Towns and Cities

GENERAL INFORMATION (NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION)

CALOOCAN CITY


  • The Bonifacio Monument, at the corner of EDSA and Rizal Ave. Ext., is popularly called Monumento, the terminal point of bus and jeepney routes.  The move to build it came from Bonifacio friend and fellow Katipunero Guillermo Masangaky and the cornerstone was laid on November 30, 1929 by Doña Aurora Quezon.  It was built from 1931-33 by Guillermo Tolentino with the help of sculptor Anastacio Caedo.  It has 23 bronze figures surrounding a four-sided, 40-ft. high marble pylon that rises from a 4-sided marble base.   It has five parts representing the five aspects of the Katipunan.
  • The 54-hectare Chinese Cemetery, built in 1857 by Lim Ong and Tan Quien Sien (now known as Don Carlos Palanca), contains some of the most ostentatious tombs in the world. Its architecture blends Buddhist (some are covered with colorful strips of paper and pictures of Buddha and Kuan Yin) and Catholic (many are adorned with crosses and pictures of Christ and the Virgin Mary) elements in its lavish two-storey mausoleums and its exterior walls contain 10,000 burial niches.

LAS PINAS CITY


  • The Church of St. Joseph was built with adobe stones in the “Earthquake Baroque” style by Fr. Diego Cera between 1792 and 1818 to replace an earlier structure of bamboo and nipa.  It was damaged during the 1828, 1863 (June 3) and 1880 (July 19) earthquakes and rebuilt again in 1883.   It was renovated from 1971 to 1975 and inaugurated on December 3, 1972. On its left is the massive bell tower while on the right is the old Spanish convent (it now serves as an entrance).  Inside the church are stained capiz windows, narra pews, a bamboo ceiling and carriage lamps on bamboo stands.  Its centerpiece is the famous Bamboo Organ. On the church grounds is a statue of Fr. Diego Cera sculpted by National Artist Napoleon Abueva and inaugurated on July 27, 1995 (200th anniversary of the Parish of St. Joseph). Inside the church convent is a church bell donated by the Queen of Spain.
  • The Bamboo Organ, one of three built by Fr. Diego Cera and the only one still existing, was completed in 1824.  It is 6.7 m. high, 4.17 m. wide, 1.45 m. deep and weighed 3.5 tons.  From its 1,031 pipes (902 of which were made of bamboo) emanate dulcet tones.  There were also 129 metal trumpets (horizontally placed reeds of soft metal) imported from Mexico.  The five-octave keyboard has 23 stops arranged in vertical rows and a full pedalboard. Despite its single manual and small pedals, the organ has an unusually high tonal range.  Its special birdstop tube (pajarito) was, to quote “designed to imitate the song of birds when a small quantity of water was poured therein.”  The tambor tube, on the other hand, gives out the boom of a kettle drum.  The organ was originally powered by a windmill.  However, an electric blower, installed in 1932 (the centennial of Father Cera’s death) by Father Paul Hubaux, is now used.  Major repairs were undertaken in 1863, 1867 and 1872. The July 19, 1880 earthquake and the October 1852 typhoon rendered it unplayable for several years. It was repaired again in 1891 but the pipes were then dismantled during the Philippine Revolution and kept in the old sacristy.  Around 1909, there was an attempt to sell the organ and replace it with a harmonium.  It was aborted when a certain Kapitan Pedro offered to pay the expenses of the organ.  Only two stops were repaired.  In 1911, the organ was rediscovered by tourists and reassembled.  Several concerted efforts were also made to save the organ.  In 1917, the organ was in such a bad state that only two stops were working. Fr. Victor Faniel attempted to restore the organ but could not repair the bellows.   It was partially repaired and overhauled by two technicians, Carmelo and Jose Loinaz, during the Japanese Occupation in 1943.  By 1962, the organ was in such a bad state that only one-fifth was working as there were many leakages in the air supply.  All horizontal trumpets were disconnected and the same was true for all the base pipes.  Only three stops out of the 23 were working and some disconnected pipes were piled inside the organ.  In the early 1970s, Belgian parish priest Fr. Mark Lesage and assistant parish priest Fr. Leo Renier, as well as the townspeople, decided on the total rehabilitation of the dying organ.  Hans Gerd Klais, the expert organ restorer scion of Johannes Klais Orgelbau of Bonn, Germany, undertook the restoration of the organ.  Actual repairs started on February 1974 and, on March 17, 1975, the organ was finally reassembled.
  • The Historical Corridor Project covers the old district of Brgy. Manuyo, all the way to Daniel Fajardo St., E. Aldana St., Ilaya, Pulag Lupa and Zapote.  Diego Cerra St. was renovated to look like it did 200 years ago. Old bridges in the city include the Diego Cera Bridge and the Las Piñas Bridge.  The city's old District Hospital is one of the first in the country.  The Asinan Fields are ancient salt beds. Daang Hari is a popular route for cyclists, especially on weekends.

MALABON CITY


  • Malabon Zoo, at 1 Gov. W. Pascual St. in Brgy. Potrero, contains international (tigers, brown bears) as well as indigenous (reticulated python, Philippine brown deer) species, wild birds, botanical garden, aquariums and dining area.  Tel: 361-3064 & 361-3069       
  • There are a number of Spanish and American-era houses, most along C. Arellano St..  
  1. Dionisio House, along Gen. Luna St., was built around 1920
  2. Martinez House was built in the 1890's with extensions in the 1920's
  3. Chikiamco House was built around the 1920's
  4. Rojas-Borja House, built in 1923, is one of the best preserved
  5. Santos-Lapus House was built in 1881
  6. The three storey Luna House
  7. Pantaleon Bautista House
  8. The SyJuco House , formerly the Gaza House, was built in 1869
  9. The Raymundo House, built in 1861, is considered the oldest.
  • Asilo de Huerfanos Ruins
  • Asilo de Maysilo Ruins
  • Jose Rizal Shrine (Rodriguez Plaza)
  • Don Gregorio Sanciangco Historical Marker
  • Don Epifanio de los Santos Historical Marker
  • The Church of St. Bartolomew was first built in 1621 by Fr. Diego de Robles.  Fr. Francisco Valencia added the transept in 1835.  In 1854, Fr. Raymundo Cueto added the two lateral aisles and the barrel vault (media naranja) dome under the direction of Arch. Viña and Urquiza.  The construction of the Parthenon-like façade and the two bell towers was supervised by Fr. Martin Ruiz and directed by Arch. Luciano Oliver. It was heavily damaged during World War II and its façade was restored in 1951 by Filipino secular Fr. Trinidad.  In 1958, the dome, transept, main altar and bell tower were repaired by Fr. Reyes. 

MAKATI CITY


  • The Church of Our Lady of Grace, at Brgy. Guadalupe Viejo, was founded as an Augustinian mission in 1601, completed in 1629, damaged by the 1658 earthquake, repaired from 1659 to 1662 by Father Alonso Quijano and again in 1706 by Fr. Juan Olarte.  It was ransacked and occupied by the British in 1762 (they made it into their headquarters) and its roof collapsed during the 1880 earthquake. It was rebuilt between Fr. 1885 by Fr. Jose Corugedo, served as an orphanage and trade school for victims of the 1882 cholera epidemic and was burned down in 1898 and 1899 when Filipino revolutionaries, and later the Americans, occupied it.  During World War II, it was used as a garrison and headquarters of the Japanese.  It was rebuilt after an agreement forged between Cardinal Rufino J. Santos and Fr. Casimiro Garcia, OSA, Augustinian Vicar in the country.  It houses the miraculous Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe which was saved when the church was sacked by the British in 1762.
  • The Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, at the Poblacion, was established as a Franciscan mission in 1578.  In 1608, its land was given by a Spanish nobleman Capt. Pedro de Brito to the Jesuits and the present lovely church was constructed by the Jesuit Fr. Pedro de los Montes in 1620, reconstructed in 1920 and again in 1975.  Its Renaissance facade has a semicircular arched main entrance flanked by superpositioned paired columns reaching up to the horizontal cornice, a semicircular arched window at the second level and a plain segmental pediment with a centrally located statued niche.  It also has a beautiful altar and an acacia-shaded plaza.
  • The American Memorial Cemetery, at Fort Bonifacio, was established on April 1, 1948, this 152-acre cemetery was designed by American Arch. Gardner A. Dailey.  It contains the graves of 17,208 American military dead (3,774 of them unknown) of World War II and its memorial consists of a 60-foot tower containing a small devotional chapel decorated with a sculpture in high relief (by Boris Lovet-Lorski of New York) and two hemicycles with 24 pairs of fin-like walls inscribed with the names of 36,279 of the missing and embracing a memorial court.  It is an excellent guide to the history of World War II in general and the Pacific theater in particular with its 25 elaborate maps (in four map rooms designed by Margaret Bruton), military data and historical texts.  Open daily, 6am-5pm.
  • The Sen. Benigno S. Aquino Statue, at the cor. of Ayala Ave. and Paseo de Roxas, is a bronze sculpture done by Anastacio Caedo.  It depicts the final moment of the assassination of Sen. Benigno Aquino on the way down the MIA (now NAIA) tarmac on August 21, 1983.
  • The Ayala Museum, at the Ayala Center, has 63 showcase dioramas (designed by Carlos Quirino) specializing on high points of Philippine history from pre- Spanish times to the present, an ethno-graphic section which features works of early Filipino artists, Oriental ceramic wares from pre-Spanish burial sites, musical and religious artifacts and weapons; a collection of Filipiniana publications, the Boat Room featuring models of Chinese junks, Manila galleons and Philippine traditional seacraft, the Amorsolo Gallery, Carlos P. Romulo Memorabilia, Impresso Room (18th and 19th century Antiquarian prints), a coffee shop (Café Museo), three function rooms (Ma’café Room, Filipinas Room, The Lobby) and the Museum Shop (gifts and souvenirs).  Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9am-5:30pm.  812-1191-97.  Fax: 817-3209 & 840-1588.
  • The Filipinas Heritage Library, at the Nielson Tower, Ayala Triangle along Makati Ave., is housed in the former old Nielson Airport conning tower and terminal building (the country’s first modern commercial airport).  The library was transferred here in March 1996.  It has 10,000 contemporary volumes on Philippine history, language, religion, social sciences and art, 2,000 rare titles (some dating back to the 17th century) on microfiche.  It houses the representative offices of the U.S. Library of Congress and Fundacion Santiago.  It also has the Bibliotech Internet Café (offers public access to the Internet, e-mail services, computer printing and downloading), Libros Filipinos Club, Sirkulo Makati, three function rooms, a reading room and a courtyard for outdoor affairs.  Tel: 892-1801, 759-5948-49.  Fax: 892-1810.  Open 9am-4:30pm, Tuesdays to Fridays and 10am-5pm, Saturdays.
  • The Philippine Army Museum and Library, along MacArthur Drive at Fort Bonifacio, is housed in an American period structure.  It has a graphic display of major battles, an eclectic assortment of Filipino firearms and artillery pieces, uniforms, various accessories and World War II tunnels.
  • The Manila Golf and Country Club, along Harvard Road in Forbes Park, is the original home of the R.P. Golf Open.  Its inaugural tournament was won by J.R.H. Mason of the U.S. in 1913.  A private club, it has two 18-hole courses; the 6,313-yard (par 71) and 5,395-yard (par 72).  The course is planted to Zoysia Japonica grass.  It also has a driving range, practice area, restaurants, bar, pro shop, tee houses on the course and locker rooms.  Guests must be accompanied by a member.   Tel: 817-0266, 817-4948, 817-4989 & 815-2641.  Fax: 816-0162.
  • The Fort Bonifacio Golf and Country Club, along McKinley Road, Bonifacio Naval Station in Fort Bonifacio, has a 40-hectare, 18-hole, 6,533-yard, par 69 course, driving range, pitching green, snack bar, two tennis courts, function room and lockers.  Open to the public.  Tel: 819-2780 & 819-2785.
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