The Urban Roamer

Rizal Park, Part 4: the Rizal element

December 30, 2015December 30, 2011 by The Urban Roamer

Of course, no trip to Rizal Park would be complete without a visit to the main attraction of the park, none other than the Rizal Monument itself. While this monument serves to represent the greatness of the country’s national hero, it is also a symbol of the way things work in the country, of how plans don’t turn out the way they’re supposed to be, for the better or otherwise.

As I mentioned some posts ago, the Americans when they gazed upon what was then Bagumbayan Field already saw it as a potential center of the burgeoning power of the United States in the Philippines. And with Burnham’s vision of a “Manila Beautiful” set on the drawing board at least in 1905, the US colonial government was determined make that dream of Manila’s National Mall into reality. The first order of business is getting what would be Manila’s counterpart Washington monument for this planned Manila National Mall.

Rizal Park, Part 3

August 3, 2014December 24, 2011 by The Urban Roamer

It is interesting to note that much the sights of Rizal Park that we see today were opened only from the 1960’s-onwards, by the time the park was placed under the administration of the National Parks Development Committee. (NPDC) Most of these improvements came under the term of the NPDC’s long-time head, journalist Teodoro Valencia.

Thus, in his honor, the rotonda plaza between the National Museum and Tourism buildings known as Agrifina Circle was renamed as the Valencia Circle.

Rizal Park, Part 2: from National Capitol to National Park

August 3, 2014December 17, 2011 by The Urban Roamer

As the foundations of Spanish rule in the Philippines began to crumble as a result of the Philippine Revolution, the Americans “defeated” the Spanish forces during the Spanish-American war in 1898, the result of which was the takeover of the United States over the country by yearend.

Despite the fierce resistance of the Filipino forces as the Revolution raged on, the Americans wasted no time in trying to cement their rule over the archipelago, with the virtues, visions, and ideals that America cherished. In the case of Manila, the Americans dreamed of giving the city a makeover from its Spanish heritage into a cosmopolitan American city. To be specific, a cosmopolitan American capital city, a la Washington D.C.

Rizal Park, Part 1: Beginning at Bagumbayan

December 30, 2015December 10, 2011 by The Urban Roamer

This Holiday season, and also in commemoration of this year being the 150th birth year anniversary of our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, the Urban Roamer pays tribute to Rizal and the ever popular metropolitan destination, especially this season, named after him

Unless there are any disputes to this, (of which I am certain are just few and not that significant) there is no doubt that Manila’s number 1 tourist attraction would be the Rizal Park. In fact, Rizal Park is seen by some as what Manila is all about. While this perception may be unfair to the rich landscape the city has to offer, for good or ill, its popularity as Manila’s top destination among locals and tourists alike has made the park inextricably linked to the city, a showcase of what’s good and not so good of the city and the country as a whole encapsulated in its 50-hectare area. In a way, Rizal Park is Manila’s equivalent to New York City’s Central Park, only with a Statue of Liberty of sorts.