It was that time of the year once again. And for bibliophiles like the Urban Roamer, it was an event not to be missed as always. Yup, it’s the Manila International Book Fair once more, held once again at the SMX Convention Center. The 35th edition of this one-of-a-kind trade fair showcased literature in various formats, from traditional print to the modern digital format from a number of publishers and book sellers in the country. Being a regular visitor and having covered previous editions of this event on this site, I suppose there’s no need to write about what to see there. Rather, I’ll share here some of the highlights…
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The Admiral Hotel and Anchor Land’s Deception
Lately, Philippine heritage, most especially Manila heritage, has come under attack no less thanks to big developers who aim to “redevelop” those structures into something more…modern and commercially viable. And unfortunately in a number of cases, “redevelopment” for them means: “we’ll tear this old, historic building down and build something modern that is devoid of historic value, heritage be damned.” That may be the way of thinking developer Anchor Land has when it has decided to demolish the almost 80-year old Admiral Hotel and build a new structure which would be a boutique hotel that will, in their words, “keep its heritage alive and ensure that it remains as a historical…
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Mehan’s Martial Law Memorial
September 23, 1972. After an eerie media silence for about 2 days, the airwaves went back that evening for President Ferdinand Marcos to address the nation. It was as eerie as it turned out to be as he announced that two days prior, on September 21, he signed Proclamation No. 1081 which placed the entire Philippines under Martial Law. Since then, the course of Philippine history would be changed forever. A dramatic shift whose effects are still being felt today, even after more than 40 years.
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When “Mario” Mauled the Metropolis
It is a scene we are no longer unfamiliar with, unfortunately. As Typhoon Mario itself was ravaging Northern Luzan, thanks to the southwest monsoon or “habagat,” found itself on the receiving end as well of the typhoon’s fury even though the metropolis was not in the typhoon’s direct path. As a result, last September 19, parts of Metro Manila was submerged in flood water that rose as high as the chest, paralyzing the metropolis as a whole to a standstill that day. Alarming as it may seem, it looks like it is going to be the new normal, thanks to climate change and the continued inaction of our authorities.