• issues

    A disputed boundary: the case of Pasig and Cainta

    Boundary disputes are never fun. They are a source of so much mess and confusion, not only between the contesting parties of the dispute, but also among residents and visitors, myself included. Such is the case of the issue going on between the city of Pasig in Metro Manila and the town of Cainta in the province of Rizal. The area at stake is actually a very large tract of prime real estate that is thriving with commercial and residential activity, covering the residential villages of Karangalan Village (East) and Cainta Greenpark Village, the V.V. Soliven Commercial Center, and the Sta. Lucia Mall.

  • Quezon City

    a new Magnolia rises

    It feels like it was yesterday when I wrote about 2 years ago about the old Magnoila Ice Cream House at the corner of Aurora Boulevard and Doña Hemady Street that was being demolished at that time to make way for a residential-commercial development. Fast-forward to today as residential-commercial property developer Robinsons Land Corp. unveiled the first phase of its planned development for the old Magnolia property, a 4-level, 108,000 sq. meter shopping mall dubbed as Robinsons Magnolia.

  • Quezon City

    A shrine for the Revolution’s Grand Old Lady

    If there is one real-life proof that can be shown to the adage that “one can never be too old for anything,” our history provides such in the life of Melchora Aquino, (1812-1919) the “Grand Old Lady of the Revolution” popularly known to many as “Tandang Sora.” In her 80’s, as the Philippine Revolution was beginning to unfold and would eventually break out, she helped provide a venue for secret meetings for the revolutionaries, giving them comfort, shelter, and even medical aid to those wounded in battle. While she never fought in battle, revolutionaries and the Spanish authorities recognize her invaluable contributions to the revolution. In fact, the Spaniards deemed…

  • Quezon City

    Pugad Lawin: where the revolution was born (or so they say)

    In the annals of Philippine history, no event has been depicted with such color as the “Cry of Pugad Lawin,” an event in which the formerly secret Katipunan movement of Andres Bonifacio decided to wage a revolt against the Spanish colonial government to gain independence. It was a bold decision symbolized by that bold act by the Katipuneros led by the movement’s Supremo (leader) Andres Bonifacio of tearing up their cedulas or residence certificates which were seen as a symbol of their subservience to Spain in a place called Pugad Lawin (Hawk’s Nest) on August 3, 1896. The rest, they say, is history, the Philippine Revolution in this particular case.…