The Urban Roamer

the “mind-blowing” Mind Museum

August 3, 2014March 24, 2012 by The Urban Roamer

After that somewhat-disappointing experience at the MOWELFUND Museum, I conditioned myself to lower my expectations a bit for this next roaming adventure, yet another museum in this case which has been dubbed “The Mind Museum”. But hearing a lot of buzz about it, how it was envisioned to be a world-class museum that many will appreciate, not to mention me being fascinated in science and technology, my interest was piqued enough for me to check it out.

First things first, let me give you a brief background about the Mind Museum. This was conceived as a project by the Bonifacio Art Foundation, Inc., (BAFI) a foundation established in 1996 by the Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation (FBDC) to promote arts, culture, and learning in this rising business district. The members and supporters of this foundation also happen to be among the top guns in the various fields here.

MOWELFUND complex: reflecting the state of Philippine Cinema

August 3, 2014March 16, 2012 by The Urban Roamer

So much has been said and written about the current state of Philippine cinema, many of these even conflict with one another. While this blog will leave it to the cinephiles to discuss this matter further, a visit to one of the institutions related to this industry can help one gain a better understanding about the state of things in Philippine cinema.

Right in one of the more “quieter” parts of Quezon City stands the MOWELFUND complex, the home of MOWELFUND or the Movie Workers Welfare Foundation, an organization founded in 1974 that aims to aid those who work in the motion picture industry. It also aims to help the industry as a whole by providing workshops and helping in the documentation of the history of Philippine cinema.

Roamer’s Roundup: 1st Edition

March 10, 2012 by The Urban Roamer

As I was churning new entries on blog every week of the places I visited, I realize there have been updates coming up about the previous places I’ve been to. So I’ll be doing this feature from time to time called “Roamer’s Roundup” which will provide important updates about the places that have been featured … Read more

roaming the neighborhood: Sikatuna, Teachers, and UP Villages

August 3, 2014March 3, 2012 by The Urban Roamer

While Quezon City may not have ended up being the nation’s planned capital city as its “father” Manuel L. Quezon hoped it to be, it still managed to grow and develop, thanks in part to the various real estate developers who built village after village almost throughout the city after the war.

Some villages in particular were built east of the planned-but-ultimately-scrapped National Government center. One was named Sikatuna Village, after the Boholano chieftain who entered into a blood compact with conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565 as a sign of friendship that marked the early steps for Spanish colonization. North of Sikatuna is what is known as Teachers Village, which was put up as a housing project of sorts for the teachers. Further up is UP Village, which was set up as residence for employees who work in the nearby University of the Philippines campus in Diliman.