filipinos as our "liberator", but among the American generals in the Pacific theater, he was reportedly the most recklessly gung-ho and least considerate with regards to destruction of infrastructure. Most war historians agree that the shelling of Manila during the liberation was a mostly unnecessary maneuver, which they suggest was only done to appease MacArthur's impatience. Just think how much more of Manila's architectural heritage may have been spared if we'd had a different "liberator".


Puerta Lucia

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid118/p3a89651704eb5f969d82f2ba1fe87132/f88eedae.jpg


Folk dancers on parade

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid118/p3b95056d49366df8703c392ce625452f/f88eedad.jpg


A view of the Manila skyline from the greens of Club Intramuros.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid118/p0e962fde43aad469f88f68848aaf77a7/f88ef3de.jpg


Plaza San Luis at dusk

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid118/p88038a9a8a810d4e758715277f141a5c/f88ef3e2.jpg

MacArthur seemed like he had an obsession with liberating the Philippines.


what's up with Escolta right now? from the last set of pics i've seen, it's starting to look nice again

a very nice set of pictures. i dun like macarthur at all.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/pd2edbd73ee2ad2c532276de617045029/f893dde5.jpg

i took this mga early 2003 for a documentary on divisoria.

galing ng kuha sa lady vendor.

a very nice set of pictures. i dun like macarthur at all.


the man is very highly respected in philippine history books. he's held in high regard

The photos make me homesick! I've been away too long.

i think i can disagree with authors of philippine history books.

Most of those history books were written by writers sympathetic to the Americans or under their influence.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/p89d5fcc55043902c3c95ad6398a31aa2/f89d75d8.jpg

a cigarette vendor on a floody night in taft avenue.

pic taken 2002.

whats the red- orange light weirdo? kinda bizarre but it looks nice... ;)

i don't know it either. maybe some effects produced with lights when taking night pics from a moving jeep. thanks for the compliment.

Lapu-Lapu could
lose Luneta spot
Posted: 11:22 PM (Manila Time) | May 28, 2004
By Tarra V. Quismundo
Inquirer News Service

HE MAY have been the brave hero of Mactan who brought foreign invaders led by their leader Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan to their feet.

But forces of nature and man may bring him down from his pedestal at the Rizal Park where a replica of his likeness had been installed more than three months ago.

Lapu-Lapu's statue, called "The Statue of the Sentinel of Freedom," stands on a 10-foot pedestal at the Teodoro Valencia Circle at the national park. Unveiled early February, it is made of resin and is a replica of the original bronze statue made by sculptor Juan Sajid Imao that was finished the same month.

Public hazard
But with the onset of the rainy season, the statue had turned into a 30-foot public hazard.

"It was designed to withstand 80 kph (kilometer per hour) winds," said Department of Tourism undersecretary Armand Arreza, who said the statue "swayed" when typhoon "Dindo" roared through and caused death and destruction in some parts of the country.

Typhoons that have passed through the country had brought winds well beyond the statue's wind speed threshold.

Arreza hopes the statue can be replaced with the original, sturdier version in bronze as soon as possible, to prevent accidents to promenaders or other nearby structures in casethe statue is toppled down by strong winds. The original statue is now at Imao's Marikina workshop.

Since its unveiling, the 30-foot statue had become one of the favorite attractions in the park. Surrounded by benches and brightly lit at night, it continues to draw a large number of families and tourists to the site.

But Lapu-Lapu's fate would depend on forthcoming talks between the Department of Tourism and the National Historical Institute that has questioned the installation of the statue at the park. The NHI insists that putting the statue there is illegal.

A project of senator-elect Richard Gordon when he was still tourism secretary, it was funded by a P16-million donation from the Korean Freedom League.

Installation 'illegal'
Standing 500 meters behind the monument of national hero Jose Rizal, the statue was supposed to occupy the spot on a temporary basis until the DOT's dispute with the NHI is settled.

Defending its stand, the NHI said that the 52-hectare park was declared a historical site in 1995 in honor of the heroes who lost their lives at Bagumbayan where the park is now found.

The historical body said that Presidential Decree 1505 prohibits "any person to modify, alter, repair or destroy the original features of any national shrine, monument or landmark."

Thus, the NHI argued, the statue honoring Mactan chieftain Lapu-Lapu, who defeated Magellan in the 16th century, should have been placed elsewhere.

But Gordon put up the statue anyway, saying that the national park should be "a place for all heroes."

thanks for the news. but before they remove the statue tey must let me photograph it first. never held a cam even before the statue was installed. hehe.

Here are a few pics of Plaza Rajah Soliman, all lit up at sunset. I took them for the DOT ads. I've got lots more pics of the Baywalk area that I plan to upload

The statue of Rajah Soliman

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid119/p48769c5322c948e82784c6d3890df90a/f8770de7.jpg


The fountain Atienza installed

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid119/p3d9d15a70ab19211ee06068739d97629/f8770de2.jpg

nice pics.I really like pictures that were taken during sunset.

astig. ang ganda.

with these improvements in manila, maeenganyo talaga ang mga taong bumalik sa maynila. kasi ang migration ng tao as i see it is from manila to the suburbs. businesses too.

Here's the pic they chose to use with the ad.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid119/pf203849378dc523c2834e524085f3675/f872abcc.jpg

it's good that Manila is being decongested imo.

and these revitalization works by Atienza is good. but he needs to do more than what meets the tourist's eye. work on bigger problems of the manilenos.

superb pics Jude, too bad i wasn't able to take pics like those. didn't visit that part of Baywalk

poor horse. malnourished horse. look at the size of its hind quarters. poor horse.

rennie boy and i have lots of malnourished horse pics. hehe. i thought all horses here are malnourished but i saw a good number of healthy horses. so ayus naman pala kahit papaano.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid119/p46fd836fc5b8c3ffc2e1eac9281e75d4/f873d007.jpg

ang saya saya nitong bagay na ito. kahit mejo marumi ung tubig and di ko makita ung bahay namin sa luzon. hehe.

mga june 2002 kinuha.

rennie boy and i have lots of malnourished horse pics. hehe. i thought all horses here are malnourished but i saw a good number of healthy horses. so ayus naman pala kahit papaano.

Hacienda Punta Baluarte in Calatagan, Batangas (owned by Ayala Zobel) has lots of healthy horses...maybe hundreds.

ang saya saya nitong bagay na ito. kahit mejo marumi ung tubig and di ko makita ung bahay namin sa luzon. hehe.

:lol:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid119/p46fd836fc5b8c3ffc2e1eac9281e75d4/f873d007.jpg

ang saya saya nitong bagay na ito. kahit mejo marumi ung tubig and di ko makita ung bahay namin sa luzon. hehe.

mga june 2002 kinuha.

Cool. I havent seen that before. Looks interesting.

Cool. I havent seen that before. Looks interesting.

Yup a relief map of the Philippines... best viewed while riding the LRT.. kaso not all year round me tubig yan kc nagda-dry up din

i've seen that angle a lot of times. but not the real thing. don't really visit that part of Manila a lot

Take a Boulevard
jeep in style
Posted: 10:36 PM (Manila Time) | Jun. 02, 2004
By Tarra V. Quismundo
Inquirer News Service

THE KING of Metro Manila's roads has expanded its kingdom, and with style.

For the first time, the passenger jeepney plies the bayside stretch of Roxas Boulevard from its Manila end to the southern city of Parañaque, and with a comfortable addition: air-conditioners.



"The passengers find riding our jeepneys very convenient," said Cesar Galvez, 51, who drives one of the five that now cruise the Coastal Road, renowned for its commanding view of postcard-pretty Manila Bay sunsets.

Since May, Galvez has been ferrying passengers with his eye-catching jumbo transport from their terminal on Magallanes Drive in Intramuros, fronting the National Press Club, to the entrance of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Parañaque, competing with the ubiquitous FX taxis bound for Cavite that also take the Roxas Boulevard route from 6 a.m. to 12 midnight.

Designed by his cousin, Orlando Marquez Sr., the 25-seater coaster-type jeepneys took to the road a week before the elections.

As a promo gimmick, passengers, most of them students, office employees and tourists looking for a ride out of the Walled City, enjoyed free rides the entire week.

The ride costs P8 for the first four kilometers, but the "biyaheng derecho," a run through from Manila to Naia costs double, or P16. From its Manila terminal to the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex on Vito Cruz Street, the fare is P9, while Baclaran-bound passengers pay P13 for a one-way trip.

"There aren't that many passengers who go to the terminal," says Galvez. "We pick up most of our passengers along the way, and most of them get off at Baclaran."

Marquez, the jeep's maker and president of the Makati Jeepney Operators and Drivers Alliance Inc. (MJODA), also designed the first air-conditioned jeepneys that began plying avenues in Makati's central business district in 1996.

His patented design, an innovation of the model improvised from US Army type jeepneys left behind after the Second World War, is transferred from paper to form at FG Motors, a jeepney workshop in Taytay, Rizal. Galvez said that more of these public transport units are now being made at the cost of P650,000 per unit.

Smooth ride
Handling the jumbo jeepney with its roaring diesel engine and power steering, encased in stainless steel painted a flashy hue of blue, is easy as pie for Galvez, a professional driver since 1979. "It's easy to drive, and even lighter to handle than a bus or a regular jeepney," he said.

Having driven regular jeepneys and buses around Metro Manila, and two-deck buses in Hongkong in the early '80s, he found the aircon jeepney "a smoother drive."

Unlike the traditional jeepney with a rear high-step entrance, the jumbo aircon jeepney welcomes passengers through a sliding door on the right side, just like a bus.

The jumbo jeep also has no seat by the driver. Double seaters for 25 passengers occupy two rows facing the front; at the rear is a couch-like five seater. All the seats are covered in red leatherette fabric.

Cheap thrills
For those who are not school or office-bound, taking this ride could be one of the cheapest forms of sightseeing in the metro. The regular ride brings both local and foreign tourists to Luneta Park for a glimpse of the monument of national hero Jose Rizal, the Roxas Boulevard Baywalk that transforms into a glittering mecca for night revelers, the Manila Yacht Club, the CCP complex, and of course, a view of the unfading glory of the Manila Bay sunset.

On regular days, Galvez makes around P1,000, and adds P300 more to his take-home pay when passenger pick-ups are more frequent by the roadside. When business isn't too good, he settles for P800.

Galvez noted that passengers who see their jumbo jeepneys on the road for the first time seem apprehensive about taking a ride on the aircon jeepneys. But he is not about to give up on the King.

"Once they know how safe and comfortable it can be, I am sure they will not hesitate to take a ride," said Galvez

On regular days, Galvez makes around P1,000, and adds P300 more to his take-home pay when passenger pick-ups are more frequent by the roadside. When business isn't too good, he settles for P800.

ayos un ah! :okay:

I saw one of those air-conditioned jeepneys plying Roxas Boulevard this Wednesday.

there are a/c jeepneys travelling around Makati as well...i saw some along Makati Ave.

cool! air-condition jeepney sounds good!

i've ridden one in makati before (maybe 3 years ago) and it's actually ok being airconditioned and all but... if only they could have made them look better. they still kinda looked ugly. parang pilit ang itsura. :D

Erap had established air-con jeepneys around Makati during his term, though i don't see a lot of them whenever i visit the CBD.

the ones plying Roxas Blvd. should be successful, with their routes being a touristic place. this could be our version of the double-decker buses in London:D

Intramuros Fast Food Joints

I'm lovin' it:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid116/p25450ae14876ca229831bdd06627fcc4/f8a5c884.jpg

Langhap-Sarap:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid116/p4da65eab774d12658d07aceb248af234/f8a5c79d.jpg

hmm.. i haven't seen those before.. anyways, they look ugly to be in Intrams

they were actually trying to adjust to the architecture of intramuros. i think. :D

they messed up then, big time.

and why the hell would they adjust it? :bash:

i haven't been to intramuros.
my workmate's been there last last week, but i was stucked here at the office to finish a lot of things...

Imo, the Jollibee building is ok, but i dont like the McDo building. Not suitable for Intramuros.

Manila 1965
http://pro.corbis.com/images/GL004126.jpg?size=67&uid={61f47304-a290-44dd-b3bc-167134400ff1}

looks like its in Mexico or some carribean american country...

:lol: Yeah, it looks like Havana or maybe Miami! I like it...

or puerto rico

No road stripes... nothing's changed.

Oh wait... there was asphalt on that road. Things have changed.

No road stripes... nothing's changed.

Oh wait... there was asphalt on that road. Things have changed.

Roxas Blvd still does have asphalt...and its really smooth, too. Plus there are road stripes.

See...
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/93roxasblvd.jpg
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/93roxasblvd2.jpg
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/photopost/data/500/93manila_hotel.jpg

Roxas looks very nice... I think that it is just one of a few of our clean roads...

it is much better when they actually mark the roads, not only in its apparent uses, (lol) but in the actual aesthetics of the city. good, smooth surfaced roads give some tourists in Manila less to complain about u kno :D:lol:.. but bad roads are even a problem here in london. i live in an OK middle-class area, but there roads here are very reminiscent of those in Manila! :lol: there are very awkward potholes, trash-piles and faded marking ABOUND here! :crazy:

roxas boulevard is like our showcase boulevard. it's what philippines roads CAN be if only we have more money for infrastructure. :D

I know I know.... :)

I was just being cynical. lol.

Manila 1965
http://pro.corbis.com/images/GL004126.jpg?size=67&uid={61f47304-a290-44dd-b3bc-167134400ff1}


LOL :cheers: The license plate on that VW says Philippines!

Why do you guys say it seems like puerto rico, cuba or some carribean island? Is it because the dad on the motorcycle looks hispanic? He could be just a filipino mestizo. :)

Maybe because of the sea, the coconut trees, and the vintage cars. :)

like how cuba still uses vintage cars in their streets because of a ban on importation of cars that has been in effect for something like 50 years now.

sweet Roxas blvd. pics, i need to top that too :D

great pictures greyx and renell.

yeah roxas blvd is better maintained now. they should keep that up!

This is a "huh?!?!" picture I found of Rizal Park.

http://www.wgn.net/~elson/me/monkey/manila.jpg

Monkey's been all over the world. http://www.wgn.net/~elson/me/monkey/monkey.html

This looks like it's somewhere in Ermita? Or is it Binondo?

http://jim.rees.org/trips/HK/manila.jpg

TRAFFIC!
http://www.rufer.net/Bilder%20Manila/Manila%20Traffic.jpg

TRAFFIC!
http://www.rufer.net/Bilder%20Manila/Manila%20Traffic.jpg

Now that's the Manila I remember (15 years ago)! Is is much better now?

Maybe because of the sea, the coconut trees, and the vintage cars. :)

Yep. For me the first thing I looked at was the license plate so it was PI all the way. Now looking at the whole pic again it does look like its somewhere in Miami.

And for the last "traffic" pic. That's the Manila I remember 15-20 yrs ago also.

And for the last "traffic" pic. That's the Manila I remember 15-20 yrs ago also. Those jeepneys are really colorful. :)

hey, guess what...i saw this morning that they have started construction on the future manila city hall of justice at the former sky....whatever it is which was demolished in taft ave

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid77/pc7dafd0349e49f73ef4b36feeb0d68c9/fb301c05.jpg

Anyone know what these buildings are being used for these days? Any history on these buildings?

(btw... this is the 6000th post on the resurrected Philippine forums)

If no one's answered your question yet, while I have no idea what they're currently using the buildings for, one of them was in the Marites Soriano film about a Chinese clan, where her druggie sister gets rescued by undercover cop Piolo Pascual. As for the past, here's what I got from an Allied military intelligence booklet dated Dec. 1944--Terrain Handbook 41A City of Manila: that's the National City Bank of New York on the right, El Hogar Filipino on the left. Those are the original names of those buildings that survived the war.

Now that's the Manila I remember (15 years ago)! Is is much better now?

Yeah, that traffic picture is really old. Prolly around the late 80s. You could say that the traffic has improved, but it does get clogged up like that sometimes.

hmm.. i wonder where all that traffic is? EDSA?

and also one of the buses in the foreground has Escolta on its sign.

I don't think it's EDSA. It looks like it was from Quezon Blvd under Recto.

ronavett
really? do you a rendering for the new hall of justice? sky room used to be there.

hawayano
you are right....el hogar is my favorite old building in manila. inside is still well preserved. not much alterations were donr except the elevator.

hmm.. i wonder where all that traffic is? EDSA?

and also one of the buses in the foreground has Escolta on its sign.

Boybaha is correct, it is Espana/Quezon Blvd not EDSA.

ronavett
really? do you a rendering for the new hall of justice? sky room used to be there.

well, sorry, don't have one. i just saw i post back then that it would soon be the hall of justice for manila. way way back. maybe, it took atienza more time to get the funds for it

http://fantasia.ncsa.uiuc.edu/doug/superhtml/images/hall1.jpg

sorry... couldn't help it.

http://fantasia.ncsa.uiuc.edu/doug/superhtml/images/hall1.jpg

sorry... couldn't help it.

That's funny! I remember watching that cartoon all the time! :)

I don't think it's EDSA. It looks like it was from Quezon Blvd under Recto.


ah ok.. i never knew there was an underpass there.

well, sorry, don't have one. i just saw i post back then that it would soon be the hall of justice for manila. way way back. maybe, it took atienza more time to get the funds for it

yeah until now it makes me very pissed of on what atienza did to the skyroom! shame on him!

well we would be lucky if the new hall of justice would looks like that!

:lol:

ah ok.. i never knew there was an underpass there.
yeah. i don't think it's espana-quezon ave. i think it's that street near quaipo... near fast eastern university (feu) and isettan department store... perpendicular to recto. i'm not sure what it's called.

yeah. i don't think it's espana-quezon ave. i think it's that street near quaipo... near fast eastern university (feu) and isettan department store... perpendicular to recto. i'm not sure what it's called.

Yeah, rico is right. but its Quezon Boulevard-Recto.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/pc70885de429e4a48793041bc2ca53a47/f8a4b0d1.jpg

this is the gray and colored (photoshopd) version. :cheers:

taken 2003

i missd posting photos in this thread

oh... got confused with quezon boulevard and quezon avenue. so many quezons in the phils... quezon city, quezon province and quezon city not in quezon province. very confusing.

Cool photo, weirdo...Its all black and white except for the shop and RP flag.

oh... got confused with quezon boulevard and quezon avenue. so many quezons in the phils... quezon city, quezon province and quezon city not in quezon province. very confusing.

yeah i was confused also, thats why i had to look at my city-atlas:D

actually that intersection photo would be impossible to reproduce today, because of the LRT2 line that currently runs over Recto.

actually that intersection photo would be impossible to reproduce today, because of the LRT2 line that currently runs over Recto.
maybe we should have a "before and after" photo. anyone? :D

Intramuros Fast Food Joints

I'm lovin' it:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid116/p25450ae14876ca229831bdd06627fcc4/f8a5c884.jpg

Langhap-Sarap:
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid116/p4da65eab774d12658d07aceb248af234/f8a5c79d.jpg

take a look at mcdonals and jollibee restaurants they were constructed in such a way they blend with the intramuros historical features i believe that one of the conditions for anybody building a site inside the "walled city"

I've been inside that McDo food chain in Intramuros. :)

been to jollibee. mas malapit sa pinupuntahan e. hehe. dun nga ako lagi kumakain pag nag iintramuros. :cheers:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid119/pa968e752002ea780fd1872ff274cc339/f873ce06.jpg

taken 2002

Since you've been talking about this guy. Here he is.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid122/p5ba5b6e358d8622cc4f49b036410bacc/f8423182.jpg

And here are his neighbors.

National Museum (Museum of the Filipino People)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid122/p3cd79007b98f5eeb29dfdfdf85d44509/f841fa87.jpg


Department of Tourism

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid122/pf52f5c90d49b040f19f00e3337103a95/f841fa8b.jpg


Took these when I had some work to do at the DOT and the Bulletin office in Intramuros. I just walked from one to the other and took a few pics along the way. I'll upload the others soon.

College to rise
in Mehan Garden
Posted: 11:30 PM (Manila Time) | Jun. 15, 2004
By Tarra V. Quismundo
Inquirer News Service

AFTER a long-drawn dispute, Manila officials and the National Historical Institute (NHI) have agreed to the construction of a new home for the City Colleges of Manila (CCM) on the grounds of the city's first zoological and botanical garden.

"I see no more impediments," Manila Mayor Jose L. Atienza Jr. told the Inquirer. "This is much needed by students from Manila. Construction could begin right away as soon as the dust of the elections settles," he added.

Already on the drawing board four years ago through a city ordinance, the construction had been questioned by the NHI and conservationists who feared that a spanking new building on the site could take away the ambience of the Mehan Garden founded in 1858 as Jardin Botanico.

It was also the site of the old Parian, which Chinese merchants turned into a trading center between the 16th and 18th centuries.

The park off Liwasang Bonifacio (formerly Plaza Lawton) and the Post Office building was later named after American park and sanitation superintendent John Mehan in 1913.

City Hall saw it as a viable relocation site for CCM students who have been holding classes at the old Philippine National Bank Building on Escolta Street, Sta. Cruz.

With City Hall revising its design into a five-story building on stilts, the NHI agreed to the construction expected to take place next month. The design leaves the ground level open.

NHI Historic Preservation Division chief Reynaldo Inovero said City Hall also agreed to redevelop and restore the remaining grounds of Mehan Garden.

Mehan Garden is also home to the Metropolitan Theater, the City Library, Manila's Department of Public Services offices, and the Park N' Ride bus terminal complex built in 2002.

Earlier, the NHI said it was afraid that a school building on the Garden could violate Presidential Decree 1505, that deems unlawful any modification, alteration, or repair of "original features of any national shrine, monument, or landmark."

But the kinks have apparently been ironed out with the revised construction plan that also allows archeological explorations.

Manila Flagship Projects Management Director Jun Tablan said the school building would be built on a 5,000-sq. m lot within the Garden.

The building, would have 45 classrooms, with a separate laboratory facility. It would be built close to the existing three-story City Library.

Tablan said the administration offices would be housed at the ground floor of the City Library that would also be refurbished.

The remaining 15,000 sq. m would be reserved for the botanical garden located behind the Central Terminal Light Rail Transit station on Arroceros Street, Ermita.

Now, two commemorative concrete tree trunks erected on Dec. 21, 1992 when non-government organizations undertook a beautification project to restore the park, are the only indications that it was once a lush and glorious park.

Its concrete pathways now seemingly lead to nowhere, carpeted with thick growths of grass.

"The park became a holding area for illegal side cars and for stalls seized from illegal vendors," said Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau (MTPB)officer Manuel Regacho, who has been patrolling the grounds for four years now.

As the Garden is found along the main thoroughfare where jeepneys, FX taxis, and buses pass through, the poorly-lit sidewalk fronting it has become a rich target of opportunity for petty thieves at night.

"There have been cases of cellular phone snatching [incidents] there," said Eloisa Villanueva, 38, another MTPB officer.

Regacho added that the grounds also serve as home for beggars and squatters who use the open space as their sleeping quarters.

But City Hall has also promised to give a new look to the park that was in full bloom some 146 years ago.

The facelift could even be finished ahead of the CCM, according to Tablan. "We have torn down the concrete fence, and since it's already an open area, beggars would no longer be able to stay there," he added.

CCM students who had looked forward to a campus all their own agree that it was worth the wait.

read about that too boybaha.....i am not very sure whether i support that project. cant they build this college somewhere else?

I agree. Since when does putting a building up on stilts preserve the historic location of a site? I can think of other places where they could put this. Imagine razing Harrison Plaza and turning it into a park-like campus again thus giving Manila its lungs back? I think this would be a wonderful place. Oh I forgot. They only raze historic areas and not decaying shopping malls.

that's the power of money... :D

Harrison Plaza isn't decaying. In fact it's slowly being improved. I like that mall! Although I do agree that it would have been really great if it had remained the Century Park it was originally.

Actually, around Manila there are loads of large vacant lots which really makes me question the logic of having to utilize these historical areas. Philtrust owns several large vacant lots along Roxas Boulevard, and in Ermita there's a large abandoned compound where girlie bars used to be. And there's the mostly unused GSIS/Veterans' buildings along Arroceros.

I'm also on the fence about this. If the design for the building turns out to be another concrete monstrosity then I'm definitely gonna be gunning against it. But if it's decent enough then I guess it'll be a good thing to have that area come alive again. It's really been a dump for the past few decades.

Nice pics, JudeD:) I agree, they shouldnt be building things on existing parks! We already lack parks and yet they are doing this. There are tons of other places they can build the collage.

Speaking of parks, here are a few pics of Manila's most famous. I was really fascinated by the three towers visible behind the line of trees so I kept focusing on them. And when I got to Intramuros I was pleased to see that they were still visible behind the walls! I took these on the same walk I mentioned earlier.


The Orchidarium

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid122/p9fd4a57716ed71b44459c7716150a912/f83b1dbd.jpg


Three Pics of The Three Towers

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid122/p2d5c0d068ffc9d80711b22f5451ae44f/f83b1dbb.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid122/p92b20986d5d98358a82079f9574d13c1/f83b1dba.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid122/pc950fa06053fe59bd4c0d44cf77c3ea6/f83b1c41.jpg

nice set of pictures! you deinitely have the talent, and you sure do have a nice scenery to take such nice pics ;)

great photos...thanks for sharing. i like the middle building with white and maroon color =)

wow... those were nice pics... hmmm... if there were more tall building on that area of Ermita.. boy... tey would look very good.. :D they're also colorful... :D

simply beautiful.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/p3a601368660c28de3bc13e8ffb80351b/f89d9d07.jpg

2002 :cheers:

Nice pics! I love that area of Manila:cool:

that is the one of the most beautiful Spanish architecture left in Manila.... makes me proud to be a Tomasino...:D

at first I thought (actually most that I know) thought that it was a church... heheheh...:D

UST is gonna have a new structure. I think its a multilevel parking building. It's 3 storey above ground. i dunno if there are any underground. Anyone who's got the rendering? They say this has to blend with the archi pieces already existing at UST.

the UST's main building (forgot it's name) is really nice looking. my cousin who's in High School there at the moment toured me around there. i saw there renderings for a new basketball arena. and i also saw a temporary parking lot there, like the ones we saw in front of Rustans Makati couple years earlier...

that is the one of the most beautiful Spanish architecture left in Manila.... makes me proud to be a Tomasino...:D

at first I thought (actually most that I know) thought that it was a church... heheheh...:D

But wasn't the UST Sampaloc campus put up during the American era? The historical marker in front says 1934. Although they did stick to Spanish gothic instead of American neoclassical architecture.

Don't quote me on this but I think I remember the historical marker in front of the original UST in Intramuros (near the site of the original Sto. Domingo Church) saying that UST started moving to Sampaloc in the last decades of the 1800s. Someone has to check this out.

Those buildings are certainly not the original UST buildings.

Don't quote me on this but I think I remember the historical marker in front of the original UST in Intramuros (near the site of the original Sto. Domingo Church) saying that UST started moving to Sampaloc in the last decades of the 1800s. Someone has to check this out.

Those buildings are certainly not the original UST buildings.

You're right, boybaha...the original UST faced what was Plaza Benavides in Intramuros, just west of the old Santo Domingo Church. (See the Wartime Philippines thread in this site for the Plaza Espana view in 1945--old UST is on the right side of the pic). The cornerstone for the Espana campus was set in 1911, on the 300th anniversary of UST's founding. When you enter the present-day campus, the ornate archway and statue of Fray Benavides are the surviving architectural features removed from the original Walled City campus. So I'm not so sure about classifying the 1911-era buildings as "Spanish" architecture, since they're US-period structures.

uhhmmm ok... I sat corrected... yeah I forgot that Espana campus was built in the late 1900's...

http://www.susanbcorgan.com/UST/C00/003.jpg?display=small
this is the Arch of the Centuries...this side that faces Espana is the reconstructed facade of the old UST entrance... and the other side is the original one... it was transferred to Espana when the campus moved....

for the new carpark... I saw a rendering last week I think.. which was posted in the Sunday edition of the Philippine Star.... they will replace/enlarge the existing 2 storey parking in front of the UST Hospital... to add more park space and to blend in with the architecture....

I was an organization officer in UST back in college and in 1999, the Treasurer told us of future plans on the University soil...

1. the renovation of the Fra Angelico building to make it a 10 storey building. Today it was already renovated but I think its below 10 storey high
2. the Student Center... it will replace the Cooperative Cantene behind the Main Building.. to a 5 storey multipurpose building
3. to renovate the UST health building.
4. an underground parking on the Engineering Complex ground... well this didn't seem to push through because of the floods.. so maybe this is why they are just remodeling the old multilevel parking...:D

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/pc70885de429e4a48793041bc2ca53a47/f8a4b0d1.jpg

this is the gray and colored (photoshopd) version. :cheers:

taken 2003

i missd posting photos in this thread

is this part of chinatown in Manila?

yes.

it's manila day tomorrow. yehey. why? no classes. will try to shoot on quiapo and or manila bay tom with my friends. will try if an old slr i found somewhere in the house would work. if not, there's a free pizza hut manual instamatic cam. wahey. and will be at up diliman tom too for some concert.

happy manila day everyone. and try to watch any film on manila film festival cos i won't.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/p9f1f34f59534feaf55a10321fb022545/f893ddf4.jpg

taken around march 2003 :weirdo:

since it's manila day tomorrow i'm going to post several pics of manila tday. wahey.

since it's manila day tomorrow i'm going to post several pics of manila tday. wahey.
No classes tomorrow, yay!

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid119/p18122534f98fb7721123a5ef2d0eba24/f873ce12.jpg

it's the rizal monument. the one with replicas in spain and china. and probably in some other places.

:weirdo: taken mga june 2002

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid119/pc74edafad591035cfeea823e49525dd5/f873cffb.jpg

ito ay ang national museum. may kabulukan pero maganda pa rin. astig ang laman.

already forgot kung kelan ko tinake. :bash: maybe mga early 2003 or late 2002. i think 2003. :cheers:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid119/pf74667d2ed3c7bf4c5836516955b9ca0/f873d4ab.jpg

isang pic ko sa city hall ng maynila. sabay ng kuha ko sa natl museum :cheers: :weirdo:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/p3a7b0dd1789572cc3afd8ffd53eb4d5a/f893cb9e.jpg

sila ang mga tambay sa manila bay. i'm one of them. but we dun know each other. maybe taken 2003.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/pfc0daeba4218a9f14e1d7855256302a2/f89d8ae3.jpg

taken around june 2002. miss ko nang tumambay sa uste. di na ako naiimbitahan e. hehe. :weirdo:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/p70817369448f369846dc44cd3ea430e8/f8a4b0c9.jpg

nakuhanan mga late 2003. sa sobrang kaaliwan ko sa bus kinuhanan ko na kaagad. di ko na naayos ang pagkuha. :weirdo: :runaway:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid59/pc7ccffae5ca80c5adbaa02e45854227c/fc5a0843.jpg

enjoy :cheers: :weirdo:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid59/p6b266abea89eda19a1e49b75892f76eb/fc5905a9.jpg

one of my favourite lrt1 stations. :jk: :weirdo:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid60/pada65a051dc0d3d3576436fa77bbbe1f/fc3ee6f6.jpg

ang bangko sentral ng pilipinas. yehey. :weirdo:

sige tinatamad na ako. bukas na lang ulit. wala namang tao dito e. hehe. baka maubos ko ung isang page.

weirdo... nice pics ah... why was it the Quirino station is your fav?.... I don't see any difference or distinguishing factor from the rest of the stations

Well, Quirino station is one of the least busy stations of LRT1. It's very easy to catch a train there.

ahh oki

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid119/pc74edafad591035cfeea823e49525dd5/f873cffb.jpg

ito ay ang national museum. may kabulukan pero maganda pa rin. astig ang laman.

already forgot kung kelan ko tinake. :bash: maybe mga early 2003 or late 2002. i think 2003. :cheers:

Thanks for the nice pics! Sa akin, paboritong-paborito ang National Museum among Manila's neoclassical government bldgs. BTW, if you see the movie The Day After , look closely at the NYC Library--supposedly our National Museum (then the Legislative Bldg.) was modeled after it during the 1920s.

mahusay weirdo. Sulit ang mahigit 3 oras mong pagi-internet. :applause:

pasensiya na dahil hindi ako nakapagpost kahapon ng iba pang pics.

napagod ako dahil nilibot ko ang intramuros- galing escolta ung jeep then pasok ako sa may gate sa letran then from there to san agustin museum tas labas ako sa gate sa may roxas boulevard, pasok ulit tas labas sa gate sa may plm. mula doon ay nilakad namin hanggang sa city hall. nagjeep hanggang plaza lacson then lakad sa ongpin hanggang binondo church. balik sa santa cruz tas avenida kung saan kami kinulit ng isang mama. tas nagpaikot ikot kami sa quiapo. nagpadevelop ang friends ko at pinaayos ko ang slr sa hidalgo dahil sira ang lever (shutter daw sabi ng nag aayos) at sinamahan ko pa magshopping sa ukay ukay ang mga kasama ko. :( kaya ayun, bagsak na ako pag uwi ko.

maya na ako post pics kasi tatapusin ko pa ung chapter one ng thesis. hehe.

Anyone happened to pass by the Baywalk last night during the Araw ng Maynila celebrations?

I just saw glimpses of the celebrations on TV and I must say they did a heck of a job with those astounding fireworks.

The Bay was truly a grand and magnificent sight to behold and the entire stretch of the Baywalk was ablaze in lights.

Truly a magical evening. Bravo Mayor Atienza!

ahh realy? what time was that? i went home at about 1:30 am, and saw the afterglow. not the real one but the bright sky after a firework. i thought there was a fire again.

isnt the National Museum the old Legislative building?

Opo.

i was asleep. but gising na ako ng mga 1 and di na ako makatulog pa. :(

looks like its in Mexico or some carribean american country...

In many ways Manila looks like Mexico City specially this pic is identical!

I could be there and dont realize if I am in the Philippines or in Mexico.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/p70817369448f369846dc44cd3ea430e8/f8a4b0c9.jpg

well the buses are not like that anymore in Mexico but they were! :)

hehehe... actually this type of buses is not very common nowadays too... I remember 15 years ago.. there were a lot of these but now not much...:D

well... yeah.. Mexico City and old Manila area is very much alike..

The National Musem building was always the National Museum. The Senate just rented from them to use as the legislative building before they moved to Pasay.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid58/p7032f689753715195dbdafb20ba04d11/fc60889f.jpg

they painted this thing with yellow paint recently. wah. ampangit na tuloy. :runaway: sabi ng kaibigan ko hayaan ko na lang raw kasi magfade din ung color pag naulan pa ng mas madalas. :) :weirdo:

The National Musem building was always the National Museum. The Senate just rented from them to use as the legislative building before they moved to Pasay.

Sorry if I wasn't clear enough earlier--what I meant was that the structure which now houses the National Museum was officially known as the Legislative Bldg. of the US-occupied Philippine Islands from its completion in 1926 until its near-total destruction in Feb. 1945. Too bad the reconstructed facade that we see today is not nearly as ornate as the prewar original.

A phantom of the opera

The decaying Metropolitan Theater is again waiting to be rescued

By Carl Kuntze

ERECTED in 1931, the walls of Manila’s Metropolitan Theater has reverberated with the rich, mellow tones of international opera greats, their tremolos and vibratos thrilling local audiences. Instrumental music of virtuosos in solos or symphonic concerts. Laughter elicited by zarzuelas linger. As well as tears evoked by tragic dramas. Their aura is part of its history.

Designed by Juan Arellano, a famous Filipino architect, in Art Deco, a style prevalent during the period, its patched on appearance and superfluous decorative flourishes can be forgiven for its fine acoustics. But culture then was somewhat eclectic, a monopoly of the elite. Only recently has it come within common grasp. As Manila’s population swelled, the theater’s location by Plaza Lawton became a disadvantage. As a funnel for traffic from three major shopping districts, parking became a problem and early patrons deserted her.

It was transformed into a cinematic theater shortly before the Second World War, and when the Japanese occupation choked off supply of Hollywood films, there was a stage revival, and while the shows did fall into a vulgar vein, it did stimulate creation of new material. Escapist fare tailored for the masses, now oppressed by wartime conquerors. It also became the training ground for comedians, who would later move on to becoming movie and television stars.

Seriously damaged during Liberation, reconstruction seemed a luxury in postwar years, when more mundane problems required attention, so Old Met was converted into a makeshift boxing arena. She would endure further indignity before she was revived less than a decade ago. The Manila Arts Council presented some fine shows, but alas, audiences had fallen into the habit of attending the newer entertainment complexes at The Cultural Center, where stages were more modern and parking space ample.

The LRT Station has revived the moribund commercial district, encouraging fast food outlets and flea markets to sprout, but not The Met.

At its heyday, the theater seated 1,339 people: 679 in the orchestra, 54 in lodge, and 606 in the balcony. The prosenium stage had a width of 51 feet and a height of 27 feet, large enough for spectacles, and yet intimate enough for dramatic plays. In 1987, there was an attempt to restore The Met. Popular theater performers volunteered their services to present, The Great White Way, highlights from famous Broadway plays, both hits and unsuccessful ones. Gil Alonzo, Marilen Martinez, Subas Herrerro, Chito Enrile, Kim Cuadrado, among many volunteers, presented skits as varied as Kismet, Mame, A Chorus Line, The Wiz and Annie, delivering a heart-filled performance that would have pleased the most captious Broadway critic. Attendance to the premiere was promising, but it was not the hit it was expected to be. Future offerings played to sparse audiences, until aspirations died.

The Met continued to limp for a brief period with dramatic and dance workshops, but even that waned. Today, it looms like a haunted house to be threatened one day by a real estate developer for it sits on a space too valuable to remain idle. When the structure proves too unsound, it is likely to be demolished, and with it a part of the city’s history.

ive some met pics which i havent uploaded yet. a set of new manila photos yet to be scanned too. hope to upload some this week and scan some on the coming weekend. enjoy. and keep on posting here.

Well, there's a huge banner with Atienza's face right in front of the Met proclaiming that it is "soon to be restored". Reviving the theatre is actually a very promising venture now because the nearby Park & Ride complex, SM City Manila, and beautified Liwasang Bonifacio has drawn more traffic to the area.

well hopefully the preservation of MET would becoma a reality. it's about time. it is such a beautiful building!!!!

yep, about damn time. it has been there for a long time, if they wanted it down i think they would have demolished it a long time ago. i think they were just waiting for funding, and another term (atienza)

yeah, it's a very beautiful building!!! can not wait to see it restored. they should do some study planning of the traffic so that it would be more convenient for the users

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p37e943455f454c627fc6f16bd7db90c2/f7e57565.jpg

one of my new 'free pizza hut cam' pics. post naman kayo jan. parang walang tao e. taken june 2004. :cheers:

tomorrow I'll load some... I was in Manila last Saturday and took some pics there...:D

[IMG]
one of my new 'free pizza hut cam' pics.
parang ok ung camera...masubukan kaya. :D

tomorrow I'll load some... I was in Manila last Saturday and took some pics there...:D

nice. i took some more of manila last sat too. sa may fort santiago side ng intramuros naman. di ko pa nga lang napapadevelop.

@mhe-ann. ayus naman. walang battery, walang flash, manual ang pag fwd at rewind ng film sa loob. masakit sa daliri pero sobrang handy. pede sa bulsa. malabo ng konti ang gilid pag pinadevelop. pero makulay ang pics kahit tanghaling tapat magshoot.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p221f0c7cb758f748b5e4ed68982a5f49/f7e50d70.jpg

eto pa isa. june 2004. pizza hut cam

maganda. :)

Another promising Manila development! Recently, a lot of roads in Malate and Ermita (Pedro Gil, Dr. Quintos) have been freshly asphalted. So at least for the next few months, the unsightly potholes are gone!

And the new Jose Rizal Sentro Oftalmologico at PGH is almost finished (49 days to completion daw). I'll take pics and post them soon, maybe when they start taking down more of the steel fencing. The rendering of the building wasn't very impressive, but in person it looks pretty nice.

Lastly, the new Hyatt at the corner of Pedro Gil and Mabini has started putting up "Hyatt" signs na. The Casino looks fully operational and already has banners saying "Casino Filipino Hyatt". The lobby is also already being furnished.

Hi guys,

I'm new here, but I've been reading the forums for a while now. (around a month).
I need help from people who are familiar with the Binondo area :-)

Does anyone here know of any good condominiums near Binondo, hopefully close to Chinatown? :-)

Thanks a lot!

Welcome ManilaBoy...I think weirdo (forumer here) is familiar with binondo (not so sure). ;)

Here are some pictures I took last Saturday in Manila from Ermita to Malate and in Quaipo...

Rajah Sulayman statue
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p7731c6a63c4f9839d2813ee452c3d9ce/f7df35ac.jpg

fountain of Rajah Sulayman park
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p1ee5558d8d458180ee214a3230718d5f/f7dfb4ae.jpg

Arsenio Lacson statue
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p465099ecbf9f0b929fb5187321412da2/f7dfb50f.jpg

Benigno Aquino statue
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pf8f2d76ef54e93870c353a858b88d2bf/f7de8653.jpg

New Avenida Rizal
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p588c97e208b534b664dbcf0e12b3f529/f7dfb2c8.jpg

Bonifacio Park near Manila City Hall
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p83c7674d2596d223d69c92cc67751981/f7dfb34e.jpg

Philippine Post Office
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pdfcb3a6d592366909bed17fa60306685/f7dfb335.jpg

Malate Church
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/ped3a9354a66abdd7961553c8bd79c3a0/f7dfb3ec.jpg

Baywalk
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p64caae32ee652bb82e1aa421a979ba29/f7dfb61c.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pf169e342cf2c02e2694bb54931b23726/f7dfb5ba.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pf1d3ed4ac93a4c45bd929108b692d636/f7dfb57d.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p279ddc7a1a7b0a67d51ec5810b8e70ba/f7de95b2.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p510c35e353ba7aa3775985f23b9c4917/f7dfb7d2.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p905010b147ccdc4d8e2b02ca458fac9c/f7dfb7be.jpg

walk along US Embassy (yung may-ari ng bike ay ung guard na sumita sa akin :D)
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p0e0a91d4fbc59e18fce2261e94d7db05/f7dfb76d.jpg

1322 Roxas Blvd (Golden Empire Tower)
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pfe6a680904e4ba53788aaf59dc9560cf/f7deac25.jpg

Pearl of the Orient Tower / Embassy Pointe Tower (don't know which.. nalito ako sa emporis ehh...)
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pec38add4c6b121c3e32f4342d53f7286/f7dea964.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pce6c4a6f7d50f99f7f9b69191ed5e3dc/f7dfb6c6.jpg

A building in Malate.. don't know the name
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p9d76aa27ca028c9ac5ede44b509642d3/f7dea322.jpg

Roxas Boulevard
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p4454bd591bd220ffa0539174668494d3/f7dfb4c4.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p94eb1fd4c25e6a99a5fad821cd8c8305/f7dfb51c.jpg

Malate buildings from Manila City Hall area
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p063ae0ee162a8c78677aef151e5bac77/f7dfb375.jpg

Binondo Area
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/p8404646ff5662874e76d4f8e496446a3/f7dfb328.jpg

manila is indeed a worthy capital. lots of historical sites and a magnificent bayside. stuff makati doesn't have.

Those plants along the Baywalk look pretty withered, but nonetheless, what a beautiful city!

yeah I agree... that's a bad sight there... the plants in Baywalk and Roxas Blvd are dried...but strangely the ones on the island are half dried... that side that faces the see is dried... the plants were not properly cared for... but anyways... the place is still a sight to see... :D

@mhe-ann: i really dunno binondo that much. i still get lost in the area if it isn't near ongpin, or juan luna. ilang lakad pa siguro bago ko tuluyang masasabi na experto ako jan. hehe. pero ive some friends who live in manila chinatown.

@manila boy: hello there. welcome to the forums. your username is really nice.

@pau_p1: nice set of pics! i was reprimanded probably by the same guard at american embassy area. never knew that 1322's also called the golden embassy tower. do you happen to know the guy sitting beside benigno aquino in roxas boulevard? i happen to pass by him kaya lang naka fx kami ng kasama ko kaya di ko nakilala.

@rico: yea. manila can build scrapers anytime if she wants to have some. makati cannot construct such grand history or recreate a magnificent bay. maybe not in 500 years.

@sunking: your sig is nice. i know it may appear silly to ask you this question but i'll ask neway. taga dlsu po kayo?

great photos pau!

yeah i noticed the half dead or dead plants along roxas blvd. sayang naman, its funny the spend lots of money beautification but no maintenanance, that's what i dont like about our politicians - puro kurakot! =(

hahaha... well... that's the sad reality of politics in the country.... :D

@weirdo... 1322 Roxas Blvd is now named Golden Empire Tower... I took a closer shot of its name at its top.. and here it is... my angle quite obscured the name... but you can still read... :D

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pe87f84db2744939ed9df5383b893a1c4/f7dfb6a3.jpg

@weirdo: Yep, I'm studying at DLSU. :)

@pau_p1: yeah. ang ganda nga niya pag gabi (ung 1322 sign)

@sunking: astig. same here. 3rd year CLA student. :weirdo:

yeah its sad with how politics work in the country.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid129/p0872c6f46676120b43a62b4d2be9aaf7/f7ce1ecb.jpg

taken june 2004

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid129/p6dd54d7ec556b059c63404acb6d0317a/f7cfb7e3.jpg

same date.

I like that Kalesa. :)

thanks for the comments. much appreciated.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pfc9832a5d893b96de17cd6c1089d9e34/f7e532ea.jpg

:bash:

nice images!! I only occassionally drop by here, and so I guess I've missed out on so much. does anyone have shots of the Baywalk at night with all the little lights on? I tried shooting there once, but they didn't turn out too well...

glad they are restoring some of the avenida buildings! btw, the building on the photo above, is one of my favorite building on that street! nice to say it come to it's old glory =)

Is Avenida a pedestrian street now? I didn't see any vehicular traffic in the photo.

yes it is.

wow! making avenida a pedestrian area is a very good idea. hopefully retail stored would start opening shops there, like an outdoor mall - would be nice to see and would push the "adaptive reuse" concept for the old gistoric buildings in that area

nice 1322 shot there Anthony. what about a nite version of it? there are neon lights i guess. it was turned over last June with that new name. My roomie used to work with its developer Moldex (or contractor?).

kuya, i did not take the 1322 pic.

edmund, I posted a lot more shots of the pedestrianized avenida in the earlier pages of this thread.

ay, mali. si Pau pala. kala ko gawa na cam mo.
eh di kaw n kumuha ng night pic @ Anthony/weirdo. :D

wow, a lot of restored buildings. starting to look nice. now if they maintained it, that would be awesome. Singapore's chinatown have the shophouses' facade all maintained, and they put whatever they want in the ground level. restaurant, shop, whatever. i dont see why Manila's local officials cant implement that

jude
i would look at the previous photos

yeah i agree with renell, they could follow what the singapore gov't did on their old shophouses

i've a bad scanner. dun expect much

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid129/p778205a66aa19bf87b72663e046308b8/f7ce38c5.jpg http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid129/p5b82f97bf8366d245df8a845e9a7ee1f/f7ce1ed6.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid129/pc37a0a7b1a080e395f46b6f891e15b70/f7ce1ee5.jpg http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid129/p39e0d4cdab4374fbbcdee1f4512eb885/f7ce1ed1.jpg


there are shops, cafeterias, weird stuff on the ground level in avenida. :cheers:
wala lang akong solo photo nila. kung titignan ng maigi ung third photo sa post na ito ay makikitang may something sa gitna ng avenida (ilalim ng lrt).

nice!! I've always wanted to see pics of the new avenida/rizal!! looks so much better than it used to!! even the store owners are actually doing their part by renovating/rehabilitating the buildings... we need more mayors like Atienza!!

its nice to see pedestrians out on the streets ,rather than cars.(sorry thats just what springs to mind >_<.

It almost has an "outdoor bazaar" feel to it. I like what they've done to the place, more people friendly and without the suffocating pollutants from vehicles. :okay:

glad they did something on avenida, they couldhave done on the color though, sakit samata. hopefully big retail/food chain would start putting up shops here.

the colors are a bit baduy, but they are much more welcome than the dull and dark greys. haha.. btw, does anyone have pictures of the redeveloped Muelle del Rio along the Pasig River also in Manila? got a glimpse of it passing over that bridge that heads into Chinatown, and it looked really nice. so clean and modern. didn't get to see the entire thing though...

I posted a picture of the muelle del rio in an earlier page of the thread

very colorful, very pinoy. nice.

the colors are a bit baduy, but they are much more welcome than the dull and dark greys.
I agree...ok na rin. :)

not bad ;) disneyland like LOL abit baduy/jologs color scheme LOL but real nice! makes it bright and airy! :okay: those ppl who ginawa nito sa avenida ay napakabright naman a. ang galing! bright na ideas: likhang-isip of the "bagong-pinoy" eh :D i like it :okay: it brightens up the city..

i'd rather hav my beloved Manila doused in bright pastel-colors like Miami or Havana, rather than have it dull; concrete-like

good good good :okay: :D

not bad ;) i'd rather hav my beloved Manila doused in bright pastel-colors like Miami or Havana, rather than have it dull; concrete-like
:D
wahhh! wag namang bright pastel-colors. :D

actually masakit sa mata ang ilan (di naman karamihan) pero ayus lang. andami pang small buildings sa avnida ang di naaayos. and parang wala akong nakitang stall sa gitna kanina.

kahit matino pa rin ang hitsura ng avenida kanina, parang pumapangit si lalo tuwing nabalik ako. sana naman may regular sched sila for fixing stuff. or wag baratin ang materials or wag madaliin. kasi sayang ang effort pag di pangmatagalan ang mga proyektos.

anyway, may bago/luma ba kayong manila pics jan? post naman!

yeah, you got a good point weirdo. i do hope that they do this projects with long term on mind and not just short term because it's a waste of money for the citizens.

anyway, may bago/luma ba kayong manila pics jan? post naman!

ako wala, hindi ako maaasahan jan..cencya na. :bash:

yeah... that's what I think lacks in the Atienza management.... maintenance... like what Baywalk's plants look like now...

yeah, maintainance isn't too good with these new projects. the best well kept upgrade to me is the one in front of the Postal Office. ganda!! especially at night. hate the pink postal office behind it though... but in fairness to atienza and his maintainance people, it is quite hard to keeo up plants (or grass, I guess) that are line up along sea water. buko trees are fine, I think, but the salt just kills the grass almost instantly... I doubt any other city (except maybe Marikina or Las Pinas??) does any better. look at Belmonte's T. Morato or his shitty Lechon Capital. that thing would look like crap even if it were given a P1M daily maintainance budget...

What is Lechon Capital? Is there a memorial for all the dead pigs in La Loma?

What is Lechon Capital? Is there a memorial for all the dead pigs in La Loma?

hahaha! lol...! it was some stupid redevelopment of La Loma in a bid to turn it around into the country's new lechon capital. looked liked crap!!! they tiled the sidewalks with the little bricks or whatever (the red and yellow ones) and put up two or so welcome arches at the border of Manila and QC... seemed like there was no planning at all. everything was done so haphazardly. belmonte's last ditch effort to win QC. I mean, the T. Morato one was ok, but this one is just... ugh. nothing in comparison to Atienza's many revival projects...

hi, i think la loma is one of the lower mid class or poor districts of QC. i used to pass by A. Bonifacio Ave. goin to North expressway, & the scenario there is really poor & ugly. u can see heavy smoke coming from diff. lechon houses at the interiors while along d ave. itself, u cud see rows of makeshift talyers or shops selling surplus parts of trucks & d sidewalks were tainted w/ grease. but in general, QC is really one of the dirtiest Metro cities along w/ Pasay & Caloocan. Keep on wonderin ano bang ginagawa ng mga mayors don:-(

i'm not solely talking about dried plants. sa baywalk andaming sirang benches, tables, basag basag na marble. same with avenida. nakakaskas na paint etc. sa taft avenue nirerepaint un baba. e madalian naman. puro alikabok pa ung wall nagpaint na kaagad. then di pa maingat tulo tulo ung paint sa kalsada. antatanga. sarap agawin ng brush nila.

sabagay. ang mga tao walang pakialam. gusto nilang gumanda ang cities nila pero ayaw nilang tumulong sa pag maintain ng bagong ayos na places. bahala na nga. parepareho tayong mabubuhay sa pangit na metro.

ok. pictures meron kayo?

yeah... but you can't solely blame the city for that either. you have to look at the people who use it. atienza tried to bring back the old time Manila where people would go to the bay and sit and stroll and play chess and stuff all day. so he put little chess and checkers pieces there and within a week they were gone. same with the effort to revive Manila's small bridges. he lit them up with awesome neon lights and in less than a month, most of them were stolen. haay... oh well...

as i said earlier, people have to cooperate.

puro alikabok pa ung wall nagpaint na kaagad. then di pa maingat tulo tulo ung paint sa kalsada. antatanga. sarap agawin ng brush nila.

nyay! eh di ang pangit ng finishing nun! grrr! :bash:

hei, i learned that atienza recently authored a coffee-table book bout urban redevelopment & d achievements he made on d city of manila...i damn forgot d title tho... but il try to inquire at popular if they got one.

hav u read some articles bout the upcoming renovation of the metropolitan & the mehan gradens? the reports say the pres. has alrdy assured of releasing 50m for the project, under the supervision of gsis. thats good!

i remembered something suddenly when i passed by the bilibid area in recto. twas reported on tv a few years ago that this prison property will be sold to a private developer & once the area is vacated, there will rise a mall-entertainment complex something... w/ sketches pa nga eh...it wud even complement the planned mrt on quezon blvd. but twas agen delayed...

la lang nashare ko lang...hav a gud day;->

The book is Manila: A City Reborn. There are copies lying around most of the restaurants in Malate that you can pick up and browse, I think they all got free copies.

I heard that Mayor Atienza is now starting to implement his redevelopment plans in the interior streets of Manila.

I wish him great success so that commerce and economic activity can be spurred and the decay in both property and human resources are arrested.

yeah very colorful indeed, maybe a bit too colorful. what ever happened to architectural heritage conservation? I appreciate Lito Atienza's efforts but I really can't say I'm pleased with it's outcome. I'd love to see Manila brought back to it's former glory not transformed into some tasteless theme park.

well.. that colors are quite cool and somehow more like a kiddie place.. lol. but i like it..

Remember, a lot of downtown Manila's surviving prewar buildings were built during the art deco/art nouveau period, and the color schemes then were very bright and neon-like, same as you'll find in Miami. So the colors may be more accurate than you think. A lot of people tend to assume that old buildings are colored black, white, cream, and brown, but this is partly because they get their ideas from old black-and-white, sepia toned, or artificially tinted photographs. The Skyroom was bright green, and the Metropolitan theater is mostly pink, even the San Agustin Church is bright peach.

so was the San Agustin originally the color it is now? or would it no paint at all?

Yup, it was originally bright orange. They had to research it to figure out the exact shade and consistency. The paint they used is a traditional mixture, not enamel or acrylic.

http://www.tropicalisland.de/MNL_Manila_skyline_with_Rizal_Park_and_Intramuros2.jpg



http://www.tropicalisland.de/MNL_Manila_skyline_with_Rizal_Park_and_Intramuros_detail.jpg


http://www.tropicalisland.de/MNL_Manila_Rizal_Park_with_port.jpg

nice pics kiretoce. thanks.

Remember, a lot of downtown Manila's surviving prewar buildings were built during the art deco/art nouveau period, and the color schemes then were very bright and neon-like, same as you'll find in Miami. So the colors may be more accurate than you think. A lot of people tend to assume that old buildings are colored black, white, cream, and brown, but this is partly because they get their ideas from old black-and-white, sepia toned, or artificially tinted photographs. The Skyroom was bright green, and the Metropolitan theater is mostly pink, even the San Agustin Church is bright peach.

this is new. interesting! thanks for the info!

anyway, MANILA ROCKS!!! can't wait to go back again on December...

wow, nice pictures@!!!romantic ang dating!

ah, those pics. i've posted those a million times before. but not in this thread yet. very deceiving photo, makes you think Manila is really green.

i think that part of manila's really green.

and maybe that's a bit old.

the Rizal Park area is pretty green, true. and those photos have been up there for a year now. or more

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid130/p0c27488b10b5e9487067bc957bca8ced/f7bb6762.jpg

has greens. not so green though. not a single tree.

taken june 2004 :weirdo:

cute. :)

Manila's business areas and touristic spots seems to have been revitalized by Atienza. it would be nice if in this term he concentrated on improving garbage services and housing for everyone. i remember there was a number of 8 storey apartments in Manila opened by him around April this year

ah, those pics. i've posted those a million times before. but not in this thread yet. very deceiving photo, makes you think Manila is really green.
sinabi mo pa....that's what we call postcard shots :)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid130/p0c27488b10b5e9487067bc957bca8ced/f7bb6762.jpg

has greens. not so green though. not a single tree.

taken june 2004 :weirdo:

that Prudentialife building on the center of the photos is a ncie one. nice columns...same with their building in Makati. but the nearby area aren't really tidy. medyo stinky, specially those near the church.

i haven't seen that building before.

Nice building.

BTW, Robinsons Place Residences are now sporting a different color.
It looked taller with the new color.
http://www.geocities.com/a_ofngol/rp_res_new.jpg

wow!! looks so much classier now!!

the new color made it more visible in the Manila skyline. well it's not really a new color, but a different shade of brown

yea. looks better

I like that; looks much better :D

Robinsons high rises are getting better and better, it seems. the Fifth Avenue Place in FBGC is actually really nice....! by the way, is that one thomasian posted already being occupied? forgot the name...

is the left building the newer color? if it is, it looks better....

i believe it's because the right building hasn't finished the repainting yet. that's why it looks older

wow...they look very nice now:)

A rare view. Between two Pasig River bridges. The first to identify both bridges wins a donut.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid109/p16ebb3bb5d9f39772dd690369a190b04/f9304971.jpg

1. Look at picture
2. Sing Red Hot Chili Pepper Song "Under the Bridge"


One is the Jones Bridge and the other the LRT? Correct?

has this pic been posted before? San Sebatian taken on the eve of Good Friday
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid113/p18bda3a0c9cce50e13b52bffd93b303b/f8e404b1.jpg

is that the blue colored church posted in the "best seasia city" thread? that looked pretty good actually, even if it was in baby blue... looked brand new. great retouching... it looks like this church... but i'm not sure... probably not though... hahaha...

yeah that's it. it's just the lighting that made it that color.