nyak!.... they should have instead made up better tourist jeepneys instead of tuktuks!.... it contradicts the characteristic of Manila.......

Look what I found inside the Manila City Hall.

The tuktuk or rickshaw pinoy version.

http://www.geocities.com/ofngol/Photo_032205_046x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/ofngol/Photo_032205_047x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/ofngol/Photo_032205_048x.jpg

Are they brand-spanking new? I think converted golf carts would have been better, but hey, that's just me! ;)

look down :runaway:

yes...i would agree that golf carts ala jeepney would have been better than tuk tuks! I don't know, tuk tuks doesn't scream out PINOY! The first time i ever heard of tuk tuk, I know that screame out another country. Tuk tuks look like if the driver made a sharp turn, you will definitely be somewhere else (like in the middle of the road!!!) They should get rid fo these tuk tuks, and place golf carts ala jeepney instead. Even a tricycle is better, its screams out PINOY! they should just fix them and make them more appealing, sometimes i feel clostrophobic riding in them.

I hope he takes off those pink fences along EDSA. kahit isang linggo man lang so they don't freak-out the visiting delegates. hehe... but yeah, I heard the gov't is trying to fix things up for the big event. aside from the part along Roxas Blvd. down to the NAIA terminals, I haven't read about the MMDA's involvement though. do they really hate him that much...? thanks for telling us, mysaong... what's BF done so far?

well i was able to watch recently his tv prog 'mmda on the road', & twas shown there bf personally supervising the clearing operations of sidewalks along naia & qurino ave, like removing all the illegal structures (that includes houses w/ their makeshift businesses that indiscrimately invades them!), then repaving the space w/ concrete, repainting all the ugly facades of the houses etc etc...& theyre all done already!! :D complete w/ a new slogan that says like "bulok na...community somethin....di papasok ang negocio"

most critics of bayani questions his radical & "too practical" measures on solving the problem, w/c means these half breed elites are demanding somethin that should be "built to last" and not just temporary or short-term solutions to all these mess... but most of his programs naman actually works when implemented in the long run, but still, the only best solution here is infrastructure devt. weve been so left behind by our asean neighbors bec. of the often misguided policies of our urban planners, & corruption... manilas major public utility/infra support structures were originally designed to handle only max of 5M pips. but today, MM has a daytime pop of 15M!! as the saying goes, "kailangan pa bang i-memorize yan?!!" :colgate:

they should have at least improved the kalesa service... it's more Manila, imo

Yeah, the calesa does depicts Manila very well, much better than the tuk-tuk or a rickshaw. :)

I agree very much. The calesa is not only a part of Manila's past and history, but it's a filipino symbol. It should be used even more in more locations because this would be keeping up a part of us but also acting as our way of a small method of tourist transportation like how other cities around the world have wagons or carts, etc. :)

does anyone have an update on the old site of the jai-alai building on manila? thanks

oh that jai alai building should have been preserved. :(

I agree very much. The calesa is not only a part of Manila's past and history, but it's a filipino symbol. It should be used even more in more locations because this would be keeping up a part of us but also acting as our way of a small method of tourist transportation like how other cities around the world have wagons or carts, etc. :)


yes the calesa...how can i forget...i miss riding them.... i remember when my mom and i used to go to Divisoria to shop for can goods and other yummy stuff for our PX store, we used the calesa, since it was so near to the 3rd avenue store....well....Calesas should be used more! the only thing is they smelled quite bad, and some of the horses do not look like they're in shape. They should like have a Calesa business or something, make it cleaner and cool!

Ano ba yan, wala na ba tayong ka pride pride sa ating hultura? Wala nang respeto sa ating sarili at heritage? Make modern trycicles, upscale calesas! Swanky jeepneys but not tuktuks, we need more Filipinoness in us in order to be unique! God, nakakasakit sa mata and mga tuktuks na yan ,ang papangit! Hindi bagay, nagagalit talaga ako. We lack national character...

yes...NO TUK TUKS!!!

I don't know. These Manila Tuktuks look more like modern versions of calesas than tricycles do. I think these are better and perhaps safer than tricycles because the driver is situated in the middle and the weight can be better balanced on the three wheels than on tricycles. If you've ever tried to ride a bicycle with a side car, you'll know what I mean.

Calesa: driver in front, passengers behind.
Manila tuktuk: driver in front, passengers behind.

Also, the tuktuk has been ever-present in the Philippines. In some provinces, tricycles look more like the tuktuk above than the Manila tricycle. Sorry I have no proof. I do recall riding in jeepney-like tricycle things in Davao when I was there, though I don't remember if the motorcycle part of it was on the side or in the middle.

Found a version.
The Camiguin tricycle. It's not the same, but I like the tuktuk better than this:
http://easternsamar.de/files/grafik/phils/camiguin%20tricycle.jpg

Methinks the design suits the provinces where in houses are farther apart. It's not appropriate for City and Capitol dwellings though. But, it can be a nice facade for a bungalow house, church, museum or any low rise buildings, while the center and back follow the usual regular shape made of concrete/cement.

Wait a minute.....I'm currently taking a pottery class using the potter's wheel. I swear I made two tiny sugar container shaped like that.

they look so cramped...but same goes with tricycles, jeepneys ,etc. :) :) :)

Look what I found inside the Manila City Hall.

The tuktuk or rickshaw pinoy version.

http://www.geocities.com/ofngol/Photo_032205_046x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/ofngol/Photo_032205_047x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/ofngol/Photo_032205_048x.jpg

Nice and Lito Atienza definitely knows how to market his name, MayniLA hehehehe. How much is the fare, Aaron?

Jon

I'm not really sure if they're for hire. Parang wala naman kasing sumasakay eh.

:eek2: Nice and Lito Atienza definitely knows how to market his name, MayniLA hehehehe. How much is the fare, Aaron?

Jon
they seem to have copied bangkok's...

More of my Manila pics... this time Binondo. ;)

03.22.05

Gateway to Binondo - Jones Bridge

http://www.geocities.com/a_ofngol/Photo_032205_007x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/a_ofngol/Photo_032205_006x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/a_ofngol/Photo_032205_008x.jpg


--------------------------------------------------------------------


http://www.geocities.com/a_ofngol/Photo_032205_011bw.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/a_ofngol/Photo_032205_012bwb.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/a_ofngol/Photo_032205_013bw.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/a_ofngol/Photo_032205_016x.jpg

wow... Binondo has a very rich and colorful culture. I hope the tranvias could be revived...

i hope they would do something to restore those old colonial buildings and the jones bridge should need some sort of uplifting

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

Binondo looks tightly packed! :okay:

Very beautiful and unique...but those gray and dirty buildings should be revived! And those neoclassical beauties should be restored and taken care of, that's heritage, damn it! Chinatown needs a facelift!

More Binondo pics.
03.22.05

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_ofngol/Photo_032205_017x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_charles_ofngol/Photo_032205_005x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_ofngol/Photo_032205_019x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_ofngol/Photo_032205_028x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_ofngol/Photo_032205_031x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_charles_ofngol/Photo_032205_033x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_ofngol/Photo_032205_030x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_charles_ofngol/Photo_032205_035x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_ofngol/Photo_032205_023x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_charles_ofngol/Photo_032205_036x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_ofngol/Photo_032205_022x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_charles_ofngol/Photo_032205_038x.jpg

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_charles_ofngol/Photo_032205_039x.jpg

whoahhhhh...what happened to the churhc? NICE BINONDO pics...they should build more scrapers here...it would look cool....its kinda dirty.....though..they should clean it up...:)

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_charles_ofngol/Photo_032205_036x.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/aaron_charles_ofngol/Photo_032205_035x.jpg

I dont really like the telephone wires and electrical wires that overhangs around the streets of metro manila. Is there something like that in your place outside the philippines guys?

More Binondo pics.
03.22.05

http://www.geocities.com/aaron_charles_ofngol/Photo_032205_036x.jpg


the street sign looks exactly like the ones here especially those in Daly City, I swear :D

I dont really like the telephone wires and electrical wires that overhangs around the streets of metro manila. Is there something like that in your place outside the philippines guys?

actually meron din dito pero hindi magulong tingnan kasi kokonti lang na wires tsaka maayos. ang ayoko yung sa downtown yung electric cables that run the buses and trollies. parang cob web din sa ilang lugar.

whoahhhhh...what happened to the churhc? NICE BINONDO pics...they should build more scrapers here...it would look cool....its kinda dirty.....though..they should clean it up...:)

Haha, the church was blowned by the wind. :jk:

the street sign looks exactly like the ones here especially those in Daly City, I swear :D

Yeah, I've also seen those signs in hollywood movies. In Vegas I think.

Anyway, let me label some of the pics because I forgot to label them.

San Nicolas Fire Station - looks really old
http://www.geocities.com/aaron_ofngol/Photo_032205_023x.jpg

Meisic Mall - The name Meisic sounds familiar. Do we have a building named Meisic Cuartel?
Was it built on the site of that building which I assume is demolished?
http://www.geocities.com/aaron_charles_ofngol/Photo_032205_035x.jpg

The windblowned Binondo Church :colgate:
http://www.geocities.com/aaron_ofngol/Photo_032205_031x.jpg

Galleria de Binondo
http://www.geocities.com/aaron_ofngol/Photo_032205_022x.jpg

------------------------------------------------------------------------

World Trade Exchange Center - same architect as Tycoon Center in Ortigas Center (who's that architect again?)
http://www.geocities.com/aaron_charles_ofngol/Photo_032205_005x.jpg

Tycoon Center, Ortigas Center
(The one with a pyramidal top)
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid72/p99d001b28a6001b25af3955ccef84f23/fb821b72.jpg

All sites of history and culture need to be looked at and maintained frequently. But anyways, thank you for these wonderful personal and quick photos :)

I dont really like the telephone wires and electrical wires that overhangs around the streets of metro manila. Is there something like that in your place outside the philippines guys?

All electrical and telephone wires in Germany are built underground.
Tama ka diyan, napapangitan ako, nakakagulo. Nagmukhang madumi tuloy.

thimasian the architect is michael graves, actually i like his deisgn, i wonder how is the world exchange doing in leasing it's spaces

Regarding powerlines, it's not only dirty and unorganised, it's also dangerous with it hanging so low and dangling, etc.

Regarding powerlines, it's not only dirty and unorganised, it's also dangerous with it hanging so low and dangling, etc.

The worst one are in Makati especially in pasong tamo because of the huge demand of the business district of power and telephone lines you can actually see them hanging overhead along pasong tamo, legaspi village, bel air and some are in ayala at ang iba halos abot na sa ulo ng mga naglalakad. We have a first world business districts with a third world electrical and power lines. Bakit kaya hindi natin makuha yong perfect design lahat na lang may flaws siguro dahil sa mentality na "pwede na to".

Thanks @ Edmund. Is he also the architect of Embassy Pointe/Pearl of the Orient?

Regarding powerlines, it's not only dirty and unorganised, it's also dangerous with it hanging so low and dangling, etc.

Indeed...and also typhoons frequently damage them, making it unsafe for pedestrians and cause blackouts. We've talked about this issue many times here in SSC:D Really wish they made most powerlines underground.

I think the problem with powerlines is that the Planners of the CBDs didn't plan really to put any back alleys.. You hardly see them in philippines. In North America planners ive noticed like to place powerlines on the alleys and also camouflage them with Huge trees.

ampangit naman ng meisic mall n yan. panira talaga.

^ hmmm... merong "old building facade" dun sa harap ng mall na ito.... gee how uglee

wow!nice pics of binondo!well done thomasian!I think Bonondo has a lot of potential!..I hope they restore the old architectural buildings/churches...and the powerlines has to be dealt with for safety issue's...it can really get better with right planning ...geographically its in a nice area...near water too...imagine if they have a nice modern skyline while at the same time have those old architectural buildings restored...its important they restore those buildings i think..

^ hmmm... merong "old building facade" dun sa harap ng mall na ito.... gee how uglee

yeah, how "ugs" :colgate:

@ ^SoMeGuY^, thanks.

ampangit naman ng meisic mall n yan. panira talaga.

i agree with you weirdo, how could the designer do something so boring and ugly! :bash:

I've been gone so long, that I don't know where to put this, so I'll just put this here:

The Main Theater in May of 2004:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/SunKing/104_0482.jpg

March of 2005:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/SunKing/Image149.jpg

...restored and renovated for the IPU assembly. I've never seen the facade this clean before.

hehe. astig un after ah.

I've been gone so long, that I don't know where to put this, so I'll just put this here:

The Main Theater in May of 2004:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/SunKing/104_0482.jpg

March of 2005:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v318/SunKing/Image149.jpg

...restored and renovated for the IPU assembly. I've never seen the facade this clean before.


We're not allowed to go up that driveway or drive through it? :runaway:

They've been refurbishing that driveway for a long time now. Guests had to use the side entrance, but I guess it's done now.

Hey what are the Materials for that Facade? is it Concrete? or something similar to Marble or something

The Façade is "pebblewash" if I remember it right.
I think it would look better when cladded in those metal thingies and/or glass that they use in scrapers.

Haha, the church was blowned by the wind. :jk:



Yeah, I've also seen those signs in hollywood movies. In Vegas I think.

Anyway, let me label some of the pics because I forgot to label them.

San Nicolas Fire Station - looks really old
http://www.geocities.com/aaron_ofngol/Photo_032205_023x.jpg

Meisic Mall - The name Meisic sounds familiar. Do we have a building named Meisic Cuartel?
Was it built on the site of that building which I assume is demolished?
http://www.geocities.com/aaron_charles_ofngol/Photo_032205_035x.jpg

The windblowned Binondo Church :colgate:
http://www.geocities.com/aaron_ofngol/Photo_032205_031x.jpg

Galleria de Binondo
http://www.geocities.com/aaron_ofngol/Photo_032205_022x.jpg

------------------------------------------------------------------------

World Trade Exchange Center - same architect as Tycoon Center in Ortigas Center (who's that architect again?)
http://www.geocities.com/aaron_charles_ofngol/Photo_032205_005x.jpg

Tycoon Center, Ortigas Center
(The one with a pyramidal top)
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid72/p99d001b28a6001b25af3955ccef84f23/fb821b72.jpg

Michael Graves <www.michaelgraves.com>

Thanks. :) Tycoon Centre looks better than WTE Center.

I don't think it's pebblewash, on closer inspection, it's really composed of blocks. I guess it might be marble, because when the sun's angle is just right, it sorta gleams.

Originally Posted by Thomasian
Meisic Mall - The name Meisic sounds familiar. Do we have a building named Meisic Cuartel?
Was it built on the site of that building which I assume is demolished?
http://www.geocities.com/aaron_charles_ofngol/Photo_032205_035x.jpg
Manila Set to Lose Another Centuries-Old Structure
2003-11-07 01:52:00(LA) / 2003-11-07 17:52:00(Manila)

What is left of an 18th-century structure will be demolished to give way to a shopping mall and an annex of the Manila City Hall, city officials said Thursday.

A joint venture of City Hall and private developer Bullion Investment and Development Corporation, calls for the dismantling of what remains of the Spanish era Meisic Cuartel, or Cuartel de Caballeria, in Manila's Binondo district. The structure, which has been around since the mid-1700s, originally served as the barracks of the Guardia de Acaballo, Manila's first law enforcers, which was composed of soldiers who volunteered to fight the city's "evil elements," according to Lorelei de Viana in her book, "Three Centuries of Binondo Architecture."

The Meisic Cuartel occupies an entire block bordered by the Meisic and Reina Regente Streets in Binondo. Divisoria, one of Manila's prime shopping areas, is nearby. And so are public and private elementary and high schools.

The city government owns the land where the Cuartel sits.

Manila Mayor Lito Atienza, in a phone interview, told the Inquirer that "nothing historical is going to be destroyed."

"The structure is not historic," said Atienza, adding that many other parts of downtown Manila needs similar development. "The project is part of our effort to maximize land use. It will add commercial life to the area that is now blighted and dark at night."

The Meisic Cuartel now serves as the headquarters of Station 11 of the Western Police District (WPD). It is also home to the WPD museum and the Retirees Quarters. WPD memorabilia are on display at the Cuartel.

Only a faint trace of history remains in the Cuartel. Some of the walls and the main entrance are all that is left of the original structure--nature, war, and time have taken its toll.

Most of its interior has already been refurbished and repainted, its floors repaved with modern tiles.

An earthquake destroyed the Cuartel on June 3, 1863, but was rebuilt 10 years later and became a tobacco factory called the Fabrica de Puros de Meisic, according to De Viana, a member of the National Historical Institute.

In her book, she had included an 1882 description of the Cuartel: "(It had a) galvanized iron roof, pavements of ordinary stone and Chinese granite blocks ... 147 windows, and two entrances."

According to an article by Anson Yu posted on the website www.tsinoy.com, American troops also used the Meisic Cuartel as their barracks in 1901.

Twenty years later, the Cuartel became Manila's Police Station 1.

During World War 2, the Cuartel became a Japanese garrison. After the war, it reverted to a police precinct.

With the scheduled construction, the police station will be moved to the new City Hall annex.

NHI Historic Preservation Division chief Reynaldo Inovero said that the Meisic Cuartel is among the places lined up for the installation of a historical marker.

Such a marker, he said, would have given the NHI a say on any construction that will be undertaken in the area.

Steve Veloria, the project's lead engineer from the Contractor Federal Builders Inc., said that they will finish the four-story City Hall annex, which is going to be constructed facing Meisic Street, before they demolish the rest of the Cuartel and the Meisic Health Center.

In its place, a four-level commercial complex will be built.

Veloria said that the two structures will occupy some 4,000 square meters.

Atienza told the Inquirer that "not a single centavo" will be spent by City Hall for the joint venture.

He added that the private developer will put in at least 70 million pesos for the construction of the City Hall Annex and the mall. This cost, he said, could balloon to as much as 200 million pesos.

The mayor said that the ownership of the commercial area "will revert back to city hall after 25 years."

Atienza said that the City Hall Annex will house the health center and the office that issues health and workers' permits, and birth certificates.

Atienza also said that the developers would be paying "a minimal fixed rent" for the space the commercial area will occupy in the government-owned land.

He said that City Hall will get a share of the income the private developers will get out of renting out commercial spaces.

William Ang, marketing agent hired by the private developer, said that around 300 commercial spaces, around eight to ten square meters, will be found in the four-story mall.

He said in an interview that clothing stalls, electronics shops, fitness centers, clinics, and other stores that are "community-oriented" will be found in the mall.

Atienza said that the developers will have to coordinate with City Hall in renting out spaces, and that video game shops will not be allowed in the building. (INQ7)

Thanks lanztrick05. Any old pictures of that Meisic Cuartel?

wow!!! CCP is looking its best for once in the last how many years...!! I agree with thomasian though. the CCP would look awesome with that top part in metal cladding. but maybe some time in the future. the Senators had to use their money for the refurbishment of Manila for the IPU hosting...

I found a small shot of the interiors of the CCP. it (the design) looks pretty old, but still extremely grand...
http://www.ipumanila2005.senate.gov.ph/image/lobby_gif_300.gif

I hope they did the interior too. last time I was there (early 2004), the carpeting was loose and dirty and everything cause I guess it was pretty old. I didn't remember the lobby having those kind of chandeliers though. they look so good in that photo...!!

/\ Cool! :eek2: The chandeliers looks like falling water! :okay:

ah there joes atienza again, it just pisses me off whenever he talks about ""The structure is not historic," said Atienza, adding that many other parts of downtown Manila needs similar development.". he destroyed the jai-alai building also. i was told that he have a bs degree in architecture but looks like he is so "bobo". he should go to europe where a lot of the older buildings are being put into new used withut destroying the building itself....

To me i think he thinks that Just having the High Profile Structures are more important than the lower profile ones.. To me. The lower profile buildings adds SO much character to a city... Instead of malls i really love these streets with the cozy cafes and cute boutiques because they add so much character. I actually wish Streets like Escolta would have stores like Dior, YSL, D&G, Prada housed in those old buildings cuz they add so much character

ah there joes atienza again, it just pisses me off whenever he talks about ""The structure is not historic," said Atienza, adding that many other parts of downtown Manila needs similar development.". he destroyed the jai-alai building also. i was told that he have a bs degree in architecture but looks like he is so "bobo". he should go to europe where a lot of the older buildings are being put into new used withut destroying the building itself....

He took archi in UST, right?

To me i think he thinks that Just having the High Profile Structures are more important than the lower profile ones.. To me. The lower profile buildings adds SO much character to a city... Instead of malls i really love these streets with the cozy cafes and cute boutiques because they add so much character. I actually wish Streets like Escolta would have stores like Dior, YSL, D&G, Prada housed in those old buildings cuz they add so much character

I guess it's only the Ayalas who have ability to put those brands under one roof just like in GB4.

Damn..... no wonder the CCP is rarely used, just for big big events, they probably can't handle too much maintenance:D That's grand, a lot of Marcos' projects really are grand, minimalist in the outside, but splendid in the inside

God, I know. Puro beautification na lang. You know, they he would use his brain waisel and would know how to manipulate the CCP, it could be a huge money earner for Manila and a main attraction for out tourism. Bastos talaga, inalis niya yung Jai-alai at ginawang mall.

Yeah... Jai-Alai removal was his biggest mistake. It's a double whammy for us, he demolishes it, and will probably put some fugly building in place of it, for sure it won't be art deco:(

CCP is in Pasay, btw:)

thomasian
i think he studied in hawaii, not sure

God, I know. Puro beautification na lang. You know, they he would use his brain waisel and would know how to manipulate the CCP, it could be a huge money earner for Manila and a main attraction for out tourism. Bastos talaga, inalis niya yung Jai-alai at ginawang mall.

so jai-alai lot is a mall now? does anyone have a picture? :bash:

I thought Jai-Alai became a Manila Hall of Justice (a courthouse?) and administrative offices.

Ok. Here is the current status of The Manila Hall of Justice (the vacant lot formerly known as the Jai Alai).

Taken from http://www.doj.gov.ph/invite2.html

Any new developments with this project?


INVITATION TO PREQUALIFY/APPLY FOR ELIGIBILITY AND TO BID
June 7, 2004

NAME OF PROJECT : PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION OF THE MANILA HALL OF JUSTICE BUILDING(PHASE III)
LOCATION : TAFT AVENUE, MANILA

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is intending to bid the above-mentioned project in accordance with the scope of work to be undertaken. Bid forms furnished by the Department of Justice for this project will be opened on the date specified below:

Class of eligible contractor for the contract - Large "AAA"

Approved budget for eligibility - P 84,445,176.15

Deadline for submission of bidding -None declared

Issuance of tender bid documents -None declared

Tentative Schedule -None declared



The project to be undertaken is for the Proposed Construction of the MANILA HALL OF JUSTICE BUILDING (PHASE III) located at Taft Avenue. Manila. The scope of work includes among others; furnishing of labor, materials and equipment for the following:

Mobilization/Demobilization
Temporary Facilities
Structural Steel Works
Sewage Treatment Tanks


Additional information may be obtained from the Office of Engr. Rodolfo Florentin Room 201, DOJ, Main Building, Padre Faura, Manila

All bids to be submitted shall be addressed to the Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee, Department of Justice, Padre Faura, Manila.

The Department of Justice reserves the right to reject any or all bids, waive any defect therein and accept the offer most advantageous to the government.







RICARDO V. PARAS III
Chairman, Bids and Awards Committee

*

hmm..after all these years vacant lot pa rin. wish atienza did not destroy the jai-alai building

wow!!! CCP is looking its best for once in the last how many years...!! I agree with thomasian though. the CCP would look awesome with that top part in metal cladding. but maybe some time in the future. the Senators had to use their money for the refurbishment of Manila for the IPU hosting...

I found a small shot of the interiors of the CCP. it (the design) looks pretty old, but still extremely grand...
http://www.ipumanila2005.senate.gov.ph/image/lobby_gif_300.gif

I hope they did the interior too. last time I was there (early 2004), the carpeting was loose and dirty and everything cause I guess it was pretty old. I didn't remember the lobby having those kind of chandeliers though. they look so good in that photo...!!

uhmm, i think its the interior of PICC. i was actually able to see up close those chandeliers a couple of years ago, & theyre made of thin strips of metal, and sad to say kinakalawang cya, & as i went around i noticed that many parts of the bldg badly need repairs & refurbishing. i also went inside the ccp & witnessed the same scenario (picc got a much bigger lobby). this renovation prior to IPU hosting is long overdue already...:) & the good thing i could remember aside from its grand facade & lobby was its strong centralized airconditioning, despite its old age.

both structures are still fascinating & elegant upto this time. and very filipino!!

I agree, that's really PICC's lobby. The chandeliers are made of metal tubes with a light bulb at its end.

CCP's lobby has capiz or seashell chandeliers if I remember it right.

I was reading todays paper and it mentioned they used marble for the facade of both PICC and CCP, can anyone verify this.

Jon

hmm..after all these years vacant lot pa rin. wish atienza did not destroy the jai-alai building


Atienza was the one who decided to tear down the legendary jai alai building??? Wow that's one big rare mistake he did!

Atienza was the one who decided to tear down the legendary jai alai building??? Wow that's one big rare mistake he did!

yes, if i am not mistaken during that time the heritage conservation society and atienza was discussing about other ways of atleast resroring the jai alai, like leaving the facade or doing addition or put other use to it so it could be saved, but one late night, he decided to have demolition crew destroy the facade of the building without anyone knowledge. he did not keep his word with the public and the heritage conservation society. also heard that demolishing of the building costs 30 million pesos or someting like that, so it's all corruption on his side.

uhmm, i think its the interior of PICC. i was actually able to see up close those chandeliers a couple of years ago, & theyre made of thin strips of metal, and sad to say kinakalawang cya, & as i went around i noticed that many parts of the bldg badly need repairs & refurbishing. i also went inside the ccp & witnessed the same scenario (picc got a much bigger lobby). this renovation prior to IPU hosting is long overdue already...:) & the good thing i could remember aside from its grand facade & lobby was its strong centralized airconditioning, despite its old age.

both structures are still fascinating & elegant upto this time. and very filipino!!

oh, okay... thanks for clearing that up you guys! no wonder I don't remember seeing those chandeliers in the CCP lobby.

I didn't remember the lobby [of the CCP] having those kind of chandeliers though.
haha!! oops... but the two lobbies do look quite similar. I'm pretty sure there is also an escalator on the sides of the lobby of the CCP and the foot of the staircase also has the curved base sticking out (as seen in that picture of PICC's lobby)... not that you guys really care. haha! the curved base of the staircases are weird though. but they're pretty cool, and I don't think I've seen them anywhere else...

http://img148.exs.cx/img148/6380/picc0ci.jpg

I was reading todays paper and it mentioned they used marble for the facade of both PICC and CCP, can anyone verify this.
I can't really verify it, but SunKing was thinking it was marble in his post one page back in this thread. I guess it is marble. wow...! it's just crazy how it turned all grey. and even crazier how they were able to turn it into its original colour again. haha! unless they redid all the marble cladding...(?!)

Yeah... Jai-Alai removal was his biggest mistake. It's a double whammy for us, he demolishes it, and will probably put some fugly building in place of it, for sure it won't be art deco:(

CCP is in Pasay, btw:)


Yeah, I agree that it's deplorable that the Jai Alai building was demolished. It was a showcase of the Art Deco design. Sayang talaga.

I wonder what happended to the Selecta restaurant along Pasay. They used to have a 50's ballroom there. I remember my father brought me there for ice cream when I was very very young but it made an impression on me. Baka wala na yon. Most of you in this forum might not have even seen it.

thomasian
i think he studied in hawaii, not sure
Hmmm...yeah, the Gatpuno has some kind of Hawaii connection, and that's why he always wears those short-sleeved "Hawaiian" floral print shirts around. I heard somewhere that he first came to Honolulu as a dnacer with the Bayanihan on a world tour. Regardless, shame shame shame on him for sneakily (and corruptively) busting down Taft Ave's historically significant Jai Alai fronton. Pisses me off--to see that Manila will have less and less architectural continuity.

Here are some pics of Jai-Alai Fronton Building before it was torn down on year 2000.
http://www.inq7.net/lif/2004/apr/05/images/lif_34-3.jpg
http://www.cyberdyaryo.com/images/photos/pic_0727_01.gif
The Jai Alai's Sky Room: Goodbye to an elegant past.
http://www.cyberdyaryo.com/images/photos/pic_0727_02.gif
The wrecking continues: On this spot will rise Manila's 12-story Hall of Justice.
http://www.cyberdyaryo.com/images/photos/pic_0727_03.gif
Fighting City Hall: Protesters carry messages directed at Mayor Lito Atienza.
http://image.pathfinder.com/asiaweek/magazine/2000/0901/a.s_building.jpg
Once one of Manila's most striking structures, the sports building was neglected for years before demolition began.

they said the design of jai-alai building is like a cruising ship. is it true?

http://mk31.image.pbase.com/u20/tekgik/upload/36447719.388_8837.jpg
http://mishami.image.pbase.com/u19/tekgik/upload/36379584.388_8842.jpg
Manila City Hall at night.

Thanks for the pictures Lanztrick. They made me nostalgic and sad at the same time. Hope that glory days of Manila are not well past. I love Manila!

How does this new Hall of Justice look like now? :?

CCP complex gets facelift for IPU meet
The Philippine Star - 04/03/2005

http://www.geocities.com/csbrocks_hunter/sf.jpg

All dressed up and ready for her fancy guests. But the new look cost a pretty penny.

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) complex along Roxas Boulevard is looking its best for the 112th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) general assembly, which opens tonight at the CCP Main Theater. The conference will be led by President Arroyo and IPU president Sen. Sergio Verdugo Paez of Chile.

But the makeover wasn’t cheap, with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which owns the building, picking up the undisclosed tab for the repair and facelift.

The five-day meeting, which gathers together 1,500 parliamentarians from all over the world, will be held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), which underwent major work to repair damage caused by a fire several years ago. The 29-year-old building, opened in 1976 for the IMF-World Bank meeting, also underwent significant cleaning and refurbishing work.

The upgrading of the CCP complex, however, was a much larger task and necessitated a joint effort of individuals and organizations. Faced with the lack of funds of the CCP to undertake the numerous repairs, Senate President Franklin Drilon, who is hosting the IPU meeting, shelled out P12.8 million from his pork barrel for the project.

This included P4.3 million for repair of the marble facade of the CCP main building, pieces of which had been falling off, forcing the closure of the main ramp to prevent accidents; P4.2 million for the repair and upgrading of all toilet facilities in the building; P2.8 million for grounds lighting for the complex; P1.5 million for the cleaning and repair of the fountain and lagoon. The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) chipped in an additional P1.2 million to complete the grounds lighting.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan and Rep. Ricky Sandoval (Malabon-Navotas) gave P5 million and P2 million respectively for a new air-conditioning system to replace the 36-year-old system, installed when the center was constructed in 1969.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) upgraded the roads, including access to the President Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard, at a cost of over P8 million.

Despite serious financial constraints, the CCP shelled out nearly P5 million from its P115-million annual appropriation to undertake minor repairs to the building, replacing frayed and discolored carpets as well as providing landscaping and beautification for the areas around the main building, including the purchase of indoor and outdoor plants.

CCP president Nestor Jardin, who oversaw and coordinated the project, said that the landscaping of the 88-hectare complex was completed with the cooperation of most of the tenants and lessees, such as the Amazing Philippines group which occupies the Manila Film Center, the Westin Philippine Plaza, the Day by Day Ministries which leases the Folk Arts Theater, and the Manila Jumbo Palace and Gloriamaris restaurants.

"We requested them to landscape the areas around their buildings, and although that is not part of their contracts of lease, we are very grateful that they all agreed, and even went beyond their immediate areas in cleaning up and landscaping," Jardin told The STAR.

The CCP is also handling tonight’s grand opening ceremonies, as well as a cultural presentation for the delegates on April 6 involving over 600 artists from all over the country. Both events will be held at the CCP Main Theater.

Drilon defended the expenses for the IPU, saying that the tremendous amount of publicity and goodwill that the meeting will generate for the country is worth the expense. In addition, he pointed out, the 1,500 delegates will be spending on hotels and other expenses, not only in Manila, but also in the country’s various tourist spots.

For the perennially cash-strapped CCP, the IPU is a big boon, since it finally allowed long-needed repairs, renovations and maintenance work to be done.

"We have been trying to raise funds for a long time for badly needed repairs, like the air conditioning, facade and toilets," Jardin said. "We are very happy and grateful that these have now been done." — Doreen Yu

CCP complex gets facelift for IPU meet
The Philippine Star - 04/03/2005

http://www.geocities.com/csbrocks_hunter/sf.jpg
Cool! I wanna see pictures of the newly refurbished CCP Complex (Not only the main CCP Building, which I already saw somewhere). :)

Passed by there this morning. The CCP really does look a lot better than it has for years. The new marble gives a warmer look to it. The PICC though looks like it wasn't improved that much, it still looks like the same old grey boxes! I'm glad they got refurbished, pero sayang, if only they had re-clad the buildings with different material, preferably metal or polished stone, even rough Mactan stone I think would look better, and very Filipino. As it is, they don't really look much different, just cleaner and newer, like they did in the late 70s. So if you can find pictures from that era, that's pretty much how they look now.

Security is very tight in the area, especially the stretch enclosing the CCP and PICC. There's like a small army surrounding the complex!

So far, they've only done foundation work for the Hall of Justice. Kakaasar nga eh, minadali yung demolition ng Jai-Alai, ang tagal naman pala bago patayuan.

Can someone take a picture of the facelifted CCP? Sounds good:)

Passed by there this morning. The CCP really does look a lot better than it has for years. The new marble gives a warmer look to it. The PICC though looks like it wasn't improved that much, it still looks like the same old grey boxes! I'm glad they got refurbished, pero sayang, if only they had re-clad the buildings with different material, preferably metal or polished stone, even rough Mactan stone I think would look better, and very Filipino. As it is, they don't really look much different, just cleaner and newer, like they did in the late 70s. So if you can find pictures from that era, that's pretty much how they look now.
That's what I like about the Philippines hosting major events. The country gets cleaned. Remember when we hosted the Apec meeting in Subic? The NLEX got repaved and eye sores "covered". But that's Filipino culture so it's all good. :)

I remember seeing in the news some of their preparations for the IPU general assembly.

The sides of the bridges leading to NAIA has been covered by WOW Philippines billboards so as to cover the unsightly view of squatters along the riverbanks.
The center islands were repainted, the plant boxes in them repaired and repainted also and was planted new plants and the all the busted street lights (only those near NAIA) were repaired.

The sidewalks were also paved with those colored tiles similar to the one in the baywalk and the houses facing them were repainted... yeah, individual houses were painted with pastel color schemes ala-Eastwood. The only complain of some of the residents was that only the houses facing the street was beautified even free of charge.

Inayos din ba yong sa labas ng arrival area ng airport kasi ang baho doon amoy pusa. Napansin ko yong stench ng paglabas ko ng arrival area this past February.

speaking of the IPU nahold-up at injured ang secretary-general of belgian parliament last night. nakakahiya ito para sa atin. the news was in www.inq7.net

OMG, that's so not good. Sana hindi na lumaki yang balitang yan kasi baka maibalita pa yan sa ibang bansa.

OMG, that's so not good. Sana hindi na lumaki yang balitang yan kasi baka maibalita pa yan sa ibang bansa.

for sure sa belgium ibabalita yan pero hindi sa cnn kasi busy sila sa coverage ni pope. nabasa nyo ba yong article. nakakahiya talaga kasi naman sya bakit pa lumabas ng hotel at sumakay sa tricycle.

for sure sa belgium ibabalita yan pero hindi sa cnn kasi busy sila sa coverage ni pope. nabasa nyo ba yong article. nakakahiya talaga kasi naman sya bakit pa lumabas ng hotel at sumakay sa tricycle.

Eh paano hindi naman pala siya nagpaalam sa IPU desk na aalis siya, kaya hindi siya nabigyan ng security. Sabi nung delegate hindi naman daw gagamitin ng Belgium against the Philippines yung incident na yun.

-------------------------------------

Alam niyo ba na nabiktima ng budol-budol yung wife nung Kenyan delegate ng IPU?
Nagstay sila sa Diamond Hotel tapos nagpapalit sa isang money changer sa Ermita yung wife nung delegate, na-discover niya na kulang ng PhP13K yung pera niya so nireport nya sa pulis kaya naipasara yung money changer na nanloko sa kanya at nabawi yung pera na kulang. Pagkatapos nun wala na siyang planong mag-file ng kaso against the money changer.

-------------------------------------

Eto, magandang balita naman. :) Nagshopping ng Jewelry sa Greenhills yung mga babaeng Russian delegates ng IPU. Enjoy daw dito yung mga babaeng Russian delegates kaya nag-request sila na magstay pa ng mas matagal sa Pilipinas. :okay:

I wonder what the Belgian man was doing. The other side of the story is that you have the security detail, the PNP, saying that the Belgian minister's motives were suspect. I believe the news report said something about how leaving at 5AM to go to church was a suspect reason (and taking a tricycle adds to the suspicion). My question is: since when are assault victims considered suspect? We're not getting the whole story here.

So either the victim was doing something suspicious or the security detail is trying to disperse blame and not take responsibility by saying the guy who got hurt had it coming. Sure the guy could be up to something strange at 5AM but if the security is supposed to be at high levels anyways because of the IPU, why would a criminal tricycle driver be in the vicinity of a protected zone in the first place? Am I being fair?

I wonder what the Belgian man was doing. The other side of the story is that you have the security detail, the PNP, saying that the Belgian minister's motives were suspect. I believe the news report said something about how leaving at 5AM to go to church was a suspect reason (and taking a tricycle adds to the suspicion). My question is: since when are assault victims considered suspect? We're not getting the whole story here.

So either the victim was doing something suspicious or the security detail is trying to disperse blame and not take responsibility by saying the guy who got hurt had it coming. Sure the guy could be up to something strange at 5AM but if the security is supposed to be at high levels anyways because of the IPU, why would a criminal tricycle driver be in the vicinity of a protected zone in the first place? Am I being fair?

I use to work along roxas boulevard near the PNB financial Bldg. and wtc and I notices that there are lots of young call girls in that area and they are preying to japanese tourists who resides near those condos. Siguro kaya sumakay ng tricycle yong belgian na yon ay para kumuha ng babae :D

Now turning back to the subject of the controversial Lito Atienza. It's a love-hate relationship we have with him here at SSC. You gotta love what he's doing with Baywalk and all, but come on Lito A! Arroceros Forest Park! What the heck are you thinking?!

Here's a column on Atienza's felling of Arroceros trees and
obliteration of other city landmarks.


This story was taken from www.inq7.net
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sense and Sensibility : Going, going, gone...

, April 04, 2005
Updated 11:49pmam (Mla time)
Bambi Harper
Inquirer News Service




BEING a tropical country with fantastic biodiversity, it was not
surprising that the colonial Spaniards parceled off some land outside
Intramuros for a botanical garden. There had been an earlier one in
Malate in the late 18th century, with a monument to a naturalist
called Pineda who had died in the process of studying our flora, but
that had long disappeared together with his memorial. Still we were
the first country in Asia to have a botanical garden.

Our second colonizers were out to prove that they could build a grand
city and had their most renowned architect of the time, Daniel
Burnham, brought over to design a plan -- which he did, and if you
ever have the chance take a look at it, you would see what a wealth
of parks we would have had if it had been followed. The area beside
City Hall was called Mehan Gardens, for the man who continued its
development.

Prior to the Spaniards and Americans, of course, the area was part of
Rajah Matanda's and Rajah Soliman's kingdoms, but it has never really
been rigorously excavated and studied so that we have never
discovered the cemetery of those ancestors unlike that of the kingdom
of Lamayan in Sta. Ana, which in the 1960s yielded a treasure trove
of fantastic porcelain artifacts.

Shortly after the start of his second term, the present mayor of
Manila announced that he intended to build his City College on the
grounds of Mehan Gardens, thus eliminating once and for all the open
space and the city's history. (As the Italians would say, "senza
respeto.") Using the Philippine National Bank building on Escolta for
the purpose, which was his predecessor's idea, wasn't good enough,
obviously. But you know how it is in this country, of course. You've
lived here long enough to realize that no matter how expedient your
predecessor's plan, your ego demands that you destroy what he started
and invent the wheel all over again. Perhaps the vice mayor was
chaffing all those years under Mayor Alfredo Lim's heel and could now
claim his revenge by undoing everything the other did. Politicians'
pettiness can be mind-boggling. (Remember the City Museum in the Army
& Navy Club that is now the private preserve of some Chinese
restaurant owner? That's gone, too.)

Not satisfied with the environmental degradation he caused with his
construction of Park n Ride in part of Mehan, the mayor decided to
convert another open space, Arroceros Park, into a dorm for teachers.
The reason given by the mayor is that Manila has no other properties
to build on. One wonders then from whom Megaworld Corp. bought its
rumored two-hectare property beside Arroceros Park to construct a
condominium. Since the city was using the land, one imagines it
belonged to the city, right?

The thing about kingpins around here is that they will do exactly
what they feel like doing and no one can stop them. The mayor of a
city is its Lord and Master, with a tradition dating all the way back
to Medieval Europe and the feudal system that is so enshrined in this
land that all you can do is shrug your shoulders. I mean let's face
it. Manila is supposedly the capital of the country and yet it is
treated just like any other city by the national government.

And the mayor has the temerity to state that "it is my duty and
responsibility that such undertaking is finished." One is tempted to
reply, in the same manner that he "finished" the Jai-Alai building,
which, as you know, he was in such a hurry to demolish because he had
the money and it was imperative that there be a new hall of justice.
That was what six years ago, but all there is to show now is a hole
in the ground. No Hall of Justice, no landmark building.

Oddly enough in all these, the only one putting up any kind of
protest against this affront to the city's history is Regina Paterno
and her Winner Foundation. She had signed a contract with then-Mayor
Lim to develop the Arroceros property as a park, which Mayor Lito
Atienza now wants to demolish so he can build his dorm. Such a pity
that the lady has no champion among the esteemed gentlemen of the
Senate or the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, we may be
feudal but we have no knights in shining armor. As one of the
senators said, they have other more lofty concerns than restoring the
once ever-loyal City of Manila as the Pearl of the Orient.

Perhaps everyone else has stopped believing in Manila, having lived
so long with old, worn-out, ugly places that we have become
anesthetized to their condition. Composed of formless places without
order, beauty or reason, with no visible respect for either people or
the land, the mayor's idea of environmental aesthetics is calculated
in terms of rentable space. (Take a look at the boulevard. Your
sunset has been blocked off by permanent structures. You could eat
your heart out and compare it to La Castellana in Madrid, but why
torture yourself?)

But then the Filipino has stopped dreaming of greatness. Have you
ever heard any of your officials speak about a great city? Have they
expressed an interest in landmark buildings (there's the Paco Station
hanging by a thread) that carry with them a sense of history? Do they
esteem the last of the Belle Epoque buildings of the city (Luneta
Hotel)? And let's not bring up Manila Hotel, unless you want me to
have a real fit.

Thus in one fell swoop, Lito Atienza will go down in Manila's history
as the mayor who managed all by his lonesome to obliterate three
landmarks during his tenure: the Jai-Alai building, Mehan Gardens and
Arroceros Park.

What can I say? Congratulations?

©2005 www.inq7.net all rights reserved

Eh paano hindi naman pala siya nagpaalam sa IPU desk na aalis siya, kaya hindi siya nabigyan ng security. Sabi nung delegate hindi naman daw gagamitin ng Belgium against the Philippines yung incident na yun.

-------------------------------------

Alam niyo ba na nabiktima ng budol-budol yung wife nung Kenyan delegate ng IPU?
Nagstay sila sa Diamond Hotel tapos nagpapalit sa isang money changer sa Ermita yung wife nung delegate, na-discover niya na kulang ng PhP13K yung pera niya so nireport nya sa pulis kaya naipasara yung money changer na nanloko sa kanya at nabawi yung pera na kulang. Pagkatapos nun wala na siyang planong mag-file ng kaso against the money changer.

-------------------------------------

Eto, magandang balita naman. :) Nagshopping ng Jewelry sa Greenhills yung mga babaeng Russian delegates ng IPU. Enjoy daw dito yung mga babaeng Russian delegates kaya nag-request sila na magstay pa ng mas matagal sa Pilipinas. :okay:

san mo naman nasagap yang chismaxx na yan :D post the link at ng mabasa.

I use to work along roxas boulevard near the PNB financial Bldg. and wtc and I notices that there are lots of young call girls in that area and they are preying to japanese tourists who resides near those condos. Siguro kaya sumakay ng tricycle yong belgian na yon ay para kumuha ng babae :D

Malamang. I thought the same thing first. I mean 5AM? He said he was going to church but um... there is a recent report that prostitution is the 4th largest source of GNP (http://news.inq7.net/top/index.php?index=1&story_id=32654) (PDI). And maybe this is the reason why Belgium is not using the incident against the Philippines-- to protect its representative.

san mo naman nasagap yang chismaxx na yan :D post the link at ng mabasa.

Wala kang link na mababasa kasi napanood ko lang yan sa TV Patrol. :)

@Boybaha, malamang nga... kasi binilinan naman sila na magbigay ng notice pag aalis pero hindi siya nagbilin para masamahan ng security so malamang he's up to something nasty.

It would be pretty dumb of a foreigner, Belgian or whatever, to be in the streets at 5am. That is, unless yer... some gros are invovled.

i dont wana speculate but if thats the case then foreigners too are the ones placing us in such a bad name & shame, but since these are hi rank officials in their own countries , i think they arent supposed to do this in the first place neither bec. ur controlling ur urge nor ur protecting ones country from embarassment once get caught but just for goodness sake...:(

It would be pretty dumb of a foreigner, Belgian or whatever, to be in the streets at 5am.

I long for the day that people (local or foreigner) can walk the streets of Metro Manila (or any street for that matter) at any time freely and without fear for safety. Haaay... Kailan kaya? Sa Singapore kaya, safe?

boybaha
thanks for sharing that article by bambi harper, all she said is very true, how could somebody be so idiot like atienza? makes me so pissed!

I long for the day that people (local or foreigner) can walk the streets of Metro Manila (or any street for that matter) at any time freely and without fear for safety. Haaay... Kailan kaya?

I, too, Lili ... how i wish as well .... as of the crime rate here in London, it is slowly and gradually decreasing ... thanks for the "camrascan" in place all over the city. Hope it will be replicated also in the Philippines.

I long for the day that people (local or foreigner) can walk the streets of Metro Manila (or any street for that matter) at any time freely and without fear for safety. Haaay... Kailan kaya? Sa Singapore kaya, safe?

Bakit?? Hay naku! Having lived and visited the Philippines this last few years, ang mga kapwa Filipino lang talaga ang nagbibigay ng hindi magandang image or imahen (spelling?) ng Pilipinas. Ako ok lang kung maglakad ng umaga or gabi. Hind ako takot basta I use common sense and I try to be aware of my surroundings. Dito sa Amerika naging victim na ako ng crime. First sa New York tapos yong bunso kong kapatid who was 8 months pregnant at the time got robbed at gun point daytime at a Target commercial center in Vegas. Mind you, we live in a nice neighbourhood. Crime can happen anywhere so to think Manila is not really safe for walking better think again.

I, too, Lili ... how i wish as well .... as of the crime rate here in London, it is slowly and gradually decreasing ... thanks for the "camrascan" in place all over the city. Hope it will be replicated also in the Philippines.

But at what expense though? I find it an extreme violation of my civil liberties and my right of privacy to always be under the prying eyes of a camera and not know about it. I mean I am no criminal, but there's something about living under constant surveillance-- under surveillance by the state at that --that is fundamentally wrong, as if there's no such thing as trust anymore. It's as if the prison has been exploded beyond its walls.

Crime can happen anywhere so to think Manila is not really safe for walking better think again.

Too right. You only become a victim if you left yourself be, putting yourself in a condition which bad elements will pry on you. That's applicable in every city.

I long for the day that people (local or foreigner) can walk the streets of Metro Manila (or any street for that matter) at any time freely and without fear for safety. Haaay... Kailan kaya? Sa Singapore kaya, safe?
There are some countries where you can actually do that. I would guess Singapore is one of them. I am sure Japan is another. :)

But at what expense though? I find it an extreme violation of my civil liberties and my right of privacy to always be under the prying eyes of a camera and not know about it. I mean I am no criminal, but there's something about living under constant surveillance-- under surveillance by the state at that --that is fundamentally wrong, as if there's no such thing as trust anymore. It's as if the prison has been exploded beyond its walls.

Yeah, that can be an unwarranted intrusion to your right to privacy. It conjures images of Orwellian "Big Brother". There should be a balancing of interests between security and privacy. One way to go around that is to actually notify people that the area is under camera surveillance -- this is a deterrent in itself. So, if it's very late at night and you have to take the MRT or LRT, there is a waiting area that is under camera surveillance where you can wait for the train. In NY, some traffic lights have built in cameras so that if you try to beat the red light, your image is captured as well as your car license no. Magugulat ka na lang when you receive the notice of violation by mail.

It would be pretty dumb of a foreigner, Belgian or whatever, to be in the streets at 5am. That is, unless yer... some gros are invovled.

Yan na naman ang "blame the victim" mentality.

Posted 06:07pm (Mla time) April 08, 2005
By Fran Katigbak
Inquirer News Service

A SUSPECT in the mugging of Belgian parliamentarian Georges Brion was convicted and sentenced on Friday to four to eight years imprisonment.

Earlier in the day, Victorio Mallari pleaded not guilty to the crime during a trial at the Pasay City regional trial court. Later in the afternoon however RTC Judge Pedro Corales found him guilty and handed down the prison sentence.

Brion positively identified Mallari, a 24-year-old tricycle driver, as the one who robbed him of 4,000 pesos and 60 dollars in cash, and credit and identification cards last Tuesday.

Police have not located Jess, Mallari's alleged accomplice.

A special law requires the trial against Mallari to be held within 24 hours because it involves a foreigner.

Sana lahat ng kaso ganito kabilis!

For every dark cloud, there is a silver lining.

It would be pretty dumb of a foreigner, Belgian or whatever, to be in the streets at 5am. That is, unless yer... some gros are invovled.

Thats not an excuse....the stupid trycycle driver did a stupid thing if i was the judge he would get a much worse sentence...so bad i that i wont even bother typing it here.......

How can Philippines attract more foriegn tourist to see the beauty of our country if things like this keep happening...everyone has right to walk the street whenever...
If a tourist was to walk around tondo around 5am.....then he gets robbed??....does that mean that its the tourist fault?...sure its a carelss thing to do...but aint no excuse for the rubber..

However that belgian was pretty stupid for walking around that time ..so early in that area...not very smart for a parliamentarian ...is he?....
dapat alisin na yang mga rubbish na girlie bars sa Pasay...kakahiya!!!I hate
the fact that the international community see's us that way...dapat more jobs are created for these people in this kinda jobs...

Ok here's for a new thread.....

Hey peeps, I'm puzzled nung hinanap ko sa internet anything about the city of manila including pictures....walang magandang pictures at features....kung ako ay isang foreigner, my impression will be - isang madilim, nakakatakot at lumang lugar.... Even the exciting clean night life is nowhere to be found, and also the PICC complex at Manila Bay....Ganoon na ba ikinahihiya ng pinoy ang Maynila.....I don't....I'm going to make a nice website of Manila and the surrounding cities..... Masyado na bang pinaghiwa-hiwalay and MEtro Manila at hindi kasama ang mga bagong sub-cities nito....For me, Manila is still the Capital and the segregated cities are actually only sub-cities....

Okay, the City of Manila is composed of Manila itself and many sub-Cities:

Manila - The Historical and Convention District:
---The Historical District - Intramuros & Fort Santiago, Malacanang Palace, China Town & Binondo (I hope they will fix this place)
---Convention District - PICC Complex w/c includes PICC, CCP , WTC, Folk Arts Theatre, Film Center, Coconut Palace, and many Hotels

Makati City & Bonifacio Global City - The Business District of Manila
Mandaluyong City - The Shopping District of Manila
Quezon City - The Government District of Manila

-------------------------------------------------

edit: let me post the link to the link to the Manila, My Manila- Tradition & Modernity II (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=202712) thread.

and the original Manila, My Manila - Tradition and Modernity (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=96172) Thread

Aaron

-------------------------------------------------

re: the sentencing of the snatcher that victimized the Belgian IPU delegate. (in the previous thread)

wow!! that was fast...!!

anyways, yeah... I think that is a really good idea sandrin. it's really sad that there is so little about Manila and the Philippines on the internet. I wish I lived in Manila so I could go around and at least get some shots of all these different places we talk about here on SSC and then put them up in a decent looking, well managed, and up to date website like you were saying. it just gets a bit frustrating sometimes when you read about some nice place we talk about on the forums and then try to go look it up on Google to find absolutely nothing of relevance...

it's a good thing we at least have a whole bunch of awesome forumers who do take the time to go around and bring us a couple of pictures every now and then! thanks guys...! maraming salamat talaga!! :D I hope to be able to do that too when I move back to Manila a couple years from now...

yeah, its really fast. I guess there's a law that cases of foreigners should re resolved fast.

Anyway, there's an interview of the IPU delegates on the news.

One said that those untoward incidents can happen in any country and not only here.

The other said "I don't really know what he (the Belgian IPU delegate) is doing outside at 5am when he should be sleeping at the hotel..."

hahaha, hindi lang pala tayong mga SSC forumers ang nagdududa sa kanya, pati fellow delegates niya pinag-iisipan din siya ng masama.

The news also said that they are looking forward for having another IPU summit here because the recent one was very productive and organized. :)

--

Hello everyone! Do you have any picture of Manila cathedral at night? The one with the lights and everythin. Thanks! Paki post kung meron....

my question: sa 1st pic, may HSBC tenant din ba dun sa bldg? :)

I’m planning to add the University Belt and the Gimik District (Malate Nightlife) too. I may need input and pictures from you guys – Thomasian and the La Sallites.
I already ask my sister to take clear pictures of Intramuros and the PICC complex.
@JBkayaker - nice pics..

I’ve come-up with a rough Outline, as of late. I’m not a web designer so please bear with me. I hope to finish the first draft by June…so help me with infos pls....

I don't think it's even occupied.... it's weird because that crane has been there ever since... around 2002-03.

And I think that building in the 2nd photo is Sunview. or Sun something.

That's a very nice idea, Sandrin! :)

Sandrin, the PICC complex is actually in Pasay City. I'm not sure what you mean by the segregated cities being only sub-cities to you, but in all fairness they truly are separate cities unto themselves. The City of Manila is of course the capital and the historical heart of Metro Manila, but the other cities (Pasay, Caloocan, Quezon City, etc.) are distinct cities within "Metro Manila" and would not appreciate being considered as mere subcities of Manila. It's important to always say "METRO Manila" (or NCR) when referring to the entire metropolitan area (from Valenzuala to Muntinlupa) to differentiate it from the actual City of Manila. Some of the cities like Las Pinas and Muntinlupa were only granted cityhood relatively recently, but Pasay, Caloocan, and Quezon City were already legitimate cities for some time before Metro Manila was organized.

And yes, there's an HSBC branch at the ground floor of that building. It's my bank actually. :)

A new pic from the Baywalk. This place is full of people, everyday, even weekdays, and on weekends it's insanely busy. I hang out here maybe around twice a week myself. By the way, there is now a cruise boat that docks at and picks up passengers from the the middle of the Baywalk itself.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid164/pd7db20d515fd4c7cb225ab3bd468ab73/f480ab6a.jpg

--

Sandrin, the PICC complex is actually in Pasay City. I'm not sure what you mean by the segregated cities being only sub-cities to you, but in all fairness they truly are separate cities unto themselves. The City of Manila is of course the capital and the historical heart of Metro Manila, but the other cities (Pasay, Caloocan, Quezon City, etc.) are distinct cities within "Metro Manila" and would not appreciate being considered as mere subcities of Manila. It's important to always say "METRO Manila" (or NCR) when referring to the entire metropolitan area (from Valenzuala to Muntinlupa) to differentiate it from the actual City of Manila. Some of the cities like Las Pinas and Muntinlupa were only granted cityhood relatively recently, but Pasay, Caloocan, and Quezon City were already legitimate cities for some time before Metro Manila was organized.

And yes, there's an HSBC branch at the ground floor of that building. It's my bank actually. :)

A new pic from the Baywalk. This place is full of people, everyday, even weekdays, and on weekends it's insanely busy. I hang out here maybe around twice a week myself. By the way, there is now a cruise boat that docks at and picks up passengers from the the middle of the Baywalk itself.



Thanks for the clarification. I actually meant Metro Manila but kept on interchanging it with the City of Manila for some reason. I'd like to call it simply Manila and will include your input to clear the confusion.

Your posts and pictures here make me happy! :) :)

Yes, tenant din ang HSBC doon.

anong pangalan ng building na yun?

It used to be the Delta Hotel (same owner as the Delta Philippine Dream Flotaing Hotel in Cebu) when it was still under construction. Now, I'm not sure.

It seems like its twin is unfinished. The floors look empty.

Cool pictures:) I'm glad the summit was successful. I always get the feeling that whenever the philippines hosts something, it isnt as good as when other countries host.

does Lungsod ng Maynila have barangays, too, or just districts? can someone please make a list? thanks! :)

ty

yes.. Manila like any other towns and cities in the country is subdivided by barangays..... the City of Manila has 146 barangays... and no specific name for each....

The Barangay is the smallest local government unit recognized by the Philippine government. All cities are made of even smaller administrative units so Manila does have barangays-- local government units being provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays. Each of these LGUs have different responsibilities and different services rendered to citizens.


RP Gov
- Provincial Gov
- - City Gov
- - - - Barangay
- - Municipalilty
- - - - Barangay
- Charter Cities
- - Barangay


A municipality is not as big as a city (like the former municipalities of Paranaque and Makati, now cities) and are entitled to different amounts of government funding and support. They provide different services to their citizens... but municipalities are not "under" a city.

But there are also cities that are not under provincial control, so called charter cities, described below in the RP Constitution. Manila is one of these but it also has barangays. You can find more information on barangay responsibilities in the 1991 Local Government Code. Book I, Title I, Chapter 1, Section 17.

From the Constitution:
Article X.
Section 12. Cities that are highly urbanized, as determined by law, and component cities whose charters prohibit their voters from voting for provincial elective officials, shall be independent of the province. The voters of component cities within a province, whose charters contain no such prohibition, shall not be deprived of their right to vote for elective provincial officials.

And do you know, Mike, how does a municipality turn into a city? Is it population?

And do you know, Mike, how does a municipality turn into a city? Is it population?

Actually, I don't know.

But a cursory look at the Constitution says this:
Article X.
Section 10. No province, city, municipality, or barangay may be created, divided, merged, abolished, or its boundary substantially altered, except in accordance with the criteria established in the local government code and subject to approval by a majority of the votes cast in a plebiscite in the political units directly affected.

So that means that there has to at least be some criteria applied (size, population?) and there also has to be a popular demand for becoming a city-- the citizens of the municipality have to want to be a city and vote for it.

I don't remember which city it was but this was very recently (like around 2000), a part of Quezon City wanted to become its own city. First, citizens of Quezon City had to vote on whether to allow a part of it to secede. And then, the citizens of this town had to vote to become a city. I forget what part of QC it was though.

That part was Novaliches. They should have seceded, in my opinion. It would have made QC somewhat less unwieldy to govern. And the people of Novaliches would have more control over where their taxes went.

The income level of the municipality/group of barangays concerned is taken into consideration, 20 million for a component city(like Antipolo) or 50 million for a highly urbanized city. Land area should also be at least 100 sq. km. Population is also a factor, at least 150,000 for a component city or 200,000 for a highly urbanized city. :)

my dad place tagum city the capital of davao del norte became a component city several years back but i believe it has A POPULATION OF MORE MORE THAN 200T AND INCOME OF MORE THAN 50M but dont know if they automatically eligible to become a highly urbanized city??? isnt it that it has to go to congress for a law to pass to become such?? or maybe they have to go the the DILG TO get the process done and then maybe another peblescite whether the people wants to upgrade their city and the benefits they will get etc????

I really like your idea Sandrin. The pictures are so nice. It makes it all the more enticing to visit Manila. [Manila, Manila. I keep coming back to Manila. Simply ain't no place like Manila. Manila, I'm coming home ... (sing to the tune of Hotdogs)] some may be too young to remember.

(I just noticed in the first picture, how is it that everytime there is a project, the name of the public official (e.g. mayor) should always be displayed?)

--

--

That part was Novaliches. They should have seceded, in my opinion. It would have made QC somewhat less unwieldy to govern. And the people of Novaliches would have more control over where their taxes went.


yeah.. I agree... Novaliches should have become a city... but during the plebiscite, all citizens of Quezon City voted whether they would allow Novaliches be separated or not... well of course many citizens of Quezon City didn't want Novaliches be separated...

during that time, we in North Caloocan would love to be part of NOvaliches if it becomes a city... Novaliches is a very old town that existed even during the Spanish era... anyways... back then most of the residents of North Caloocan and even from parts of Valenzuela and San Jose Del Monte depend on Novaliches town proper (Bayan)... for most merchandise, goods are available there... Bayan has 5 wet markets and is a very congested town with commercial establishments... then SM Fairview was built...

Novaliches was pushed to become a city since it is complete with facilities to become a city, it has schools, colleges, hospitals, malls (SM and Robinsons), markets, major firestation, industrial plants, commercial establishments... plus Novaliches covers a big area with big population of different classes from the rich people of Fairview to the slums... and it even covers the La Mesa Dam....

Novaliches generates a good deal of tax for Quezon City...

cool shots @jbkayaker12. :cool:

Those are beautiful pictures, Jon. :)

Such magical views in those pictures. :)

anyone has news and updates about the Aroceros park? :)

I don't know where to post this so I will post it here. Maybe I should make a Philippine History Thread.

Maybe later.

http://news.inq7.net/opinion/index.php?index=2&story_id=30843


Street names
Posted 01:06am (Mla time) Mar 18, 2005
By Ambeth Ocampo
Inquirer News Service

WHEN there is yet another change in street names, historically
conscious people usually turn to the National Historical Institute
(NHI) first to complain. Under existing rules, prior consultation
with the NHI should be made before a street name can be changed. The
same principle also applies to proposals to rename public school
buildings.

While the buck often ends with the NHI chair, the complete staff work
and recommendations are made by the NHI research division under Dr.
August de Viana and Carminda Arevalo. They go through the paperwork,
look for precedents and other connections, resulting in a decision
for or against the proposed change.

As a matter of principle, the NHI objects to changing street names
that have been in existence for a long time and can be deemed
"sanctified by usage." However, we have seen recent changes like
Aduana in Intramuros now changed to Soriano or Pasay Road in Makati
now changed to Arnaiz. I'm too young to remember the debate over the
change from Azcarraga to Recto, but as a historian I realize that
street names are not just signs to help us find an address, but also
a way of remembering the past. The unsuccessful move to rename the
Rizal Memorial Stadium as Benigno Aquino Stadium is an example of
recent history overlapping with something older. Is there form,
pattern, or logic to all these changes? The answer is worth a
doctoral dissertation.

In the past 15 years, there have been repeated moves to rename Taft
Avenue to either Aglipay, Aguinaldo or Diokno Avenue. They all failed
because there was enough public opinion to oppose the change, but
what about smaller, lesser-known streets?

Instead of blaming the NHI for changes in street names, people should
vent their ire on government officials or legislators who initiate
such moves because the NHI's opinion is consultative rather than
deliberative. In simple language, this means that the NHI's opinion
must be sought and, in principle, followed, but if the proponent is
bull-headed, there is very little the NHI can do unless it is
supported by public outrage.

Last year, there was a move to change España Boulevard to Arturo
Tolentino Boulevard. Dr. De Viana, who also teaches at the Royal and
Pontifical University of Santo Tomas (incidentally founded by Spanish
Dominicans, whose main campus is along España) came up with a
position paper that should be taken in consideration in case another
proposal is made to rename the street:

"Historically, España belongs to a series of streets that had
something to do with Spain. There are street names such as: Galicia,
Algeciras, Extremadura and Catalu?a, which are Spanish provinces. One
street, Dos Castillas, refers to Leon and Castille that are
represented in the Spanish flag. Another, Maria Cristina, was named
after the Queen of Spain who served as regent during the minority of
King Alfonso XIII. There is also a street named Don Quixote, the main
personality in the novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Other streets carry
the names of virtues in Spanish: Economia, Trabajo, Prudencio and
Constancia. The rest were apparently the names of relatives of the
former estate, such as Eloisa, Adelina, Paquita, etc. Near the
boundary of Quezon City the streets straddling España have names that
relate to Jose Rizal: P. Leoncio (Rizal's godfather), Craig (after
Austin Craig, one of Rizal's biographers), Basilio, Sisa and Ibarra
(characters in 'Noli me tangere'). The pattern of these streets shows
an aesthetic unity that could be easily destroyed by the renaming of
even one of these."

Dr. De Viana then continues his lament:

"There are cases when the renaming of streets was pushed through even
if the NHI interposed objection. Some renaming have taken place even
without consultation with the NHI ... To my knowledge, there are
already some streets along España [that] have been renamed without
[prior] consultation with the NHI. These are: Constancia (now
Cristobal), Pepin (now Marzan), and Forbes (now Arsenio Lacson).
Earlier, P. Leoncio was renamed Antonio Quintos, Cataluña (now
Tolentino), Economia (now Manuel de la Fuente), Trabajo (now Vicente
G. Cruz) and Washington (now Antonio Maceda)."

We can go on with historical and emotional reasons to retain España.
Dr. De Viana dug up a little known fact that provides a legal basis:

"The land where España Boulevard is located was donated by Antonio de
la Riva, owner of the Sulucan Estate Corporation, on the condition
that it shall be named after the Iberian nation. In 1952 the City
Council of Manila tried to rename the boulevard but the heirs of de
la Riva reminded city officials of the conditions of the donation.
Furthermore, España is classified as a national road, as indicated by
its white street signs. City roads are indicated by blue street
signs. National roads are not under the jurisdiction of local
governments, therefore the Local Government Code cannot be used as
basis for the renaming.

"Instead of renaming the boulevard, España should be improved and
beautified since it recognizes the nation's Spanish heritage. It
could [also] become the venue of celebrations of Philippine-Spanish
Friendship Day now celebrated every June 30."

One must add that in Madrid, the place where the Rizal monument
stands is Avenida de Filipinas. Heritage conservation is not just
about old structures and antiquities but sometimes can be as
commonplace as street names.

I don't know where to post this so I will post it here. Maybe I should make a Philippine History Thread.

Maybe later.

http://news.inq7.net/opinion/index.php?index=2&story_id=30843


Street names
Posted 01:06am (Mla time) Mar 18, 2005
By Ambeth Ocampo
Inquirer News Service

WHEN there is yet another change in street names, historically
conscious people usually turn to the National Historical Institute
(NHI) first to complain. Under existing rules, prior consultation
with the NHI should be made before a street name can be changed. The
same principle also applies to proposals to rename public school
buildings.

While the buck often ends with the NHI chair, the complete staff work
and recommendations are made by the NHI research division under Dr.
August de Viana and Carminda Arevalo. They go through the paperwork,
look for precedents and other connections, resulting in a decision
for or against the proposed change.

As a matter of principle, the NHI objects to changing street names
that have been in existence for a long time and can be deemed
"sanctified by usage."

In the past 15 years, there have been repeated moves to rename Taft
Avenue to either Aglipay, Aguinaldo or Diokno Avenue. They all failed
because there was enough public opinion to oppose the change, but
what about smaller, lesser-known streets?

Instead of blaming the NHI for changes in street names, people should
vent their ire on government officials or legislators who initiate
such moves because the NHI's opinion is consultative rather than
deliberative. In simple language, this means that the NHI's opinion
must be sought and, in principle, followed, but if the proponent is
bull-headed, there is very little the NHI can do unless it is
supported by public outrage.

Last year, there was a move to change España Boulevard to Arturo
Tolentino Boulevard. Dr. De Viana, who also teaches at the Royal and
Pontifical University of Santo Tomas (incidentally founded by Spanish
Dominicans, whose main campus is along España) came up with a
position paper that should be taken in consideration in case another
proposal is made to rename the street:

"Historically, España belongs to a series of streets that had
something to do with Spain. There are street names such as: Galicia,
Algeciras, Extremadura and Catalu?a, which are Spanish provinces. One
street, Dos Castillas, refers to Leon and Castille that are
represented in the Spanish flag. Another, Maria Cristina, was named
after the Queen of Spain who served as regent during the minority of
King Alfonso XIII. There is also a street named Don Quixote, the main
personality in the novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Other streets carry
the names of virtues in Spanish: Economia, Trabajo, Prudencio and
Constancia. The rest were apparently the names of relatives of the
former estate, such as Eloisa, Adelina, Paquita, etc. Near the
boundary of Quezon City the streets straddling España have names that
relate to Jose Rizal: P. Leoncio (Rizal's godfather), Craig (after
Austin Craig, one of Rizal's biographers), Basilio, Sisa and Ibarra
(characters in 'Noli me tangere'). The pattern of these streets shows
an aesthetic unity that could be easily destroyed by the renaming of
even one of these."

Dr. De Viana then continues his lament:

"There are cases when the renaming of streets was pushed through even
if the NHI interposed objection. Some renaming have taken place even
without consultation with the NHI ... To my knowledge, there are
already some streets along España [that] have been renamed without
[prior] consultation with the NHI. These are: Constancia (now
Cristobal), Pepin (now Marzan), and Forbes (now Arsenio Lacson).
Earlier, P. Leoncio was renamed Antonio Quintos, Cataluña (now
Tolentino), Economia (now Manuel de la Fuente), Trabajo (now Vicente
G. Cruz) and Washington (now Antonio Maceda)."

We can go on with historical and emotional reasons to retain España.
Dr. De Viana dug up a little known fact that provides a legal basis:

"The land where España Boulevard is located was donated by Antonio de
la Riva, owner of the Sulucan Estate Corporation, on the condition
that it shall be named after the Iberian nation. In 1952 the City
Council of Manila tried to rename the boulevard but the heirs of de
la Riva reminded city officials of the conditions of the donation.
Furthermore, España is classified as a national road, as indicated by
its white street signs. City roads are indicated by blue street
signs. National roads are not under the jurisdiction of local
governments, therefore the Local Government Code cannot be used as
basis for the renaming.

"Instead of renaming the boulevard, España should be improved and
beautified since it recognizes the nation's Spanish heritage. It
could [also] become the venue of celebrations of Philippine-Spanish
Friendship Day now celebrated every June 30."

One must add that in Madrid, the place where the Rizal monument
stands is Avenida de Filipinas. Heritage conservation is not just
about old structures and antiquities but sometimes can be as
commonplace as street names.

I would just like to cite a correction on Dr. De Viana's list of street name changes along Espana particularly Trabajo (not Economia) which is named M. Dela Fuente. It is the street named Lealtad which was named Vicente G. Cruz, I think. I am very sure of the Trabajo because my ancestors were long-time denizens of this street during the glory days of Sampaloc and Manila. (A lot of LVN actors and actresses of the 50s used to live in Sampaloc then.) I, myself, am a Sampaloc kid and am proud of it. These streets were named after "virtues" by the Spanish to inculcate these virtues to the obrero or working class of those days. Most of the places in Sampaloc used to be haciendas owned by the Tuazons, the Legardas, the Prietos -- the encomienderos and ilustrados of those times.

As for the street name changes without prior consultation with NHI, there is a legislative history on how this transpired. During the time of Marcos when he arrogated to himself both Executive and Legislative functions under Amendment No. 6 and then changed the form of government into a Parliamentary system, they had abused the legislative function by passing multitudinous bills on street name changes indiscriminately so as to reward or curry favor with political or moneyed kingspins of that time. I guess there was little else to legislate since Marcos does his own legislating by passing Presidential Decrees and Executive Orders left and right. There could not have been any "public outcry" then by historical preservationists (perhaps silent murmurs). There was no public notice or hearing for these changes and besides, because of the repressive regime then, one would not have dared utter any objection for fear of reprisal. All these street name changes (except for the Mariano Marcos Highway which should really be changed, the nerve of Marcos!)
I think was damaging in the need and efforts to preserve the historical integrity of these places. Besides, when you hear of these names EDSA, M.DelaFuente, Marzan, A. Maceda, etc. you hardly know who they are (a sometime Senator?, legislator?, mayor?, etc.). A memorial plaque for these persons or a building would have sufficed but changing historical street names shows lack of regard for preservation of historic names of these places. Of course, EDSA had taken on a different historical meaning outside of the name of the person after whom the street was named. Who was Epifanio Delos Santos, anyway? (research, research)

I think Epifanio was a senator... anyways.. Don Mariano Marcos Avenue is now renamed as Commonwealth Ave...... or unless you're speaking of the Marcos Highway leading up to Baguio City... the other Marcos highway that I know of is Imelda Marcos Highway that leads to Antipolo City...

well.. I'd agree that España Blvd shouldn't be renamed.. or any road at least specially those that has already been there for long and has become a landmark... like Pasay Road, Forbes, Trabajo, Buendia (now Gil Puyat)....

De los Santos was also an early American era historian, who played a major role in documenting Philippine revolutionary history.

I think Epifanio was a senator... anyways.. Don Mariano Marcos Avenue is now renamed as Commonwealth Ave...... or unless you're speaking of the Marcos Highway leading up to Baguio City... the other Marcos highway that I know of is Imelda Marcos Highway that leads to Antipolo City...

well.. I'd agree that España Blvd shouldn't be renamed.. or any road at least specially those that has already been there for long and has become a landmark... like Pasay Road, Forbes, Trabajo, Buendia (now Gil Puyat)....

Yeah, I know that they renamed Don Mariano Marcos highway back to Commonwealth Ave. There was a time Marcos wanted to name most major highways after his father or himself. He even built a big bust of himself along Marcos highway (a serious case of megalomania). He even wanted to change the name of the Philippines to Maharlika.

Sorry, I meant Marcos Ave. Marcos Highway leading to Baguio and Ilocos is still Marcos Highway, right?

yup.. it's still Marcos Highway...

Yeah there are numerous Marcos Highways. So is Lili talking about the one leading to Cainta and where SM Marikina is and LRT2 ends?

Yeah there are numerous Marcos Highways. So is Lili talking about the one leading to Cainta and where SM Marikina is and LRT2 ends?

This just proves the point -- too many Marcos Highways (the Marcoses tried to make the country like their own private domain and that whatever public highway or infrasturcture they made should be in their or their kins' honor).

The Marcos Highway I was referring to was the one leading to Baguio and Ilocos. (Marcos AVENUE, as Pau mentioned was reverted to Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. I don't know if this leads to Cainta and LRT2 since I have not seen LRT2.) For a time, Marcos HIGHWAY stretched from Luzon all the way to Bicol and the Visayas. For the impressionable, this may be an impressive undertaking by the Marcoses but if you recall your Philippine history, the Marcoses were in power for over 20 years and for every infrastructure they built, they and their cronies pocketed a substantial percentage from loans they got from the World Bank and other creditor banks without accountability. In the early days of the 1970's when the slogan was "Sa Ikauunlad ng Bayan, Disiplina ang Kailangan", despite Martial Law and dictatorship, the Philippines seemed on the verge of true economic progress as compared to other Asian nations but this deteriorated with crony capitalism and wanton abuse of human rights. A lot of those infrastuctures and developments which turned out to be "white elephants" were just window-washing but behind the high walls built on the peripheries of highways (i.e. Pandacan, Makati, Roxas Boulevard, Sta. Mesa, etc.) lay squalor and filth of the masses (the masang Pilipino) without basic amenities and sufficient plumbing and drainage. I have read some of the thread here where writers would say "the Marcos couple did a good job" but they were perhaps too young or not even in existence to know the actual conditions pervading then under Martial Law. Now the Marcoses are back in power and the good graces of the people. Maikli rin ang alaala ng mga tao. A lack of sense of history. As for EDSA, an opportunity was wasted there but certain freedoms (of speech, of the press, of expression and dissent) were regained. So, what price freedom? Yes, reconciliation is good but we have to learn from history.

This just proves the point -- too many Marcos Highways (the Marcoses tried to make the country like their own private domain and that whatever public highway or infrasturcture they made should be in their or their kins' honor).

The Marcos Highway I was referring to was the one leading to Baguio and Ilocos. (Marcos AVENUE, as Pau mentioned was reverted to Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City. I don't know if this leads to Cainta and LRT2 since I have not seen LRT2.) For a time, Marcos HIGHWAY stretched from Luzon all the way to Bicol and the Visayas. For the impressionable, this may be an impressive undertaking by the Marcoses but if you recall your Philippine history, the Marcoses were in power for over 20 years and for every infrastructure they built, they and their cronies pocketed a substantial percentage from loans they got from the World Bank and other creditor banks without accountability. In the early days of the 1970's when the slogan was "Sa Ikauunlad ng Bayan, Disiplina ang Kailangan", despite Martial Law and dictatorship, the Philippines seemed on the verge of true economic progress as compared to other Asian nations but this deteriorated with crony capitalism and wanton abuse of human rights. A lot of those infrastuctures and developments which turned out to be "white elephants" were just window-washing but behind the high walls built on the peripheries of highways (i.e. Pandacan, Makati, Roxas Boulevard, Sta. Mesa, etc.) lay squalor and filth of the masses (the masang Pilipino) without basic amenities and sufficient plumbing and drainage. I have read some of the thread here where writers would say "the Marcos couple did a good job" but they were perhaps too young or not even in existence to know the actual conditions pervading then under Martial Law. Now the Marcoses are back in power and the good graces of the people. Maikli rin ang alaala ng mga tao. A lack of sense of history. As for EDSA, an opportunity was wasted there but certain freedoms (of speech, of the press, of expression and dissent) were regained. So, what price freedom? Yes, reconciliation is good but we have to learn from history.

Did I read it somewhere, Governor Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and Congresswoman Imee Marcos.

Well, indeed, time has not healed the wounds including those of thousands of Filipinos who say they were tortured, raped or lived throughthe murder of loved ones during the regime of President Marcos.

I am not surprised no one among the marcos family went to jail. The Marcos family was ordered by a court to pay a $150M settlement to the victims of human rights violations during the Marcos regime yet Imelda, Bongbong and Imee are still unrepentant and refused to accept any liability.

While the country remained desperately poor, the Marcoses and their cronies played golf, they chipped and putted, while divididing up the country’s wealth among themselves.

Ilocos has mostly forgotten its most famous son, but so too has the rest of the country.

The Philippines has moved on to new leaders, some of whom closely resemble Marcos in terms of greed and corruption.

The dawn of a new era.

Wow, that's almost like an editorial.

Is there anyone of you who know about the Avenida Islas Filipinas(Spain) and Plaza Manila(Rome)? Also their pictures. Our History Professor told us that the Plaza Manila in Rome was built in return of Plaza Roma that was built infront of Manila Cathedral in Intramuros.

Baywalk at night:

http://photos.m-ph.com/albums/userpics/10102/normal_Baywalk.JPG
Street Lights at Bay Walk photo courtesy of m/ph photo gallery

Sweet.

How's Baywalk's formerly "new" benches, lights and tiles? When it was new one of our forumers here said it'll easily rot, or was suseptible to rotting.

Sweet.

How's Baywalk's formerly "new" benches, lights and tiles? When it was new one of our forumers here said it'll easily rot, or was suseptible to rotting.

Well.. ive seen the "new" benches in the baywalk. Still the same stuff you can buy at a regular garden store :laugh: except its those Wrought Iron Benches that are green

Those lights on Baywalk look like the ball that drops during New Year's Eve in Times Square.

it looks futuristic! :eek:

Courtesy of mr. JAY ALCABEDOS

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/1414661-lg.jpg

nag-eexperiment ako ng night shots sa baywalk, eto ang lumabas.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/imagesaver1206/bay%20area/IMG_0631s.jpg

and these, i was approached by the guard and asked me why i was taking pictures. personal collection, i said. do you have a permit, he asked. of course i don't have one (napadaan lang naman ako eh). it is prohibited to take pictures of the CCP (the structure) without a permit, he told me. i'm taking pictures of the fountain and the lawn decor not the building (siempre makakasama ang building sa pics) sabi ko naman. then he pointed an area where i should take pictures instead. eh mejo hindi maganda ang lugar...pangit ang background saka maraming tao :ohno: ...i just replied "maraming salamat na lang manong at magandang gabi po". mabait naman but i thought he will interrogate me
so, here they are...

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/imagesaver1206/bay%20area/IMG_0660s.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/imagesaver1206/bay%20area/IMG_0665s.jpg

Grabe, ang gangda! Bakit may mga bahay bahay na may mga chandeliers? Nakakatawa. Pero maganda talaga and the CCP complex looks very new!

i believe those were the bamboo arches that were used as props during the IPU meet that took place recently. those arches were done by the people of a town in Rizal, (i forgot which town) that is famous for its bamboo crafts industry. they're nice :) and again, thanks for the pix dudz!

Pasig and the changing face of Metro

TO THE young and those who know little about its history, Pasig is no more than a row of tacky motels off Shaw Boulevard.

More recently, Pasig City was where a former congressman was gunned down in broad daylight in a restaurant on Shaw Boulevard across motel row.

No one knows when the motels started sprouting in this part of Metro Manila. But, rightly or wrongly, they became Pasig's landmarks especially during Valentine week.

But the city has a more significant place in history despite what the row of trysting places and the celebrated murder suggest.

Kingdom by the river

Before the Spaniards came, it was a kingdom around the river called Bitukang Manok under Dayang Kalangitan, wife of Gat Lontok whose illustrious sons included the original Raha Soliman I of Manila.

The town of Pasig, which became a city in 1993 through the efforts of Rep. Rufino Javier, was an idyllic place when it was founded on July 2, 1573. It received its first bell as a new mission-parish with the Our Lady of the Visitation as patron saint (years later, the town would make Our Lady of Immaculate Conception its patron saint).

Gat Andres Bonifacio ordered the mass murder of Spaniards from a revolutionary house in the town in 1892 when he founded the Sangguniang Bayang Nagbangon, a prelude to the revolution against Spain.

It was at the Pasig town church across Plaza Rizal and the Pasig Museum where the American Commission headed by William Howard Taft met on June 11, 1901, creating the new province of Rizal and making Pasig its capital.

'Serenatas'

In the middle of the 20th century, Pasig was famous for its Sunday and Rizal Day serenatas at the town glorietta.

The historic landmark across what used to be the glorietta was the mansion of the town's first pharmacist, Don Fortunato Concepcion, who became a business tycoon and later mayor. Then President Manuel Luis Quezon used to visit the house built in 1937. Tenor Luciano Pavarotti's first teacher from Modena, Italy, Arrigo Pola, used to stay in the same mansion when he had singing engagements at the glorietta.

On Feb. 19, 1945, an American flag was hoisted in the balcony of the Concepcion mansion as the Japanese lost its grip on the Philippines.

The house is now the Pasig Museum, venue of the yearly Pasig Summer Music Festival founded by this writer in 2002. The festival became an annual gathering of the country's major talents in classical music. The last festival guest was pianist Cecile Licad.

(At 5 p.m. today, 12-year-old pianist Inna Montesclaros, first prize winner in three national piano competitions, will open the 4th Pasig Summer Music Festival.)

Listening to masters

In the last few years, with the music festival, Pasig has become the place to go to for the pleasure of listening to the works of masters like Bach and Beethoven.

It is a role the town is quite familiar with. The Pasig of old was not only a place for good music, its classical musicians also reigned supreme in old Manila. The glorietta shows attracted prominent guests like cellist Antonio Molina and soprano Jovita Fuentes, who both became National Artists for Music.

The first Filipino to win the Metropolitan Opera national auditions in 1966, soprano Evelyn Mandac, also sang at the Pasig Glorietta as did soprano Eleanor Calbes, now based in Canada.

In the late '40s and into the early '50s, the pride of Pasig and the entire country in music was Pasig-born tenor Octavio Cruz who sang Verdi and Donizetti operas at the Manila Metropolitan Theater, Manila Grand Opera House and the Far Eastern University Auditorium.

The idyllic Pasig of that time was recalled by the tenor's son, lawyer Avelino V. Cruz, one of the founders of the ACCRA law office. "The Pasig of my early youth was a rustic old town and very habitable with hardly any trace of pollution and hardly any cars," Cruz told the Inquirer. "Early music education was a must, and I grew up playing the piano and listening to early evening musicales."

Unequaled feat

More significant than the new infrastructure and impressive skyline of today's Pasig was the triumph of Pasig-born violinist Carmencita Lozada, certainly the first and last Filipino violinist to win a major prize in the Paganini International Violin Competition in Genoa, Italy, at the age of 17.

Lozada recalled her favorite Pasig landmarks of the 1950s: "Pasig then was very rural and my first violin teacher was a local violinist named Deogracias Santana. My favorite landmark was the town plaza where they held band concerts. My pianist-uncle, Conrado Santos, assisted at high Mass. He had this small orchestra where I played in the violin section at age 8."

Pasig is equally blessed with major talents in pop music.

Before Hero Angeles, the Star Circle grand teen questor who is now the lead star of "Can this Be Love?" and a resident of Bagong Ilog, Pasig had its star in Rufina Esperancilla who won the Tawag ng Tanghalan amateur singing contest trophy in 1960.

Pasig is also proud of other distinguished artists and professionals who call it home: writer Federico Licsi Espino Jr., composer Ramon Santos, former Senator Jovito Salonga, stage actress and now National Artist for Theater Daisy Hontiveros-Avellana, and Inquirer editor Letty Jimenez-Magsanoc, among others.

From the time of Dayang Kalangitan and Gat Lontok in 1450 to the time of Pasig's first woman vice-mayor, Lorna Bernardo, in 1993 to the first elected woman mayor of Pasig, Soledad Eusebio, in 2001 to its present mayor, Vicente Eusebio, Pasig had undergone great changes inside and out.

With a new convention center, new city hall, newly renovated Rain Forest resort and changing skyline, Pasig has come a long way from the pristine village by the river it used to be.

(The author was named Outstanding Pasigueño in the field of music when Pasig marked its 429th foundation anniversary. His daughter, Kerima Tariman, former managing editor of the University of the Philippines Collegian, was appointed municipal administrator during the Batang Pasig Youth Week in 1992.)


:)

Dudz Nice Shots! Perfection!

http://www.inq7.net/archive/2005/apr/24/zoom.jpg
Inquirer Photo of the Manila Bay Sunset: Grace and Beauty of Winged Creatures

as always....great shots dudz :)

and these, i was approached by the guard and asked me why i was taking pictures. personal collection, i said. do you have a permit, he asked. of course i don't have one (napadaan lang naman ako eh). it is prohibited to take pictures of the CCP (the structure) without a permit, he told me. i'm taking pictures of the fountain and the lawn decor not the building (siempre makakasama ang building sa pics) sabi ko naman. then he pointed an area where i should take pictures instead. eh mejo hindi maganda ang lugar...pangit ang background saka maraming tao :ohno: ...i just replied "maraming salamat na lang manong at magandang gabi po". mabait naman but i thought he will interrogate me
so, here they are...


Nice shots... but like I suggested in another thread, these are security guards. I doubt that they have ever seen a "photo permit." It's probably very easy to fabricate an official-looking permit and be able to take pictures of ridiculously photo-prohibited places. I mean this no photos thing is just plain dumb. There are so many post cards of the CCP complex that clearly show its structure... it's probably one of the most postcarded spots in Metro Manila! And if their reasoning is anti-terrorism, trust me, terrorists will do what they will do and will get around any prohibition made for them. Just like that baseless and insipid national ID idea-- as if that would stop ID theft and terrorism.

Feh. The language of security is a language that is politically vacant.

I sit in my car as it drives across Roxas Boulevard, put the side window down, and click as the photo gets recorded into my compactflash card:D

Superb shots dudz, I like the first one, I thought it was a sand storm hitting Baywalk heehehe. And that's actually the first time I've seen pics of CCP's lawn and CCP itself being used by people, and not by just suits and barongs. If you know what I mean;)

awesome pictures you guys!!! that sunset is stunning! and those light fixture thingamabobs at the baywalk are so cool! haha! I tried taking night shots last time I was there, and I failed miserably. these shots are so good!

the baywalk project by Atienza is probably one of the nicer city government projects around - even though it may not really be super world class and high end or anything. from those pictures though, it still looks like the first time I walked around there a few months after it first opened, so I guess they maintain it pretty well...

I sit in my car as it drives across Roxas Boulevard, put the side window down, and click as the photo gets recorded into my compactflash card

Superb shots dudz, I like the first one, I thought it was a sand storm hitting Baywalk heehehe. And that's actually the first time I've seen pics of CCP's lawn and CCP itself being used by people, and not by just suits and barongs. If you know what I mean

haha! yeah... those shots of CCP are nice!! but why does it seem like it is becoming "illegal" to take shots around Metro Manila these days?? haha! or at these government installations/compounds... is there really that big a threat?

I don't think I've ever seen the fountain while it was turned on before. and yeah, the grass fronting the driveway was always empty. it looks so nice and clean there though... ang polido na ngayon! umm, dudz, did you take those after the IPU summit? nice work...!

btw, did you guys read about the CCP revival thing? it was on the Philstar's Paulo Alcazaren's City Sense column last week (and a response article this week which i still available online here (http://www.philstar.com/philstar/lifestyle200504243301.htm)). they're holding this contest that is open to professional architects and students for design proposals of the different structures to be built or renovated in the CCP masterplan - or something of that sort. and then there is this non-govt association of the different groups involved in new and existing developments around the Manila cultural district (including CCP, the reclaimed areas, and the SM-MOA area among others, I believe) that has been established to come up with a unified vision sorta thing for the future of the little district... some pretty exciting stuff! I never thought the CCP masterplan would be carried out so soon. I hope they get a good response from the government and the people.

Wow, that's cool. Sounds like the government has some interest (if not a lot) in building another building in the CCP complex. I've seen, or heard plans about the new CCP masterplan. There's quite a lot of parking spaces there, some are even used for non-parking purposes:D Have they said what kinds of things they might build?

Should we make a Pasay City thread for all these CCP related posts? They really don't belong in the Manila thread. Maybe we can lump it in with the Bay City/Coastal projects thread? I dunno. Whatever.

Remember our Moderator's orders on on-topicness, you know. :)

whow!!! ang ganda ng mga pics. :bow:

Wow, that's cool. Sounds like the government has some interest (if not a lot) in building another building in the CCP complex. I've seen, or heard plans about the new CCP masterplan. There's quite a lot of parking spaces there, some are even used for non-parking purposes:D Have they said what kinds of things they might build?

umm... I'm not sure exactly what they're planning to build right now. I'll try to look it up one of these days...

Should we make a Pasay City thread for all these CCP related posts? They really don't belong in the Manila thread. Maybe we can lump it in with the Bay City/Coastal projects thread? I dunno. Whatever.

Remember our Moderator's orders on on-topicness, you know.

oh... I always thought the CCP was still within Manila. sorry for dragging the thread off of stuff about Manila... yeah, maybe we can discuss the CCP stuff on another thread next time (I believe there already is a CCP thread, right?). especially when we get more info.

Excellent pics!!:applause:

Yeah, someone should start a CCP thread...especially with its revival project.

i dont agree for creating a pasay city thread. wala lang, i dont need to give objective reasons for it...& besides, were used to thinking ccp as part of manila, just leave it as that :) but if u insist, then do it. :)

i dont agree for creating a pasay city thread. wala lang, i dont need to give objective reasons for it...& besides, were used to thinking ccp as part of manila, just leave it as that :) but if u insist, then do it. :)
Like Absent-Minded, I've always thought CCP is still part of Manila City. Although a quick check at the Pasay City website <http://www.pasay.gov.ph/> would show that indeed, CCP is in Pasay City.

^ & personally, i want them to regain it. pasay has no right to claim the area theyre nevr capable of developin, i just hav a feeling of great disgust w/ that city, i hate everything there, coz nothin works there!! >( imagine the airport is also there & thtas a fact, but its bitter!!!

well i guess we all have certain fetishes, and certain love-to-hates. ;) But isn't there a separate development group that maintains CCP?

there is, & im the one of those who posted it. but i insist cccp must be in manila simply coz the city govt there have better coordination efforts on workin on w/ whoever developers intending to spruce up the area. pasay?! nah...>( atienza could have done somethin big there sooner if manila only has the jurisdiction of it. pasay, sus! mr. pewew ewan >( oh god, i feel sorry 4 myself 4 havin such a bad hot scorching humid day, dont worry il be all nice again after i recover! urgggHH >( >(

SORRY FOR THE OFF TOPIC..but cant find where to ask....how come bangkok started that freackin?...BANGBANG vs Manila?...i thought everyone wants it to stop?....anyway since its in vs city thread...guys support our manila there...were trailing them...thanks represent our turf!!

^ why compare beloved manila to bangkok? its pointless...i hav all the supriority complex to say theyre nothin, ok! they just dont hav what we have >(

^ & personally, i want them to regain it. pasay has no right to claim the area theyre nevr capable of developin, i just hav a feeling of great disgust w/ that city, i hate everything there, coz nothin works there!! >( imagine the airport is also there & thtas a fact, but its bitter!!!

For some reason, I agree with Mysa.

Like a lot here, I have also always identified CCP with Manila.

they sure dont! one thing our manila has....charisma!!

Great news for Manila and Tourist and about 2,000 employees.. A Marine Ocean Park is gonna be Built!
<http://news.inq7.net/metro/index.php?index=1&story_id=34978>

Nice. its gonna have animals, swimming pools feeding areas and they are gonna develop some of the Boardwalk areas. Its also gonna be a Marine Protection site. oooo and Dolphins!

http://www3.mb.com.ph/db_images/headlines/page1_APRIL26_GMA11114438918.jpg]
Boardwalk project picture (http://www3.mb.com.ph/db_images/headlines/page1_APRIL26_GMA11114438918.jpg)

BOARDWALK PROJECT
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is briefed by Lim Chee Yong (2nd from right), executive director of the China Oceanis Group Ltd., on plans for the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) Boardwalk Development Project Monday, April 25, at the Rizal Park, Manila. China Oceanis Group, Ltd., a consortium of Singaporean and Malaysian investors, has submitted a proposal for the development of the Boardwalk which will feature an oceanarium, maritime discovery park, promenade areas, a bay pavilion with retail shops and restaurant, and a plaza. With them are Andrew Lee, Chairman of the Oceanis Group Ltd., and Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano (right).

This appeared at the Manila Bulletin online today. It seems a nice project to be realized.

http://www3.mb.com.ph/db_images/headlines/page1_APRIL26_GMA11114438918.jpg]
Boardwalk project picture (http://www3.mb.com.ph/db_images/headlines/page1_APRIL26_GMA11114438918.jpg)

BOARDWALK PROJECT
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is briefed by Lim Chee Yong (2nd from right), executive director of the China Oceanis Group Ltd., on plans for the Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) Boardwalk Development Project Monday, April 25, at the Rizal Park, Manila. China Oceanis Group, Ltd., a consortium of Singaporean and Malaysian investors, has submitted a proposal for the development of the Boardwalk which will feature an oceanarium, maritime discovery park, promenade areas, a bay pavilion with retail shops and restaurant, and a plaza. With them are Andrew Lee, Chairman of the Oceanis Group Ltd., and Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano (right).

This appeared at the Manila Bulletin online today. It seems a nice project to be realized.


Ocean park to rise in Manila Bay area

Posted 05:29am (Mla time) April 26, 2005
By Leila Salaverria
Inquirer News Service



Editor's Note: Published on page A20 of the Apr. 26, 2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

IN LESS than two years, Metro Manilans will be able to enjoy interacting with dolphins, sea turtles and other marine life in an ocean park at the Boardwalk behind the Quirino Grandstand in the Manila Bay area.

The foreign-funded park costing about $20 million is similar to those found in Hong Kong and Singapore.

The Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA) yesterday signed a memorandum of agreement with the Chinese and Malaysian consortium China Oceanis Group Ltd. (COGL) for the building of the Manila Ocean Park.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was on hand to witness the signing between PTA Chairman Robert Dean Barbers and COGL's Lim Chee Yung.

Under the agreement, the COGL was given a 25-year lease to some parts of the PTA-owned Manila Boardwalk, and will shoulder the cost of building the facilities for the park which is expected to be open by December 2006.

Among the features of the park are open marine habitat facilities, dolphin feeding activities, a sea
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turtle area, a cactus garden and even a swimming area. The COGL would also build a plaza for special events and areas for shops and restaurants. They will also develop the park located in front of the Boardwalk.

The consortium will also pay a yearly rent of P16.5 million, with an upward adjustment every five years.

Barbers hailed the project as a major coup for the country because it is expected not only to enhance local and foreign tourism and to generate jobs for some 2,000 Filipinos, but to pave the way for further infrastructure development.

COGL director Lim Chee Yung said the park would also be used to advance the cause of marine environment protection.

And since a swimming area and snorkeling activities would also be available at the park, the consortium would be cleaning the murky waters around the Manila Boardwalk.

oops.. i thought i posted the link. Thanks Guys!

yeah... that would really be great in that area.... and would add more life to the vicinity.... and yeah I also hope the CCP be revitalized....

Cool, the boardwalk is gonna be great. It will surely boost tourism. I'm also looking forward to the CCP area's rehab.

http://www3.mb.com.ph/db_images/headlines/page1_APRIL26_GMA11114438918.jpg]
Boardwalk project picture (http://www3.mb.com.ph/db_images/headlines/page1_APRIL26_GMA11114438918.jpg)
Does anybody have a bigger picture? I want to see! :)

Will the marine park be likened to Sea World, with animal shows, habitats, and a rescue/rehab center for injured and endangered marine animals?

I do hope Luneta's boardwalk gets upgraded.
It looks so uhhmm... ugly now. If not for the good sunset view.
But it really has some potential considering its location.

Question: When was the damn Quirino Grandstand built? It's such an ugly piece of architecture. And while it serves its purposes, I'd rather it wasn't there. Wouldn't it be cooler if the Grandstand were gone? And if ever they need to parade, they can just set up temporary structures?

I think the Heritage Society would beg to differ! They objected to the boardwalk at the back of Quirino as it would "change the character of the historic area"!

Question: When was the damn Quirino Grandstand built? It's such an ugly piece of architecture. And while it serves its purposes, I'd rather it wasn't there. Wouldn't it be cooler if the Grandstand were gone? And if ever they need to parade, they can just set up temporary structures?
probably during the commonwealth era, i think the original structure was just the center portion. there are photos of it in the history books, if i am not mistaken that part of history when the philippines achieved independence from the u.s. the raising of the phil. flag...because judging from this 20s photo (already posted inthe phils then and now thread), it didn't show any trace of it...or probably the camera just didn't catch it :)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/imagesaver1206/old%20pix/manila_wwII.jpg

and speaking of parades, i think sandrin might like these...aliwan 2005

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/imagesaver1206/aliwan%2005/IMG_0596s.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/imagesaver1206/aliwan%2005/IMG_0609s.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/imagesaver1206/aliwan%2005/IMG_0554s.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/imagesaver1206/aliwan%2005/IMG_0552s.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/imagesaver1206/aliwan%2005/IMG_0545s.jpg

^ Thanks for those photos dudz! The floats were beautiful! I like the Filipiniana theme.

Yeah... Great photos! But the crowds are sparse! Do people go out for parades anymore?

well.. that aliwan festival... is something that is not very publicized... I only learnt of it when it was shown last friday in the news...

I was able to watch the Aliwan fest last year, and like what Paul said, it's not much publicized, we just saw it by accident when we went to Luneta.
This year's floats look more extravagant.

ei... I was just looking for a Manila map and found this picture.... this picture shows that the CCP is in the City of Manila while PICC is in Pasay City...

http://www.asiatravel.com/gifs/manilamap.jpg

What to do with Pasay? What is the Mayor doing or is he doing anything at all?

Let me put it in Tagalog:
I've heard stories na yung mga turista at balikabayan ay naaasiwa sa Pasay. Pag-alis sa Airport, yung mga dumadaan dyan sa Pasay, slums at basura daw ang nakikita. Yung mga buildings puro luma at madilim, parang nakakatakot. Is this true at all?...And regarding the floating casino restaurant, kasino lang ba talaga ito, i hope hindi maging drug trade ang mangyari dito.


@Dudz...nice shots!

thanks guys.
aliwan is really not that publicized, i think the organizers just used the radio to inform people. hopefully in a few more years, it will hit big time.

@ sandrin, imo i would say yes...because aside from the abandoned buildings (should i say clubs?), dark and dirty alleys, a lot of establishments that line their part of roxas blvd are in the "hospitality" service catering mostly to japanese and korean tourists...but there are also a few good dining places out there :) however overall, the image of pasay is not really that good :(

Medyo nakakasira yata sa image yang kondisyon ng Pasay. Imagine kung binuksan yung bagong airport, wow ang ganda pero paglabas ng airport, ngii nakakatakot.

Kung gusto nila pagandahin ang Manila para sa mga turista dapat unahin ayusin ang Pasay. Dapat gawin modern lahat ng buildings don, pagandahin ang landscape at alisin ang mga bars.

yeah, I agree. That is the first impression made to travellers to the Philippines.

well... I think that...it would be hard for the city of Pasay to modernize their buildings since they are not that a high income generating city.... plus... going out to Manila from the airports, Pasay city is not always traversed... the city is indeed traffic ridden... and anyways... when NAIA3 opens... tourists no longer need to go to Pasay since the NAIA expressways plies away from Pasay...

speaking of NAIA 3, go to the NAIA 3 thread for some.... ahem....news

I agree...Pasay City needs a major rejuvenation..."Pee Wee" Trinidad really needs to get his act going, instead of just ranting at MMDA. At least Lito Atienza is improving Manila (whilst ranting at MMDA). Pasay is the gateway city of MM, it should be improved to give a better first impression of the country.

ei... I was just looking for a Manila map and found this picture.... this picture shows that the CCP is in the City of Manila while PICC is in Pasay City...

http://www.asiatravel.com/gifs/manilamap.jpg

iv got that map too. thats also what i wana show. ccp, folkarts & cocopalace are parts of manila... that is why atienza was able to 'touch' that edge facing the yacht club & included them on the baywalk renovation :)

well... I think that...it would be hard for the city of Pasay to modernize their buildings since they are not that a high income generating city.... plus... going out to Manila from the airports, Pasay city is not always traversed... the city is indeed traffic ridden... and anyways... when NAIA3 opens... tourists no longer need to go to Pasay since the NAIA expressways plies away from Pasay...

The reason why Pasay has low income is because of the bad condition of the area. According to Bayani ' Puok Na Bulok, Negosyo ay Hind Papasok. That is so true.
The municipality of Pasay is more incline to shady kinds of businesses like casino, motels, bars. With these as neighbors, Who on earth will agree to establish a good business there?

If they have no money to develop the area, at least paint it white and add greenery outside...

Perhaps it all started with the Cuneta regime that lasted for over 2 decades in Pasay. The incumbent, Peewee Trinidad, will have a harder time to overhaul these shady operations since these have been deeply entrenched in the locale. The "mafia overlords" have become so powerful.

hindi na ako titira sa manila kasi kick out na ako at magbebenta na lang ako ng drugs. hehe. hindi. mamamasahe na lang ako araw araw papuntang skul dahil nalulugi na ako. wahaha. hindi ito off topic di ba?? i mean ung sa thread title. hehe. hindi pa rin? wah labo.

well... I think that...it would be hard for the city of Pasay to modernize their buildings since they are not that a high income generating city.... plus... going out to Manila from the airports, Pasay city is not always traversed... the city is indeed traffic ridden... and anyways... when NAIA3 opens... tourists no longer need to go to Pasay since the NAIA expressways plies away from Pasay...

Yes, when NAIA3 and its expressway open, travellers don't need to pass through the ugly part of Pasay anymore. They'll just pass through Villamor Airbase, then exit at Magallanes in Makati or through the Skyway.

sa tagal ko nang hindi nagpopost ng pictures nalito na ako kung ano ung huli kong pinost. tinignan ko ung manila thread 2 at ang huling post ko na nakita ko ay ung mga puno sa likod ng city hall post#142. sobrang dami ng pages nung thread e. parang imposibleng wala na akong iba pang photong pinost. i'm trying not to repeat nething na posted na sa manila thread 1 and manila thread 2. though luma na pics and malamang na post na sa deleted metro manila threads and other threads. sorry wala akong camera. :( kaya walang bago. i'm looking for a new host. papalpak ang imagestation diba? parang wala na kasi e. so ayun. eto sure ako never pang napost sa manila, my manila threads.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid118/p118e8247b2aff5cf40b4268ed9896c2d/f882736d.jpg
ang maliit na main building ng uni namin sa aming masikip na main kampus. :cheers: maraming mumu raw jan. mga mumung pang ww2.

eto ay isang thread na madalas nabubuhay lang uli pag may pics na pag uusapan kaya try ko mag postpostpost tonight. :) :)

haha ok post #334 juan luna park pic ang huling pic ko sa previous manila thread. now i know. wahaha parang commercial.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid128/pf13eb9298d90eb5c5597a8d9c0538246/f7e51f4f.jpg

sorry wala akong maisip na title. neway cool naman e. taken june...araw ng maynila 2004 w pizza hut free cam. :cheers:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid119/pb7323209914148851deb9e47891b05cf/f873d016.jpg

taken same date ng most luneta pics ko ages ago using nikon e775(R.I.P.)

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid129/p9ebb8b02b935a90e75915cc8a333dbc5/f7cfbf40.jpg

oi si manong nahiya pa. di naman po ilalagay sa diyaryo yan.

june 2004, pizzahut cam :cheers:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid118/p75a561e911e801dad307aa9b7a405a95/f88269c7.jpg

eto ang loob nung ls hall na pinost ko kanina. :cheers: taken mga 2002 pa. nikon e775 crap 1mp bulok sira :sleepy:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid119/pec68fe4d314c8d8f49187618616024aa/f873d4b1.jpg

ang ultimate kawaii sa lahat ng mga statwa sa luneta. bandang quirino grandstand na ito. ganun ulit. nikon jurassic digicam :cheers:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid119/p61684908997991bea2a6ea9cd7c62996/f873d692.jpg

nakakalimutan ko lagi names nila at ung tawag dito sa anong ire.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/p190dfc1d222c935ae7869d170dcb52b9/f89d8380.jpg

wah. that red car... same year same cam.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/pfab9ce0efda4133f315f494cef3b1595/f893d453.jpg

isa sa mga maraming pakulo ng kasalukuyang alkalde ng maynila. eto maganda naman. mga 2003 na siguro.

Great photos @weirdo! :okay: I guess you're making up for lost time huh? :colgate:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid117/p891492e7e73297af818c7bb2544b19d5/f8a4b0cc.jpg

the streets are surprisingly clean, and there aren't a lot of vehicles. the glass building was a surprise too. if only it was as tall as the concrete one. for some reason i like boxes. taken around last quarter 2003. with canon instamatic. and probably ykl film. forgot the details.

Great photos @weirdo! :okay: I guess you're making up for lost time huh? :colgate:

kinda. hehe. yea. it's been a long time. never had much time for this for the past few months. thanks for the compliment. much appreciated! :okay: :cheers:

yun na muna. posted ten na e. later na lang ulit. :weirdo: ayusin ko lang muna ibang stuff.

Thanks for the photos, weirdo. More streetlife pa nga. Ang ganda eh.

wow! nabuhay muli ang pagpo-post ni weirdo ng photos. na-miss namin yan ah. hehe.

wow... those were great pics weirdo!... good job!

Great pics, weirdo!!:) Binondo is indeed surprising...i didnt expect it to be that clean and what is that glass building? It suits its location.

Great pictures... as always. :okay:

nice shots, weirdo! and welcome back...! haha! too bad you won't be able to get new pictures for now...

but yeah, Manila is such a cool city... nakakiba talaga, and it really does have its own "charm"...

Well with so much Chinoy money you gotta think where it's coming:D I'm surprised, but not that surprised to say..... if we had a CBD in Sucat. ;)

hi everyone! it's me again.. lulubog at lilitaw.. hehehe.. I had a chance to bring my camera to the boardwalk a few months back and decided to share a few photos of manila bay..

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y7q06l

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y7q06v

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y7q0u3

hope you enjoy the pics.. :)

:eek2: W :eek2: O :eek2: W :eek2:

wow. thanks for the pics, jaime....looks nice. show us more! hehehe...

Thanks Jaime. The photos are really postcard quality. Beautiful!

ang galing tlga ni mr elizaga! yan ang pro! ;)

those are cool shots!

naks!!! ang ganda po talaga! galing!!! :bow:

holy WOW...!! haha! ang galing!! impressive photography, jaime! i love the dramatic skies and the strange, rustic look of the bridge (on the 3rd shot)...

the baywalk on Roxas (plus all the other fancy lighting) looks pretty awesome from that side too, doesnt it... I've never seen it lit up from there. and it looks like some of the rooms at the new Hyatt are filled up...

Nice pictures, but what's the third shot a picture of?

Nice pictures, but what's the third shot a picture of?

i think that's a pier, with some shops on it? im not sure :D

what happened to that proposed SF fisherman's wharf-like project being talked about before?

I think that's the place where that Ocean Park thingy will be on. It's right behind Quirino Grandstand, if I'm not mistaken.

Heaps good photos jaime. Nice to see you again :cheers:

those are the most beautiful shots i see these days. impressive. keep them coming.

the borders do add some cool effect on the photo.. but without them, ordinary lang naman ang mga photos ko. well okay.. a little bit better than ordinary.. but not pro quality pa.

the third pic si a view of the boardwalk on your way up.

hi everyone! it's me again.. lulubog at lilitaw.. hehehe.. I had a chance to bring my camera to the boardwalk a few months back and decided to share a few photos of manila bay..

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y7q06l

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y7q06v

http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=y7q0u3

hope you enjoy the pics.. :)

Wow! It reminds me of Puget Sound in Seattle, particulary the third photo.

Great thing we're now again looking outwards to Manila Bay, instead of treating it like the dump of the poor people and their "swimming pool".

Also notice that Hyatt hotel with the casino already has a couple of lights on. First time I saw that, but probably I'm just outdated:D

Im not Suprised.. I heard the Hyatt Hotel and Casino is getting popular especially with its very good amenities and location.

Anyways.. ive been to the The Boardwalk. Its pretty bland when i was there with only like a few shops and a Karaoke Bar. Hahaha Ur typical ones with the bad voices and cheesy songs anyways i can't wait to see The Ocean Park.

BTW does anyone have pictures of Manila Zoo? I heard its gone through extensive renovations with new Animals and it got a facelift plus they added a Wading and Regular Pool on the property

Awesome photos:eek: Those are taken in the perfect time of the day...i like the colorful lights.