The Urban Roamer

Roaming the Manila North Cemetery

August 10, 2014October 31, 2012 by The Urban Roamer

It’s that time of the year once again when the Urban Roamer embarks on a different roaming adventure to visit not a place for the living, but a place for the departed ones. This time, it is a privilege for me to finally get the opportunity to visit the largest public cemetery in Metro Manila today: none other than the Manila North Cemetery.

Originally, the Manila North Cemetery was part of a bigger cemetery complex owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila that included what are now the La Loma Cemetery and the Chinese Cemetery. After the allocation of the property to the Chinese community in Manila for the building of their own cemetery, 54 hectares was parceled off from the original property for use as a public cemetery, a cemetery that will be open for anyone who wishes to be buried there, regardless of religious or ethnic background. (in contrast to the aforementioned cemeteries that were already in operation at the time) By 1904, with the American government set firmly in place in Manila, and the Philippines in general, the cemetery which was also known before as the “Cementerio del Norte” was opened.

The Mercatos of the Metro

August 10, 2014October 27, 2012 by The Urban Roamer

There are a number of food/weekend markets out there in the metro these days. Some may say this growing presence is bordering on oversaturation, while others do not seem to mind that. Especially if they have something different to offer for a discriminating palate.

Then there are a few that stand out thanks to longevity and loyal patronage among a growing fanbase. Out of that few, there are those that have stood up well enough to establish by itself a growing network of food markets in the metropolis. Such is the success story of Mercato Centrale.

Roman Ongpin: the Tsinoy with a Filipino heart

August 10, 2014October 20, 2012 by The Urban Roamer

Born of a Chinese immigrant from Fujian, Roman Ongpin, like many Filipino-Chinese, grew up being trained for business by his father. He would eventually become a successful businessman in his right when he opened up an arts supplies store named “El 82” on March 1, 1882 (thus the name El 82) along Rosario Street in Binondo. (which is now known today as Quintin Paredes Street) It would become the place to go for arts supplies over the years as prominent artists like Juan Luna, Fabian dela Rosa, and Fernando Amorsolo would frequent the store for their needs.

But apart from his success in business and the support for the arts that came with it, Roman Ongpin was an ardent nationalist and patriot. He was wont to wear the barong tagalog (said to be one of the first prominent individuals to wear it proudly) and through his arts store, he was secretly helping the Filipino revolutionaries during the Philippine Revolution by supplying them with arms and other needs that he smuggled.

Of Binondo’s “New Chinatown”

August 10, 2014October 13, 2012 by The Urban Roamer

There has been so much talk about the need to revitalize the City of Manila. With so many plans being done or still in that “pipeline hell” to answer that particular need, there is one particular plan that has generated much interest and controversy at the same time. To say the least, it is an interesting development plan to look out for as this one aims to put a different face to the overall makeup not only of downtown Manila, but also the popular shopping district of the Binondo-Divisoria area.

Dubbed as “Cityplace,” this is a residential/commercial development project masterminded by Megaworld: the same developers behind Eastwood City, McKinley Hill, and Newport City. It is also strategically located along the busy thoroughfare of Reina Regente Street, just a few steps away from the Binondo center and the beloved Chinatown area there.