I don’t know about you but there is something majestic about the Philippine Eagle. Or perhaps eagles in general have that majestic aura in them. Either way, the Philippines is fortunate to have a national symbol as that of the Philippine Eagle.
And nowhere is this affection for the Philippine Eagle is more evident than in Davao City, in which it has adopted the bird as a symbol for the city. Considering the current status of the eagle’s existence, it is necessary that the Philippine Eagle has a sanctuary of its own where it would be able to breed and live free from bullets and other elements that have threatened its existence. So in my recent trip to Davao, the Urban Roamer paid a visit to the Philippine Eagle Center in Davao City’s Calinan District, an hour or so away from the city proper.
Intramuros during the Spanish colonial period was not only the center of political power in the Philippines, it was also the center of faith, the Catholic faith, in the country. At a time when there was no separation of powers between church and state, Intramuros was where everything that would influence the way of life of the people emanated from.
While Intramuros would lose its status as a political center during the American colonial period, it still pretty much retained its status as a spiritual center for a still Catholic-dominated population in the midst of the rise of new religions and denominations that came about during that time. That was until World War II changed everything, destroying most of the Walled City’s old churches especially during the Battle of Manila in 1945.
San Agustin Church, the surviving remnant of the prewar Catholic heritage of IntramurosManila Cathedral, rebuilt after World War II
Of the original 7 churches, (well 8 if we count a chapel, more on that later) only San Agustin Church survived after the war to become the country’s oldest surviving church. Manila Cathedral, the seat of the Archdiocese of Manila, would be rebuilt and reopened a few years later in 1958. Currently ongoing at this time of writing is the rebuilding of the old Jesuit church of San Ignacio which is expected to be reopened as an ecclesiastical museum in 2016-2017.
Today, we look at the other churches that used to stand in the Walled City which gave Intramuros a much Catholic character and helped made it known as the “Little Vatican of the East,” a heritage devastated by war and never to rise again, at least for a foreseeable future.
Happy April Fools Day! On this special day when chances are you may be trolled by fake news or be rickrolled somewhere in your Youtube viewing, the Urban Roamer has decided to put this special little entry talking about some of the weird, crazy, and silly sights and stories in the metropolis. Some of them interesting, some of them trivial. But they are nevertheless things that you can’t help avoid seeing or wondering about from time to time, which you can read up on below.
When we think of Baguio, normally we think of the cool climate which makes it an ideal place to unwind and relax in the midst of the pine trees. Baguio is not really known as a venue for activities that are considered “extreme” since there had been no venues in and around the city to do those kind of stuff…until now.
The Urban Roamer was fortunate to have among those who were invited to check out one of Baguio’s newest destinations, one of the first venues there to offer “extreme” activities in the summer capital, Tree Top Adventure Baguio.
