If you were one of those who watched Willie Revillame during the past few years, even on a casual basis, there was no way you would not have known that mall he was always advertising. You know, the one that bears his name, the Wil Tower Mall, which actually opened last September 2013. Technically, the mall is not exactly his as this mall was brought about by a joint venture between him and real estate firm Vista Land, which is owned by Revillame’s longtime friend and patron, former Senator Manny Villar. Another thing is that it is not just strictly a shopping mall but a commercial and residential complex of…
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The Uncommon Capitol Commons
Last time I wrote about the area once known as the second site of the Rizal Provincial Capitol, it was all fenced out as the Ortigas & Company (the owners of the property that was originally donated to the Rizal Provincial Government but was reverted to them by the deed of donation) was laying the groundwork for future development in the area. Here we are almost two years later, and we are now seeing that development christened as the Capitol Commons taking shape. At this time of writing, there are still significant portions of the complex that have not yet been completed like the mall and the residential buildings. But…
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A Day At The National Museum (Part 2: Museum of the Filipino People and the future National Museum of Natural History)
Right across the National Art Gallery building of the National Museum, right in the northern part of Rizal Park, stands two neoclassical buildings with a shared history, from the style to the architect and their usage, past and future. Both buildings were remnants of what Daniel Burnham had in mind for Manila to be a “city beautiful” with the area where the buildings stand was envisioned to be the equivalent to the “National Mall” of Washington DC. Also, both were designed by the same architect who helped design the current National Art Gallery, Antonio Toledo, who himself started as a partner of Burnham’s longtime associate William Parsons. Both were completed…
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A Day At The National Museum (Part 1: the National Art Gallery)
I wish I could say that museums in the Philippines are as well-visited as museums in the countries. The fact is sadly, museums here are not much promoted as destinations to be visited by locals and tourists. Yes, for some reason, some travel books and sites about the Philippines do not emphasize that visiting a museum here is a must-do. Do Filipinos couldn’t care less about museums and the things being showcased there? Do they generally find museums boring compared to malls and beaches? Do some think our museums here suck? While I have no answer to the first 2 questions, I must say that the answer to the 3rd…