Quezon City Archives - Page 15 of 25

Horacio de la Costa

January 17, 2015January 17, 2015 by The Urban Roamer

If you were one of those who caught Pope Francis’ mass at the Manila Cathedral last January 16, you may have chanced upon the words of Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle in which he quoted a fellow named Fr. Horacio de la Costa who said that the resiliency of the Filipinos can be traced to “music and faith.”

Fr. Horacio de la Costa, SJ (courtesy of Ateneo de Manila University)

While there is little argument to be made about that statement, some have raised a question as a consequence of the Cardinal’s statement: who is Horacio de la Costa? Today, this edition of The Guide will try to answer the question about this man’s identity and his contributions to religion, history, and even the landscape of the metropolis.

Meralco’s Bright Christmas

January 1, 2015 by The Urban Roamer

Christmas Day and New Year’s Day may have passed, but until the feast of the Epiphany or the Three Kings, (though they’re not actually kings but Magi or Wise Men) it still is a good excuse to still celebrate the Christmas season. And if you are looking for a place to celebrate the last days of the Christmas season, then you may consider visiting the Meralco Complex along Ortigas Avenue and check out the Liwanag Park.

For all evenings during this Christmas season until January 19, the area surrounding the Meralco headquarters has been converted into this mini theme park of sorts that is illuminated with hundreds of multicolored bright lights. After all, it’s not called Liwanag Park for nothing.

Ozone Disco: Remembering the Tragedy

November 22, 2014 by The Urban Roamer

One of the most shocking and tragic events that shook the metropolis during the 1990s would be the fire that consumed not only the establishment that was the Ozone Disco Club, but also 162 souls as well as injuring 95 others. It was known at the time as the worst recorded number of deaths in a nightclub. While the event no longer holds that record, that event on the night of March 18, 1996 is one whose spectre still haunts the metropolis and its night club scene.

even after 18 years, this photo showing the aftermath of the Ozone Disco fire still gives the chills (photo courtesy of Rappler )

More than 18 years have passed since the events of March 18, 1996, news came out recently that the Sandiganbayan or the country’s anti-graft court found 7 officials of the Quezon City government guilty of graft due to negligence in their duties in ensuring the safety of the establishment that would have prevented the tragedy in the first place.

MLQ in QC: The Quezon Heritage House

August 19, 2014 by The Urban Roamer

Manuel L. Quezon (MLQ) is a figure known by many honors and accolades. For this entry on this month known as Quezon month, we will deal with one such distinction as the “Father of Quezon City,” a city he originally conceived as the capital city of the Philippines before things got screwy and leaving those dreams unfulfilled. (the full story could be found in a previous piece here)

That being said, questions have lingered in the minds of some people over the years as to whether Quezon made residence in the vicinity of the current city named after him. It has been known that the Quezons used to live somewhere in Pasay (back in those pre-reclamation and pre-urban congested days when it was a scenic neighborhood that enjoyed the Manila Bay) as where other prominent families resided as well. Thus it was a pleasant surprise to learn that Quezon and his family did live in what is now Quezon City, in particular in the emerging neighborhood of New Manila.