As Manila recently celebrated its 446th Araw ng Maynila last June 24, it was an opportunity for some to reminisce about Manila’s glorious past while bemoan the city’s sorry state at present. But if you ask the administration of Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada, things are going to be great for the city once again. Of course, we have been hearing this thing before, multiple times in fact to the point of being cynical and pessimistic whether things will be better for Manila. What is new though is Estrada’s plans to make this a reality. And that plan is: reclamation. Lots of it.
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Infra Manila: The Mega Manila Subway Project
With so many infrastructure developments going on in the metropolis, especially in light of the government’s current “Build, Build, Build” program. It is but proper that the Urban Roamer spotlight these projects, whether they are planned, under construction, or completed, and how they have changed/will change the metropolis’ landscape This article is long overdue. But things got in the way and, originally, the intent was to discuss all the “Build, Build, Build” projects. But as things developed, it made sense to focus on one of the most ambitious projects (if not the most ambitious) in the “Build, Build, Build” program of the Duterte administration: the Mega Manila Subway. The idea…
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Fort Santiago in Flux – Part 2
When we talk about Fort Santiago these days, we often associate it with Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero as it was where he was imprisoned, tried, and where he would spend his final hours before his execution on December 30, 1896. While it is a distinction that deserves merit, this often overshadows to the actual importance of Fort Santiago. It was, first and foremost, the military headquarters for Spanish, British (during the 1762-64 occupation of Manila), American, and Japanese forces. As such, for a long while it held a very strategic importance as it was believed that gaining control of the fort provides one the greater advantage of…
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Fort Santiago in Flux – Part 1
What else can be said about Fort Santiago? It is one of the most famous historic tourist destinations in Manila, perhaps in the Philippines as well. It’s one of the first places tourists are taken in the city. And if one is asked about Manila, this is one of the first places that comes to mind. That should not come to surprise as Fort Santiago is considered to be the place where the city that we have come to know as Manila evolved from. After all, the fort was where the throne of the pre-Hispanic Kingdom of Maynilad was located, itself a fortified area (albeit made of bamboo and wood…
