Binondo

BINONDO Why “Binondo”? That’s because before the city was formed, Binondo sat on marshy wet lands planted with tubers and surrounded by tributary systems of the Pasig river called “binunduk,” which in Filipino, literally means “hilly.” Probably because it is surrounded by water that the area’s center seemed to “protrude” from the ground in those times. Located across the Pasig River from Intramuros is the Binondo area.

At present, the entire district is filled with all things Chinese from herbal medications. It is also where Manila’s bargain center, Divisoria market, may be found. It has been said that the commerce in Binondo that starts at dawn in the market places and continues throughout the day at the bazaars are so numerous that Makati trade is nothing compared to it.

Walking along Binondo’s busy streets and getting the all-present whiff of incense and different smoked foods to set the ambience make for a walking tour that is unique to say the least.

Tourists may start their walking tour with Binondo’s Ongpin street (also called 24-karat street for the large number of jewelry shops in the area) which is lined with Chinese tea shops, traditional medicine shops, jewelry stores, acupuncture clinics, kung-fu schools and mah-jong parlors (mah-jong is a Chinese game).

From Ongpin, tourists may head on to Plaza Santa Cruz to visit the Santa Cruz Church, a church set up by Jesuits to accommodate the Chinese Christian converts. Here devotees are often seen walking on bended knees to prostrate themselves in front of the altar as a symbol of their faith.

Each street in Binondo caters to different clientele needs. Customers looking for canvass and upholstery supplies may find the materials they require in Sabino Padilla formerly Gandara Street.

An alley of Nueva Street called Carvajal, is host to fruit and vegetable stalls where imported fruits like Chinese fragrant pears, grapes, dragon fruit, fresh cherries and tangerines may be bought cheaply.

Also along Ongpin may be found La Resurrection, a store famous for their old-fashioned chocolate tablets and cacao used for cooking cups of hot cocoa in the way it has been prepared since Spanish times.

Further down the street, good luck talismans, red and gold charms, incense and brass holders may be procured at numerous Buddhist religious supplies stores.

Visiting Chinatown will not be complete without visiting Eng Bee Tin, famous for ube hopia which now being exported all over the world.

Numerous gastronomic delights also await the Binondo day tripper. Steaming hot congee, dimsum and assorted dumplings may be found. Some of the restaurant/tea house such Wa Ying, David Tea House,Shin Ton Yok, Mazuki, Royal Garden, Maxim Tea House, Tunay ba beef. Other new restaurant such as Settle Best, Rosso Cafe, Teriyaki Boy, etc

Paco

Paco was formerly known as Dilao, because of plants that produce amarillo (yellow) color, were once plentiful on this district.Dilao or dilaw is a Tagalog word for the color yellow. Although, some sources say, it was named Dilao or "Yellow Plaza" by the Spanish settlers because of the Japanese migrants who lived there, describing their physiognomy. Spanish Franciscan missionaries founded the town of Paco as early as 1580.

The name Dilao was used until 1791. The name San Fernando was added, making it San Fernando de Dilao. In the 19th century, the town of San Fernando de Dilao was given the nickname of Paco (which means Francisco). Paco, along with Sampaloc, Santa Ana, San Juan del Monte, and San Pedro de Macati became the second largest districts that became part of Manila.It became to known as Paco de Dilao and eventually as Paco as it known today.

LANDMARKS:

* Plaza Dilao
* Paco Park
* Paco Church
* Sikh Temple

source: wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Intramuros

INTRAMUROS

Located along the southern bank of the Pasig River, was built by the Spaniards in the 16th century and is the oldest district of the city of Manila, Intramuros. Its name, in Spanish literally "within the walls", meaning within the wall enclosure of the city/fortress, also describes its structure as it is surrounded by thick, high walls and moats. During the Spanish colonial period, Intramuros was considered Manila itself. the capital of the Philippines.

At the end of World War II, much of Intramuros was damaged by the returning by joint American and Filipino military forces.

In 1942, when the Japanese forces invaded the Philippines; U.S. forces led by General Douglas McArthur realized that Manila was indefensible so he declared it an Open City. He regrouped the USAFFE forces in the Bataan peninsula, only to be trapped there by the advancing Japanese army.

Upon the return of the combined United States and the Philippine Commonwealth troops in 1945, they bombarded Manila including Intramuros to flush out the remaining Japanese soldiers. Intramuros was in ruins after the war and the only structure that survived was the San Agustin Church; almost no other buildings remained standing. Almost 100,000 people died during the liberation of Manila.

Present day Intramuros

In the 1980s, under the direction of former Philippine First Lady Imelda Marcos, the Intramuros Administration restored the city and at present the walled city is the only district of Manila where old Spanish-era influences were retained. Much of the development of present-day Manila occurred outside the gates of Intramuros, leaving the surviving walls, streets and churches of Intramuros minimally touched by modernization, although outlets of Jollibee, McDonald's and Starbucks now sit alongside distinguished educational institutions within its walls. The old moats that surrounded Intramuros have been filled up and transformed into a golf course where locals and foreign nationals play the sport. The garrison that was Fort Santiago is now a tourist spot where visitors can enjoy the nostalgic romance of a bygone Spanish legacy within its gardens. In 2003, during Visit Philippines Year, tourism secretary Richard J. Gordon cleaned up Intramuros with the help of student and civilian volunteers as well as raised funds to light up the place and build a lights and sound museum.

Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila

Intramuros now houses some of the higher education institutions in the Philippines. These are the city-owned Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, the technical school Mapúa Institute of Technology (one of the Top 20 Schools in the Philippines), Lyceum of the Philippines University, Colegio de San Juan de Letran and high schools such as the Manila High School,and Colegio de Santa Rosa.

Following the design of medieval fortifications, along the massive walls of Intramuros are strategically located bulwarks: baluarte, ravelins: ravellin, redoubts: reducto. Entrance to the city are through gates: puerta, most of which have been restored or rebuilt. Most of these features have names such as Baluarte de San Diego, Baluarte de San Francisco de Dilao, Baluarte de San Gabriel, Baluarte de Sta. Barbara, Baluarte de San Andres; Puerta Real, Puerta Isabel II, Puerta del Parian, Puerta Almacenes, Postigo del Palacio, Puerta Sta. Lucia.

Malate

The word Malate is believed to have stemmed from the corruption of the Tagalog word "ma-alat," meaning "salty." Legends have it that tidewaters from Manila Bay flowed in-land as far as where the Remedios Circle is presently located. The salty sea water polluted the fresh water collected from wells, thus making drinking water in the area as salty as seawater.

The district is located at the southern end of the city of Manila, adjacent to Pasay City as its southern most border. North of Malate is the district Ermita and towards the east with San Marcelino street as border is the district of Paco.

During the Spanish period, the center of activity was focused around the Malate church, the Our Lady of Remedios Parish that had a cult following among pregnant women having a difficult pregnancy.

The once exclusive residential areas on the western portion of Malate started to transform in the 1970s into a commercial area with some big lotted houses and residential apartments being converted into small hotels and pensionne houses. Specialty restaurants and cafes also started to open in the district, as a result of the spill over of business from next-door Ermita district, which was for a time the red-light district of Manila. Malate has also been called the center of gay night life,and has a Gay Pride Parade every year.

GOVERNMENT OFFICES
The country's forefront financial agencies like the Department of Finance, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas or BSP (Philippines Central Bank) and lending institution LandBank of the Philippines established their headquarters in the district, while the National Naval Command Headquarters of the Philippine Navy, a unit of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is at the boundary limits of Manila and Pasay City along Roxas Boulevard. Locating a fully functional medical facility is the city-subsidized Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center.

The district is also home to the country's first sports stadium, the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and the country's premiere zoological park, the Manila Zoological and Botanical Gardens.Promenades by the Manila Bay has been made more convenient and safe with the opening of the Manila Baywalk that starts near the junction of Pedro Gil St. and Roxas Boulevard. Tourists and alike can enjoy different types of al fresco restaurants and cafes and further down south of the path is the exclusive Manila Yacht Club.
Malate Church

PARKS
The district is also home to the country's first sports stadium, the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex and the country's premiere zoological park, the Manila Zoological and Botanical Gardens.Promenades by the Manila Bay has been made more convenient and safe with the opening of the Manila Baywalk. In front of the Malate Church or the historical Parish of Our Lady of Remedios is the Rajah Sulayman Park that boasts of a dancing water fountain. Further down Remedio street towards the east is the Remedios Circle that was improved and renovated under the administration of Mayor Jose L. Atienza, Jr. in 2006.

Several restaurants have been erected at Baywalk in Roxas Boulevard. However, because of a city ordinance, the businesses are now located in the bayside of SM Mall of Asia. An open playground across the Manila Zoo was also renovated and improved and is now called, the Leveriza Children's Park.

source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ermita, Manila

Last week, I featured Manila's Landmarks. I realized Manila, besides from being big in area, it has many interesting places to explore, events to experience and to enjoy, rich history to tell. I will be categorizing it according to its municipality , starting with....

Ermita was founded in the late 16th century. The name was taken from the Spanish word for "hermitage", after the fact that on this site was built a hermitage housing an image of theVirgin Mary known as the Nuestra Señora de Guia (Our Lady of Guidance). The hermitage has since evolved into Ermita Church, which has been rebuilt several times since the early 17th century.

Ermita gained renewed prominence during the American colonial period. It became known as the university district, containing the campuses of the University of the Philippines, the Ateneo de Manila, the Assumption College and the St. Paul College for girls. Dormitories for students also flourished in the area. The residential portion of Ermita was populated by American residents, who set up such establishments as the Army and Navy Club, and the University Club.

Ermita also hosts a number of coin shops and antique shops, as well as some artists who remained in the area, such as the novelist and National Artist F. Sionil Jose who maintains a modest bookstore, La Solidaridad, on Padre Faura Street.

Several government institutions are housed in Ermita, includes:

• Philippine Supreme Court
• Manila City Hall
• Philippine Postal Office
• Department of Tourism
• National Museum of the Filipino People.
• Rizal Park, location of the monument to the national hero Jose Rizal, is a prominent feature of Ermita.

Other sites of interest in Ermita include the

• National Library of the Philippines
• Quirino Grandstand
• Manila Ocean Park
• Bonifacio's Wall
• Metropolitan Theater
• The Manila Hotel
• Masonic Temple
• San Vicente de Paul Church
• Philippine General Hospital, the country's largest hospital.

A number of educational institutions are also found in Ermita, including the

• University of the Philippines - Manila campus
• Adamson University
• Santa Isabel College
• Philippine Normal University
• Technological University of the Philippines
• Universidad de Manila (formerly the City College of Manila)
  
• Manila Science High School, It is also the pilot science high school in the Philippines.

Manila's Finest Travel Landmarks

RIZAL PARK

Rizal Park is situated in the heart of the city of Manila, Philippines. It is at the northern end of Roxas Boulevard, overlooking Manila Bay.
Rizal Park's history began in the early 1800s during the Spanish rule. While Manila's social and business activities were confined within Intramuros, a small area just south of the walls was cleared to prevent sneak attacks from the patriotic natives. The area was shaped like a small moon (lunette) and thus was named Luneta. The Park was also called Bagumbayan (English: New Town) in Spanish colonial era, and later known as Luneta.
Luneta has been the site of some of the most significant moments in Philippine history . Among them are the execution of Dr. José Rizal on December 30, 1896, whose martyred death made him a hero of the Philippine Revolution. (It was officially renamed Rizal Park in tribute to him.)
The park has a small man-made lake with a replica of the Philippine archipelago in the middle. The park has recreational value as well, as bands, orchestras and other sorts of entertainment are provided for free in its open-air auditorium, aptly called "Concert at the Park".
Other attractions of Rizal Park include the Chinese and Japanese Gardens, the Department of Tourism main office, the National Museum of the Filipino People, The National Library of the Philippines, the Orchidarium and Butterfly Pavilion, the Planetarium, the monument of the Philippines's first hero, Lapu-Lapu, a fountain area, a children's lagoon, a chess plaza, a light and sound presentation on the last days of Jose Rizal,a large open stone model of the Philippine islands, and the Quirino Grandstand. http://www.nationalparks.ph/rizalpark/history.htm

MANILA OCEAN PARK
The Manila Ocean Park is located behind the Quirino Grandstand, in Luneta, Manila. The Manila Ocean Park’s Oceanarium promises a "deeper experience" as it features an assortment of colorful fishes and invertebrates indigenous to the Philippines and Southeast Asia contained in 12,000 cubic meters of seawater.
The Oceanarium journey is divided into six sections and each section will carry a Filipino name: "Agos"; "Bahura"; "Buhay na Karagatan"; "Pating"; "Ang Kailaliman"; and "Laot".
http://oceanparkmanilabay.com/

FORT SANTIAGO

Marks its entrance on the northwestern trip to Instramuros which started in 1571 and completed nearly 150 years later by Filipino forced labor. The pre-Spanish settlement of Rajah Sulayman was a wooden fort on the ashes of which was built the Spanish fortress which was Spain's major defense position in the island. It looked out on the sea, towards which its canons were trained forward off pirates and invaders. Also known as the "Shrine of Freedom", in memory of the heroic Filipinos imprisoned and killed here during the Spanish and Japanese eras. Partly rebuilt from the ruins of World War II, it is now a park and promenade housing a resident theaters for both traditional and modern plays.

CASA MANILA
It is a colonial lifestyle museum which is part of Plaza San Luis Complex. The house which is rebuilt of the original house that stood on the same site was patterned after a mid-19th century house that stood along Calle de Jaboneros in San Nicolas, Binondo. The house features antique and furnishing from China and Europe dating back to the 19th century.

CHINATOWN(ONGPIN)
The Chinatown which is located along the northern bank of the historic Pasig River symbolizes the long history of the Chinese presence in the Philippines long before the arrival of the Spaniards. The Chinese had been much involved in the business specially the retail trade and have been absorbed in a Philippine life-style.

UNIVERSITY OF STO. THOMAS
University of Sto. Thomas, oldest university in the Philippines and in Asia, Founded on April 11, 1611 by Reverend Father Miguel de Benavides. Originally opened as the College of Our Lady of Rosary. The University has been bestowed the title "Royal" by King Charles III of Spain in 1758, while Pope Leo XIII granted the title "Pontificial" in 1902. Located originally in Intramuros, it was only transferred to its present site in 1911. Owned by the Spanish Dominicans which is governed by the Board of Trustees until the late 19th century..
http://www.ust.edu.ph/

ERMITA

Originally known as "Lagyo". In 1951, a chapel was constructed for Nuestra Señora de Guia. A Mexican hermit arrived in the place, lived in the chapel, and people called it as "La Ermita". Ermita was a fishing village prior to arrival of the Spaniards that moved out of Intramuros and integrated with the Indios in Ermita and adjacent Malate and to a lesser extent, Paco. These became a fashionable residential areas in the Spanish era up to the American era.

Bohol, a haven for nature lover

Bohol, as one of the best tourist destination especially for the nature lover.The island is very rich in natural resources that it has wide range of nature tripping you can enjoy from Chocolate hills, beaches(Alona, Dumaluan,Bikini, Doljo, Momo), forest(Raja Sikatuna National Park, Man made forest), farm, river particularly Loboc River, falls & more.

The Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate Hills are probably Bohol's most famous tourist attraction. They look like giant mole hills, or as some say, women's breasts, and remind us of the hills in a small child's drawing. Most people who first see pictures of this landscape can hardly believe that these hills are not a man-made artifact. However, this idea is quickly abandoned, as the effort would surely surpass the construction of the pyramids in Egypt. The chocolate hills consist of are no less than 1268 hills (some claim this to be the exact number). They are very uniform in shape and mostly between 30 and 50 meters high. They are covered with grass, which, at the end of the dry season, turns chocolate brown. From this color, the hills derive their name. At other times, the hills are green, and the association may be a bit difficult to make. Legend has it that the hills came into existence when two giants threw stones and sand at each other in a fight that lasted for days. When they were finally exhausted, they made friends and left the island, but left behind the mess they made. For the more romantically inclined is the tale of Arogo, a young and very strong giant who fell in love with an ordinary mortal girl called Aloya. After she died, the giant Arogo cried bitterly. His tears then turned into hills, as a lasting proof of his grief. However, up to this day, even geologists have not reached consensus on how they where formed. The most commonly accept theory is that they are the weathered formations of a kind of marine limestone on top of a impermeable layer of clay. If you climb the 214 steps to the top of the observation hill near the complex, you can read this explanation on a bronze plaque.

How to get there
Plenty of tourist guides and tour operators will be happy to bring you to the chocolate hills, either as a separate trip or as part of a day tour. However, if you want to go here on your own, from Tagbilaran, you will have to go the integrated bus terminal in Dao and catch a bus going to Carmen. If you look like a stranger, you will have a hard time not finding one. At the entrance of the bus terminal people will point you to the right bus. Make sure it is the first one to leave, and ask the driver to drop you off at the Chocolate Hills complex, about 4 kilometers before the town of Carmen. From there it is a 10 minute walk along a road winding up to the complex. To get back to Tagbilaran, you will have to walk back to the main road, and wait for a bus to pass by. The last bus from Carmen to Tagbilaran leaves at four P.M. Alternatively, you can use the services of the motorcyclists who often wait here for tourist, and ride 'habal-habal,' or motorbike taxi. If you're coming from Tubigon (arriving from Cebu by boat), a few buses go to Carmen daily, but sometimes you'll have to wait for some time for the bus to fill up. When you arrive in Carmen, you can catch the next bus or jeepney in the direction of Bilar, Loay or Tagbilaran, or ask a 'habal-habal' driver to bring you to the Chocolate Hills Complex.

Panglao Island
Alona Beach Probably the most beautiful, and surely the most developed beach on Panglao is Alona Beach. Located at the Southwest of the island, this beach is about one and a half kilometers long, lined with nice resorts, which are great to stay for a some time, a number of well equiped diving establishments and pleasant places to eat out, if you do not want to eat at your resort's restaurant for a change. Probably the only drawback of the beach are the large numbers of sea urchins that inhabit the water, starting some twenty or thirty meters out of the coast. You will just have to be careful when wading. Don't forget to bring your snorkling equipment. When you swim about one hundred meters off the beach, you will reach the edge of the 'house' reef, at between three and five meters deep, and thus can be easily observed even without scuba equipment. If you are into scuba diving, though, don't forget to have a few dives here as well, as it is certainly worth it, not bad at all, even compared with the reefs the boats will bring you to. Dumaluan Beach, also on the south of the island, is about two and half kilometers east of Alona Beach. Here you will find some of the more exclusive beach resorts of Bohol, such as the Bohol Beach Club. Bikini Beach is about eight kilometers from Tagbilaran, and hence a popular location for local pick-nickers. Momo Beach is on the north side of Panglao. This again is a shallow beach. Doljo Beach (pronounced 'Dolho' beach) is on the Northwest of the island, not far from Momo beach, and is also a nice beach, mostly free from sea-grasses. This beach is known for the beautiful sea shells that can be found here. Southern Coast Between Tagbilaran and Anda. Eastern Coast Between Anda and Lapinin Island. Northern Coast Between Lapinin Island and Jeta Fe. Western Coast Between Jeta Fe and Tagbilaran.

The Philippine Tarsier

The Philippine tarsier is very peculiar small animal. In fact it is one of the smallest known primates, no larger than a adult men's hand. Mostly active at night, it lives on a diet of insects. Folk traditions sometimes has it that tarsiers eat charcoal, but actually they retrieve the insects from (sometimes burned) wood. It can be found in the islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol, and Mindanao in the Philippines. If no action is taken, the tarsier might not survive. Although it is a protected species, and the practice of catching them and then selling them as stuffed tarsiers to tourists has stopped, the species is still threatened by the destruction of his natural forest habitat.

Tarsier was first introduced to Western biologists through the description given to J. Petiver by the missionary J.G. Camel of an animal said to have come from the Philippines (Hill, 1955). Among the locals, the tarsier is known as "mamag", "mago", "magau", "maomag", "malmag" and "magatilok-iok".

The species is believed to be about 45 million years old, dating back to the early Eocene period, and probably one of the oldest land species continuously existing in the Philippines.

Physical Description

General. The Philippine tarsier has a gray fur and a nearly naked tail. The middle finger is elongated. Head and body length are around 118-149 mm; It weighs 113-142 grams. Males are larger than females.

Eyes. In comparison with his body size, the eyes of the tarsier are enormous. In volume, the capacity of the bony eye orbits, or eye sockets, is larger than that of the brain case, and also larger than its stomach.

Tail. The tarsier has a relatively very long tail , generally naked except for a tuft of hair at its end. The underside has dermal ridges like those found on human hands and feet. Its tail is used for balancing like a tripod; they prefer an erect posture at all times.

Head. Like an owl, the tarsier has a joint between its skull base and spine to allow head movement of a 180-degree arc. Its upper lip lacks a cleft yet, but still has muscles, so that it can make facial expressions. The adult brain weighs about 4 grams.

Teeth. Tarsiers have sharp teeth, enabling them to catch their prey easier. Unique among primates, tarsiers have only two, rather than four, incisors in their lower jaw.

Ankle bones. The name "tarsier" or "tarsius" is derived from the animal's very long ankle bones. The tibia and fibula of the tarsiers are fused in their lower portions, acting as a shock absorber. This is considered a primitive trait, which can normally be seen in quadrupeds. The lower limbs are twice the length of its trunk. These enable the tarsier to leap about three meters from tree to tree. Its movements are similar to that of a frog.

Behavior. The Philippine tarsier is nocturnal; they hunt at night, exclusively for animal prey. At day time, they hide in hollows close to the ground. When kept in captivity, individuals may huddle together or intertwine their tails. They are believed to live in groups.

Diet. Tarsiers live exclusively on animal prey. Their diet includes primarily insects such as cockroaches and crickets, but may occasionally be extended with reptiles, birds, and bats. A Philippine tarsier in captivity will eat live shrimp and fish in a bowl of water.

Sounds. The tarsier produces a a number of different calls. The loud call is a loud piercing single note. When opponents meet, they produce a soft sweet bird-like trill. When several individuals communicate, they can produce a locust-like chirping.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiP4VWTwOt4

Where to Meet the Tarsier

You can visit the tarsier at the Philippine Tarsier Foundation, and see it in its natural habitat.

The Philippine Tarsier Foundation,
Km. 14 Canapnapan Corella, Bohol 6300 Philippines
Tel: (0912) 5163375
Mobile: (0918) 6021326
Email: tarsier@mozcom.com
Website: http://www.philippinetarsier.org/.

Binangonan, a town on the foot of Mount Sierra Madre

A view of Binangonan from Mt. Tagapo
Binangonan, one of the municipalities of Rizal on the foot of Mount Sierra Madre. about 37km. from manila. Fishing & agricultural is the main source of livelihood. Famous for its rich historical sites & artifacts. Hometown of famous artist Vicente Manansala (Maestro Enteng) who won the national artist award for visual art on 1981.

Known to be the education center of Rizal. Some of the famous school are Rizal National Science High School(RNHS). Technical Education & Skills Development Authority(TESDA) & University of Rizal System(URS).

Binangonan became a rural community on 1621 and became a town or Municipality in 1900 under Executive Order No. 40 during the American Regime.

Fish pens and fish cages in Binangonan, produce tons of tilapia, bangus, big-head carps and catfish supplying the needs of the municipality including Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna and Batangas.

There are 3 non-metallic deposits that can be found in Binangonan… limestone, rock aggregates and tuff – that are used as construction materials. Company, Rizal Cement Company, Inc. was established on 1914 who has help for the employment of the people from Binangonan & the rest of neighboring town. Grandspan Development Corporation, company who does steel fabrication use in high-rise building.

It is said to be the visit in Binangonan will not be complete without visiting Mount Tagapo in Talim Island. About one & half hour walk goin up to reach the summit.

source: Landmarks, Net25