Historic, bustling, awe-inspiring, Manila is a blend of cultures and flavors that offers an endless serving of places to see, sights to behold, and experiences to never forget.
Districts
Manila is distributed into 16 territorial districts, which are all original towns except one, the Port Area District. All of these original towns except Port Area have their own churches and several of these districts have attained identification in their own right.
The eight districts north of the Pasig River are:
The other eight are:
Understand
Manila has the usual developing world city problems of choking smog and traffic and appalling poverty are abundant here. This however should not dissuade any traveller from visiting this city for it is a warm, exciting and diverse place that is ripe for discovery by any adventurous tourist. English is widely spoken, prices are cheap and you get more than your fair share of sunshine. All in all, Manila is a fun and exciting place to be. Together with the warm and friendly people of the Philippines, tourists will find their Manila experience an enjoyable and unforgettable one.
History
Manila, as with a lot of major cities in the world, began as a settlement on the banks of a river, the Pasig River. The name Manila originates from the term "Maynilad" which refers to the mangrove plant known as Nilad, which was abundant in the area. Prior to the arrival of westerners in the 16th century, Maynilad was populated was an Hindu and Islamic community descended from the Indians from India, Arabs settlers from the Middle East who sailed to the Philippines, and Chinese and Japanese people that crossed over from the Asian mainland several times before the Indians and Arabs came, and after as well in succesful waves. In 1571, 50 years after Magellan's discovery of the islands, Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legaspi claimed the Philippines as a colony and established Manila as its capital.
Orientation
Manila is but one of 13 cities and 4 municipalities that comprise the area known as Metro Manila or the National Capital Region (NCR) of the Philippines. The NCR is located in the southern portion of the island of Luzon, in between the Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog Regions, between Manila Bay and the inland lake of Laguna de Bay. The City of Manila, where most of the historical attractions are located, lies at the confluence of Manila Bay and the Pasig River.
The City of Manila is in the western part of Metro Manila. It is bordered to the west by Manila Bay, to the north by Quezon City and Kalookan City, to the east by San Juan and Mandaluyong City and to the south by Pasay and Makati.
Makati is Metro Manila's business district with tall buildings, luxurious hotels, vast shopping malls, lively entertainment spots, and numerous restaurants.
Quezon City also has its share of large shopping malls, and electronic and automotive parts discount centres. The Ortigas Centre at the confluence of Quezon City, Mandaluyong and San Juan is also a shopper's paradise.
Language
English and Filipino (Tagalog) are the common languages in the northern mainland of Luzon. If you speak English, you will have no problem being understood everywhere because it is the language of instruction in schools, as well as in business. Most Filipinos speak English well, no matter their level of education. This is because Filipinos learn the English language at home, and more formally when they start school. It is not unusual for school children to speak impeccable English.
Moreover, Filipinos love American movies, television shows, music, food, and fashion.
Climate
The Philippines is a tropical country that has basically two seasons, a wet season and a dry season. Typhoons and tropical storms are a common occurrence during the wet season particularly in the northern part of the Philippines where Manila is located. The wet season lasts from June to early November. Late November to May is then the dry season with the Philippine summer months of March to May being the hottest. December to February is still relatively pleasant particularly if you are coming from the northern hemisphere where this is the winter period and sub-zero temperatures prevail. Temperatures during this time would range from 24 to 30°C (75 to 86°F) at its peak. From March to May, temperatures heat up but as Manila is by the coast, it rarely goes beyond 36 to 37°C (97 to 99°F).
Get in
By air
From overseas, most visitors arrive by plane. Manila is served by three international airports. Philippine Airlines (PAL) has its own terminal, called Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 (NAIA 2), that serves both international and domestic flights. PAL usually provides seamless transfers between their international and domestic network whereas you would generally not be given this service on other carriers.
All other international airlines use NAIA Terminal 1, which is due to be replaced by the newly built modern NAIA Terminal 3 (NAIA 3) in 2007; while other domestic airlines use the old domestic airport which is about a 5 to 10 minute ride from Terminal 1. Be wary of this if you have a connection between a domestic and international flight arriving/departing from these airports.
Coupon (pre-paid) taxis are available at the airports to bring you to your hotel or wherever you may be going. Rates are fixed and dependent on the destination and generally are more expensive compared to what you would pay in a metered taxi. Coupon taxi counters usually are found immediately after exiting customs in both Terminals 1 and 2. Expect to pay somewhere between 10 to 15 USD for destinations within Metro Manila. The usual metered taxis are generally not allowed at the Arrival Terminal so you would either need to catch one unloading at the Departure Area or outside the airport complex. This may be easier said than done however, particularly when lugging around kilos upon kilos of baggage.
Apart from taxis, there are no regular public transport services to the airports except for buses and jeepneys plying routes that pass nearby. It will take a few minutes' walk however before you get to a place where you can board and all this effort may not be worth the hassle so most opt to take the coupon taxis.
Low cost carriers such as Air Asia and Tiger Airways utilize the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA) in Clark, Pampanga, said to be a THREE HOUR drive north of Manila. These airlines have dedicated bus transfer services that transport passengers to and from the DMIA via newly renovated toll roads. You can catch the bus by Philtranco either from it's terminal in Pasay City, Manila or from SM Megamall (behind building A) in Mandaluyong, Manila. From Pasay the fare is 350 pesos and from SM Megamall 300 pesos. Departure tax for this airport has been increased to 500 peso.
Air travel between islands is reasonably priced, with tickets averaging P4,000 to P5,000 round trip to most popular destinations. Promotions, particularly the "Go" fares offered by Cebu Pacific airlines, have pushed domestic roundtrip prices to the P2,000-P3,500 range.
By boat
Ferries run all over the Philippines, but should you not reserve a first class cabin be prepared for uncomfortable cramped conditions. There seems to be lax enforcement of Western safety standards.
Supercats and fastcrafts connect short distances between islands on high-speed air-conditioned hydrofoil crafts. Not only do they provide a faster option than ordinary ferries, they are also much better maintained and have a remarkable safety record. Among the major routes serviced by fastcrafts in and around Manila are: Manila-Bataan, Manila-Cavite and Batangas-Puerto Galera.
By bus
The Strong Republic Nautical Highway has made inter-island travel by bus possible. Major islands are connected by Roll On - Roll Off ferries which can carry cars, buses and cargo trucks. An example is the Manila to Boracay route which goes via Batangas, Calapan and Roxas in Mindoro then Caticlan. Philtranco serves various inter-island routes and has a terminal in Cubao, Quezon City. Needless to say however that these trips can take quite a bit of time and may not be worth the savings if you have only a few days to spend in the Philippines.
Normal provincial buses serving other parts of Luzon also have terminals in various portions of Metro Manila. The Cubao area in Quezon City and the Bonifacio Monument area in Kalookan City is where buses serving the northern portions of Luzon (e.g. Baguio, Zambales) have their terminals.
The Buendia Ave. cor Taft Ave. intersection in Makati and the area near the Taft Ave. and EDSA intersection in Pasay is where buses to the south (e.g. Batangas, Laguna) have their terminals.
Get around
The metropolis has an extensive system of highways connecting the various cities and municipalities. The major roads include ten radial roads, which branch out from central Manila and five circumferential roads which form concentric arcs around downtown Manila. Most of these roads are very important transportation arteries. One is the C-4 (Circumferential Road 4) also called Epifanio de los Santos Avenue or more popularly known as EDSA. Some other other important roads are R-1 (Radial Road 1) or Coastal Road/Manila-Cavite Road; R-3 or South Luzon Expressway (SLEX); R-7, which consists of Espana Avenue, Quezon Avenue, and Commonwealth Avenue; R-8 or the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX); and C-5 going from Bicutan to Libis (simply referred to as C-5).
However, driving in a private car is not recommended for people who are unfamiliar with Manila because many drivers there ignore such things as stoplights and lane markings and most also have no idea what right of way means. Public transport is very cheap however but may get very crowded during the rush hours in the morning and early evening (7 AM to 10 AM and 4 PM to 7 PM). Traffic also tends to crawl during these times so best avoid being on the move in these occassions.
Buy
There are generally two kinds of shopping destinations in Manila: the mall and the tiangge ("chang-ghe"). The Manila mall is more than just a shopping experience but a cultural destination as well. The largest malls in Metro Manila are practically their own cities within the city: complete with boutiques, supermarkets, department stores, restaurants, cinemas, medical facilities, hotels, schools, offices, gyms, serviced apartments, spas, convention centers, art galleries, bowling alleys, museums, ice skating rinks, and even a chapel for Sunday masses.
There are numerous malls around Metro Manila. Most of them are actually in the heart of the city and commercial districts which on the positive side makes them so accessible. Due to their location, they also tend to create huge traffic jams.
In Pasay City, near the waterfront, is SM Mall Of Asia, by most accounts the second largest in Asia and the third largest mall in the world. In Manila itself, SM City Manila is a stones throw away from Manila City Hall. It is a short jeepney or cab ride away from the Rizal Park and Baywalk areas. LRT Line 2 actually passes in front of the mall and Central Terminal is a short distance away. A short walk away from the Pedro Gil station of LRT Line 2 is Robinson's Place.
In Makati, there is the sprawling Ayala Center: an interconnect shopping complex comprised of Glorietta Shopping Mall, LandMark, Shoemart and Greenbelt. Ayala Center is accessible via the MRT Ayala Station. Several major hotels such as the Makati Shangrila, Hotel Intercontinental, Mandarin and Manila Peninsula are either within or a short distance away from the Ayala Center. You should allocate at least half a day for this shopping area as the whole shopping area is much larger than you think. It appears that the interconnected malls are much larger than SM Mall of Asia.
In Mandaluyong City, there is the Shangri-La Mall and the extremely vast SM Megamall. These malls are a short walk away from the MRT Shaw Boulevard Station. A block away at Ortigas Avenue is another mall, Robinson's Galleria which is nearer to the MRT Ortigas Station. A short jeepney or cab ride from Robinson's Galleria is the Greenhills Shopping Center which has both a mall and tiangge within its shopping complex. At the northern end of the MRT in Quezon City is the historic Araneta Center (MRT Cubao - Araneta Center Station) and SM City North Edsa (MRT North Avenue Terminal).
In February 2006, Manila is upping the ante on shopping malling with the opening of the gargantuan SM Mall of Asia exactly adjacent to Manila Bay, said to become the largest mall in the region. Simply put, shopping malls abound in Metro Manila and the shopping experience is second to none, even by western standards.
However, if you wish to experience the "ultimate Manila shopping experience", one has to shop at a tiangge. Tiangges are small makeshift stalls clustered together that sell anything and everything you can imagine but at bargain basement prices. In these places, one has to haggle, particularly if you are buying wholesale (defined as at least six pieces of the same item). The best tiangge complexes are in the Greenhills Shopping Center, Tiendesitas, Market! Market!, St. Francis Square, Tutuban Center Mall, Divisoria Mall, and 168 Mall. Go crazy buying quality clothes and shoes, pretty jewelry and things for the house at very reasonable prices!
See
Sights
The main tourist sites of Manila are located along Manila Bay. At the northern end of the Bay lies the remnants of the old walled Spanish settlement of Manila called Intramuros (Spanish for 'within the walls'). Intramuros contains museums, churches, ruins, schools, parks, cafes and restaurants. It's worth a stop if you are in the vicinity. All travellers are welcome to play on the city's most picturesque golf course which was built over the moat that used to surround Intramuros' walls.
Within Intramuros is the Manila Cathedral . Destroyed and rebuilt several times over, it is the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese of Manila and is one of the most important churches in the Philippines.
Just outside this "walled city" and on the edge of Manila Bay is the beautiful and historic Manila Hotel, a legacy of the American colonial era and the place where General Douglas MacArthur made his home before World War II.
Right outside the walled city is Rizal Park more widely known as the Luneta. The Luneta is the venue for the best museums of the city, bayside restaurants, an open-air theater featuring free classical music concerts, a planetarium, early morning jogging and tai chi enthusiasts, and the Manila Hotel. It is a popular meeting spot for family picnics and was the site of the execution of Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines.
South of the Luneta is the renovated Baywalk a linear park adjacent to Manila Bay. This promenade is home to numerous open air restaurants and bars lying between coconut trees and futuristic lamp posts. Nightly entertainment is provided by live acoustic bands, street performers and the kaleidoscopic parade of Manila's inhabitants.
Manila also has one of the largest Chinatowns in the world, where one can find exotic Chinese goods and delicious cuisine.
Churches
There are also various impressive Spanish-era Cathedrals that are more impressive than old Spanish Missions in California. Among the best churches of Manila are San Agustin Church, the oldest stone church in the country and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the all-steel San Sebastian Cathedral; and Las Pinas and its bamboo organ.
One of the most popular tour guides for San Agustín Church is Carlos Celdran: his top hat has become an institution in the church's plaza. He has a 2-hour tour around Intramuros among some other tours like "Living La Vida Imelda" or "Going down to Chinatown". Instead of a dull tour guide reciting data and years, Mr. Celdran uses a good amount of jokes and good sense of humour to make the tour something to remember. His moto has become: if you don't like the way Manila looks, change the way you look at Manila. The tour fare is 450 pesos per person, with discounts for students, it doesn't include the tickets for San Agustín church and Casa Manila. If you choose the long tour, it includes Fort Santiago and it takes about three hours. You can contact him through his website: http://celdrantours.blogspot.com
Museums
Manila has seen a drastic improvement in its museum offerings with the recent renovation of old favorites such as the National Museum of the Filipino People and the Ayala Museum. Other must-see museums in the Metro are the Bahay Chinoy, Casa Manila, San Agustin Museum and the Museum of Filipino Political History.
World War II Manila American Cemetery and Memorial: At the southeastern end of Metro Manila within the limits of Fort Bonifacio in the district of Taguig. Open daily except for December 25 and January 1; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The cemetery is the final resting place for 17,206 American military dead lost during the War in the Pacific for New Guinea and the Philippines. A monument is inscribed with the names of 36,285 Americans whose remains were never found or identified. Twenty-five large mosaic maps around the chapel depict the Pacific campaigns. Free.
Do
Watch
Manila is home to the most vibrant theater scene in Southeast Asia. Manila's premiere English speaking theater group, Repertory Philippines, performs plays and musicals throughout most of the year. Numerous actors from Rep have appeared in London's West End and Broadway.
Other English speaking theater troupes based in Manila are Trumpets, Atlantis Productions, New Voice Company and Actor's Actors. Government funded Tanghalang Pilipino and the Philippine Experimental Theater Association perform classics and original Filipino works in the Filipino language.
For those looking for a more classical performance, the Cultural Center of the Philippines hosts folk dance, ballet, concerts, and classical music performances. For a unique Manila experience, there are free weekly concerts, plays and ballet performances at the open air theaters in Rizal Park and in Paco Park.
Most malls in the metropolitan area offer at least one cinema, usually equipped with enough screens to distribute the usual Hollywood fare, along with other major releases from local and international studios. Cine Adarna, the cinema run by the University of the Philippines' Film Institute, mostly showcases both international and locally-produced art house films, along with retrospectives, festival selections, and Hollywood films (mostly after their initial theatircal run).
Music
The introduction of American hip hop music has had a noticeable effect on Philippine night life, serving as the soundtrack to a high-spirited Manila youth culture. Many nightclubs now rival first-world standards both in terms of luxury and vibrancy.
Additionally, there are numerous venues in which to catch elements of an active Philippine alternative rock community. Some venues, such as saGuijo Cafe in Makati, have risen to some prominence.
Spa
Manila is home to numerous spas offering traditional Filipino massage techniques such as the hilot. Most hotels and shopping malls have in-house spas that provide massage services at reasonable prices. By far, the best spas in the Metro are the Oriental Spa at the Mandarin Hotel, the Discovery Spa at the Discovery Suites Hotel and the Urban Spa (+632-6876195 to 96) at the Shangri-la Plaza Mall.
City Tour
Manila is extremely rich in history, the city started off as a muslim settlement before being colonised by Spain, Britain and the United States. During WW2, Manila was involved in fierce fighting and was the most bombed city in Asia. The American Manila Cemetery is a stark reminder of the fighting that took place in the Philippines.
Learn
Universities and Colleges
The Ateneo de Manila University (also called "Ateneo de Manila" or simply "the Ateneo") is a private university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 as the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, and was then a state-subsidized school. It became a private school during the American occupation of the Philippines, and has moved from Manila to its current location. It received its university charter in 1959.
Its main campus in Loyola Heights, Quezon City, Metro Manila is home to the university's college and graduate school units, as well as its high school and grade school. Two other campuses, in Rockwell Center and Salcedo Village, both in Makati City, house the university's professional schools of business, law, and information technology. A third facility is undergoing construction in Ortigas, which will house its school of medicine and public health.
The Ateneo offers programs in the elementary, secondary, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Its academic offerings cover various fields, including the Arts, Humanities, Business, Law, the Social Sciences, Philosophy, Theology, Information Technology, Medicine, Public Health, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science and Information Technology, Engineering, Environmental Science, and Government. Aside from teaching, the Ateneo de Manila also engages in research and social outreach work.
It is one of the only two universities in the Philippines to receive the Level IV accreditation--the highest possible level--from the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines and the PAASCU. It received its Level IV accreditation on June 2004.
Among the Ateneo's alumni are Jose Rizal, the National Hero of the Philippines, several leaders of the propaganda movement during Philippine Revolution against Spain and the Philippine War against the United States, some famous politicians including two Philippine Presidents, political activists, professionals, businessmen, and some famous writers and artists.
De La Salle University-Manila (DLSU-M, La Salle Taft, or simply La Salle) is a private Catholic university located in Taft Avenue in the district of Malate in Manila. It was established on June 16, 1911 by the De La Salle Brothers on Calle Nozaleda in Paco, Manila. It was moved to its present location on 2401 Taft Avenue in 1921. The school was exclusively for boys until 1973 when it opened its doors to women. The university draws inspiration from the life and works of the institution's founder, Saint John Baptist de La Salle. It offers programs in undergraduate and graduate levels covering various fields in business and economics, engineering, science, liberal arts, education and computer studies.
The University of the Philippines was established in 1908 with just three colleges. There are eight autonomous Universities that are located all around the country from UP Baguio up north and to UP Mindanaw. There are two campuses that are located in the metro namely the main campus in UP Diliman, Quezon City and the other that houses the health sciences UP Manila - Philippine General Hospital. The pioneering schools of UP are the College of Fine Arts and Architecture, the College of Liberal Arts, and the College of Medicine and Surgery. These colleges are located in Padre Faura and R. Hidalgo in Manila. Another pioneering school is located in Los Banos, Laguna which is the School of Agriculture. Additional colleges were established, which were the College of Law and the College of Engineering in Manila. UP Manila expanded and secured 493 hectares in Diliman. UP Diliman offers 94 graduate and undergraduate courses. Its research centers were declared by the Commission on Higher Education as National Centers of Excellence.
Established in 1611, the University of Santo Tomas {UST} is the oldest chartered university in Asia. Initially it was established as a training school for Dominican priests. Secular departments were included later. Presently it has five postgraduate departments which include the Graduate School, the Ecclesiastical Faculties of Theology and Canon Law, the Faculty of Civil Law and the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. It also has twelve undergraduate departments, the Ecclesiastical Faculty of Philosophy, the Faculties of Pharmacy, Arts and Letters and Engineering, as well as the Colleges of Education, Science, Commerce, Architecture, Fine Arts and Design, Rehabilitation Sciences, Accountancy and the Conservatory of Music. It has separate schools for primary education (UST Elementary School, up for phase-out), secondary education (UST High School and UST Education Laboratory High School) and an institute of Physical Education.
The university has a good museum of religious art and natural sciences, as well as an unrivaled archive pertaining to friar documents during the Spanish colonial era (1521-1898). The present campus is located in España Boulevard in downtown Manila though new campuses are being established in Santa Rosa, Laguna province, in General Santos City in the southern island of Mindanao and in Sri Lanka..
Work
The workforce in Manila covers everything from daily, minimum wage earners to expats being driven in Beemers. Standard working time varies, especially with the proliferation of Call Centers, but the usual working hours is from 9AM to 6PM. Given that the traffic within the Manila escalates exponentially as the day begins, it's always better to leave early for meetings.
There is also a local saying known as "Filipino Time" wherein it was expecteed that the attendee would be late by up to one hour. However, this irresponsible instance has been significantly reduced throught the years, although the bad traffic is usually (and realistically) cited as the main cause for missing one's appointment.
Makati City is the country's main CBD, or Central Business District, and, on every given weekday, it seems that all roads lead here. Multinational firms and big businesess hold offices here.
Ortigas City seems to be the alternative CBD, with companies such as the Asian Development Bank located in this vicinity.
Eat
Budget
Manila has most of the usual American fastfood chains such as McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, Pizza Hut, Subway, Dairy Queen, Shakey's Pizza, and KFC. Jollibee, the Filipino version of McDonald's is very common in Manila. There are also other pure Filipino restaurants across the city such Goldilocks and Chow King (Chinese Food). Coffeeshops such as Starbucks and Seattle's Best have also recently become quite common in malls and commercial centers. KrispyKreme Doughnuts has recently opened in 2 sites in Metro Manila Meals could be had for as low as 2 to 3 US$ in most fast food joints. A typical burger meal with fries and a drink would fall under this range.
Street food peddled by ambulant vendors is quite common and can usually be found in places with high amount of pedestrian traffic. Note however that street food in Manila and elsewhere in the Philippines may not be as clean as what you would find in Bangkok or hawker centers in Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia. There is very little (if any) regulation and hygienic practices of these establishments vary from place to place. The variety of street food available is tremendous however and may reward the truly adventurous traveller. Some notable examples are the following:
For a taste of street food without the accompanying risk, try out the following establishments:
Mid-Range
Most sit down and casual dining restaurants in Manila would fall under this category. You could generally eat well for under 10 US$ per person. At some establishments, this price will even allow you to partake of a buffet and eat to your heart's content.
Splurge
Being the only former Spanish colony in Asia, Manila has the best Spanish food in the Far East. To sample the best Hispano-Filipino dishes, grab a bite in the following restaurants:
Drink
The epicenter of Manila's famous nightlife is Greenbelt where some of the city's best restaurants, cafes, bars and karaoke joints cluster around a park in the middle of the main business district. Bohemian Malate and the adjoining Baywalk contain a variety of venues serving a combination of food, comedy, alcohol and live music. Other nightlife clusters in the Metro are Eastwood, Araneta Center, Marikina and Timog.
Sleep
Budget
Mid-Range
Splurge
There are many major international hotel chains which have a presence in Metro Manila. Rates are still generally cheaper here compared to the same class of hotels in western cities. A stay in these hotels however, would be considered a luxury by Philippine standards particularly since these rates would represent a month's income for some Filipinos.
Contact
Payphones are very common in the city centre and to make a call, it will cost around US$0.02 per minute for a local call, slightly more for a national call and US$0.40 per minute for an international call. The use of mobile phones is also very extensive among the locals of in Manila. To use your mobile phone, it has to be at least a dualband GSM phone. Globe and Smart are the Philippine's largest mobile carriers and they invite you to use them as a roaming partner (inquire from your home carrier if they have Globe and Smart as a roaming partner).
To call anywhere within Metro Manila, simply dial the 7-digit telephone number from a payphone or a landline. If you need to call anywhere else within the Philippines, dial 0 + area code + telephone number. To make an international phone call, dial 00 + country code + area code + telephone number.
Internet Cafes have become a common sight in Metro Manila. Most malls would have at least one internet cafe. Most internet cafes provide broadband speeds. Netopia and Pacific Internet are common chains. Netopia also has a branch at the MRT Ayala Station. Rates usually run at less than US$1 per hour. Cheap overseas calls can be made at Netopia branches via their VOIP service.
Most coffee shops now also have WiFi services available so you can surf the net while sipping a cuppa. Airborneaccess.net and WIZ are the most common WiFi providers. Ask around if usage is free of charge, otherwise, as the case is often, you will have to buy an internet access card at the counter for around US$2 per hour.
Stay safe
Manila is one of the most dangerous cities in Southeast Asia. Robberies and Theft are common , and has a problem with Guns. If you are a 6 ft+ Caucasian you are bound to stand out like a sore thumb. Travellers from other Asian nations especially South East Asians should have no problem blending in with the crowd however. One has to use common sense of course. Don't wear valuable jewelry or anything else to broadcast your wealth. Displaying that expensive mobile phone or digital camera out in the open is also a good way to attract the undue attention of petty thieves.
Tourists often find it a slightly overwhelming when they initially arrive in Manila. Unfamiliar smells and sounds, crazy drivers with beeping horns, different customs and unfortunately like most other international hubs a number of petty pickpockets where crowds gather.
Get out
Around the capital are numerous attractions for people desiring a quick daytrip away from the hustle and bustle of this mega-metropolis.
:For other meanings of the word, see Manila (disambiguation). For the greater metropolitan area, see Metro Manila.
The City of Manila (Filipino: Lungsod ng Maynila), or simply Manila, is the capital of the Philippines and one of the municipalities that comprise Metro Manila. The city is located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on Luzon, the country's largest island.
Manila is the hub of a thriving metropolitan area home to over 10 million people. The Metro Manila area also known as the National Capital Region (NCR), of which the City of Manila is a part, is a much bigger metropolis consisting of 17 cities and municipalities. This article discusses the city itself; see Metro Manila for the article on the metropolis.
Manila is the second most populous city proper in the Philippines, with more than 1.5 million inhabitants. Only nearby Quezon City, the country's former capital, is more populous. Manila is currently included in the roster of global cities of the world.
Manila got its name from may nilad, Tagalog for "there is nilad," in reference to the flowering mangrove plant that grew on the marshy shores of the bay. In the 16th century, Manila (then Maynilad) grew from a Arab settlement on the banks of the Pasig River into the seat of the colonial government of Spain when it controlled the Philippine Islands for over three centuries from 1565 to 1898. Beginning in 1898, the United States occupied and controlled the city and the Philippine archipelago until 1946. During World War II, much of the city was destroyed. The Metropolitan Manila region was enacted as an independent entity in 1975. Today, the city and the metropolis thrive as an important cultural and economic center. However, overpopulation, traffic congestion, pollution, and crime challenge the city.
Manila has been classified as a "Gamma" global city by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network.
The city
Manila lies at the mouth of the Pasig River on the eastern shores of Manila Bay, which is on the western side of Luzon. It lies about 950 kilometers southeast of Hong Kong and 2,400 kilometers northeast of Singapore. The river bisects the city in the middle. Almost all of the city sits on top of centuries of prehistoric alluvial deposits built by the waters of the Pasig River and on some land reclaimed from Manila Bay. The layout of the city was haphazardly planned during Spanish Era as a set of communities surrounding the original Spanish Era walled city of Manila, called Intramuros. Intramuros is one of the oldest walled cities in the far east. During the American Period, some semblance of city planning using the architectural designs by Daniel Burnham, was done on the portions of the city south of the Pasig River.
Manila is bordered by several municipalities and cities in Metro Manila: Navotas and Caloocan City to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong City to the east, Makati City to the southeast, and Pasay City to the south.
City seal
The Seal of Maynila depicts the words Lungsod ng Maynila and Pilipinas, Filipino for City of Manila and Philippines, in a circle around a shield. The circle also contains six yellow stars representing the city's six congressional districts. The shield, in the shape of pre-colonial people's shield, depicts the city's nickname Pearl of the Orient on top; a sea lion in the middle, in reference to the city's Spanish influences; and the waves of the Pasig River and Manila Bay in the bottom portion. The colors of the seal mirror that of the Flag of the Philippines.
Districts
The city is divided into sixteen (16) districts. Only one district was not an original town - Port Area. Eight (8) districts are located north of the Pasig River and eight (8) are in the south. San Andres Bukid was previously part of Santa Ana, while Santa Mesa was once a part of Sampaloc.
North of Pasig River
South of Pasig River
All of these districts, with the exception of Port Area, have their own churches, and several of these districts have achieved recognition in their own right. Intramuros being the old and original enclave of Manila is a historical site. The district of Binondo is the city's Chinatown. Tondo is the densest in terms of population, the largest in land area and also with the highest poverty level. The districts of Ermita and Malate are well-known and popular with tourists, having many bars, restaurants, five-star hotels, and shopping malls while the districts of San Miguel and Pandacan hosts the official residence of the President of the country, Malacañang Palace.
National Government Offices
The City of Manila is the capital of the Philippines and is also the seat of political power in the country. During the early years of the American colonial government, they envisioned a well designed city outside the walls of Intramuros. In nearby "Bagumbayan" or what is now Rizal Park, was chosen to become the center of government and a design commission was given to Daniel Burnham to create a master plan for the city patterned after Washington D.C.
Eventually, under the Commonwealth Government of Manuel L. Quezon, a new government center was to be built on the hills norheast of Manila, or what is now Quezon City. Several government agencies have set-up base in Quezon City but several key government offices are in Manila such as, the Office of the Philippine President, the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Departments of Budget, Finance, Health, Justice, Labor & Employment, and Tourism.
Parks and open areas
Directly south of Intramuros lies Rizal Park, the country's most significant park. Also known as Luneta (Spanish term for "crescent-shaped") and previously as Bagumbayan, the 60 hectare Rizal Park sits on the site where José Rizal, the country's national hero, was executed by the Spaniards on charges of subversion. A monument stands in his honor where Rizal's remains were buried. The big flagpole west of the Rizal Monument is the Kilometer Zero for road distances on the island of Luzon and the rest of the country.
Other attractions in Rizal Park include the Chinese and Japanese Gardens, the Department of Tourism building, the National Museum of the Philippines, The National Library of the Philippines, the Planetarium, the Orchidarium and Butterfly Pavilion, an open-air auditorium for cultural performances, a relief map of the Philippines, a fountain area, a children's lagoon, a chess plaza, a light and sound presentation, and the Quirino Grandstand.
Another famous open space in Manila is the Baywalk. This promenade lies in front of the Manila Bay where one can experience one of the most breathtaking sunsets of the world. Coconut trees, giant kaleidoscopic lamp posts, al fresco cafès and restaurants, and live acoustic bands dot this two-kilometer stretch of ample space beside Roxas Boulevard.
Aside from Rizal Park, Manila has very few other open public spaces. Rajah Sulayman Park, Manila Boardwalk, Liwasang Bonifacio, Plaza Miranda, Paco Park, Remedios Circle, Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden, Plaza Balagtas and the Malacañang Garden are some of the other parks in the city. In 2005, Mayor Lito Atienza opened the Pandacan Linear Park, a strip of land that served as a buffer zone between the oil depot and the residential-commercial properties in Pandacan and could be found along the banks of the Pasig River. In the northern most part of the city lies the three cemeteries of Loyola, Chinese, and Manila North Green Park, the largest public cemetery in Metropolitan Manila.
People
Demographics
Ethnic groups
The original settlers of Manila were the Tagalogs. Throughout the centuries, there has been a constant migration of Visayans, Bicolanos, Ilocanos, Maranaos, Pampangans, Chinese and Spaniards. There are also Americans, Arabs, Indonesians, Indians, and Koreans in Manila. Intermarriage between ethnic groups is not uncommon in the Philippines.
There are 3 distinct local ethnic groups in Manila. The natives, the Chinese, and the Spanish. The Chinese and Spanish groups, companies and families control most political and financial institutions.
Population density
With a population of 1,581,082 and a land area of 38.55 km², it has the highest population density of any major city in the world with 41,014 people/km² (with district 6 being the most dense with 68,266, followed by the first two districts (Tondo) with 64,936 and 64,710, respectively, and district 5 being the least dense with 19,235). A million more transients are added during daytime as students and workers come to the city.
Manila's population density dwarfs that of Paris (20,164 inhabitants per km²), Shanghai (16,364 people/km², with its most dense district of Nanshi's 56,785 density), Buenos Aires (2,179 people/km², with its most dense inner suburb Lanus' 10,444 density), Tokyo (10,087 people/km²), Mexico City (11,700 people/km²), and Istanbul (1,878 people/km², with its most dense district Fatih's 48,173 density).
Languages
The vernacular language is Tagalog, while Filipino and English are the languages used in education and business throughout the Metro Manila region.
Religion
Roman Catholicism
Manila is the seat of the Archdiocese of Manila and the Primate of the Philippines. Being the seat of the Spanish colonial government in past centuries, it has been used as the base of numerous Roman Catholic missions to the Philippines. Among the religious orders that have gone to the Philippines include the Dominicans, the Jesuits, the Franciscans, and the Augustinians (which includes the Augustinian Recollects).
Intramuros is currently the seat of the Archdiocese of Manila, the oldest archdiocese in the country. The archdiocese's offices is located in the Manila Cathedral (Basilica Minore de la Nuestra Señora de la Immaculada Concepcion) in Intramuros.
Other notable churches and cathedrals in the city include San Agustin Church in Intramuros, a UN World Heritage Site is a favorite wedding place of notable people and one of two fully air-conditioned churches in the city; Quiapo Church, also known as the Basilica Minore del Nazareno Negro, site of the annual January Black Nazarene procession; Binondo Church, also known as Basilica Minore de St. Lorenzo Ruiz; Malate Church (Nuestra Señora de Remedios); and San Sebastian Church or the Basilica Minore de San Sebastian, the only all-steel church in Gothic style in Asia. Many of the other districts of Manila have their own notable churches.
Other faiths
There are many Buddhist and Taoist temples built by the Chinese community in Manila. The Quiapo district is home to a sizable Muslim population in Manila, and The Golden Mosque is located there. In Ermita is a large Hindu temple for the Indian population, while on U.N. Avenue, there is a Sikh Temple. There is also an LDS temple. In Malate, along Quirino Avenue, there once was a synagogue for the small Jewish community in the Philippines. (See Jews in the Philippines.)
Education and culture
Manila is home to majority of the colleges and universities in Metro Manila. The University Belt or U-Belt, informally located in the districts of Malate, Ermita, Intramuros, San Miquel, Quiapo, and Sampaloc is the colloquial term for the high concentration of institutions of higher education that are located in these districts. Among them are private school De La Salle University-Manila in Malate, the private schools Far Eastern University and University of Santo Tomas in Sampaloc, and the city-owned Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila at Intramuros.
The city also plays host to the Manila Science High School, the forerunner of the country's science high schools, the National Museum of the Philippines, where the Spoliarium of Juan Luna is housed, the Metropolitan Museum, the Museong Pambata (Children's Museum), as well as the National Library, located within Rizal Park.
Economy
Commerce
Every district in the city with the exception of Port Area has its own public market, locally called the pamilihang bayan or Palengke. Public markets are often divided into two, the dry goods section and the wet goods section. Commerce in these public markets is lively, especially in the early morning. Under the urban renewal program of the incumbent administration, some of the public markets had been refurbished and given a fresher look, like the Sta. Ana public market. It is one of the more advanced markets in the city featuring a modern 2-story building with an escalator.
The tropical climate in Manila plus the facilities of its world-class malls continue to attract Filipinos to the shopping malls. Modern shopping malls dot the city especially in the areas of Malate and Ermita. SM City Manila, part of the country's largest chain of malls, stands behind the Manila City Hall, while the original SM Department store still operates in Carriedo in Sta. Cruz while another called SM Centrepoint is located north east of the city in Sta. Mesa close to the Quezon City-San Juan boundary. One of the popular malls that lies at the heart of Manila is Robinson's Place Ermita. In the southern part of the city in Malate district is Harrison Plaza, one of the city's oldest shopping malls.The SM Mall of Asia is located at "Pasay City" beside of the Manila.
For the adventurous shoppers, you may venture beyond the hotel/shopping complex package and combine other interesting destinations for cheap buys such as in Divisoria and Quiapo districts. Bargaining is the major part of your shopping experience when you pass by on these areas, as it sells goods at rock-bottom prices. In Divisoria, there is already a shopping mall that caters to the adventurous shoppers. Tutuban Center in Divisoria gives a little comfort to the shoppers as it offers air-conditioned mall, but the price of the goods here is still very similar to the goods bought outside. In Quiapo, one unique spot is the marketplace under the bridge. It sells indigenous Filipino crafts and delicacies. Raon Center is famous for its cheap electronic products. Though through the changing times, department stores began sprouting the Quiapo area, but still the flea market of Quiapo is still vibrant and very much popular among the average Filipinos. Photo and video enthusiasts looking for cheap equipment can proceed to R. Hidalgo street in the Quiapo district.
Manufacturing
Historical Perspective
The establishment of the country's manufacturing base centered around the not so distant districts of Manila during the Spanish colonial times. During the arrival of the Americans by the turn of the 20th century, Manila's manufacturing base expanded and diversified into different areas and interests.
The district of Tondo due to its proximity to the Manila North and South Harbor became a center for several manufacturing facilities and the district of Pandacan and portions of Paco nearest to the banks of the Pasig River served as centers for manufacturing in the city.
Manila during the Spanish period was well-known for its quality tobacco production by the Manila Tabacalera Company which had its manufacturing and production base along Tayuman street in Tondo. Philippine food and beverage giant San Miguel Corporation first started its beer brewing production along San Miguel district. The old brewing building for San Miguel is now within the high security enclave of Malacañan Palace grounds. Nearby the old San Miguel brewery was the Manila Ice Plant and portions of its old building now houses the Department of Budget and Management. Tanduay Distilleries, a manufacturer of rhum still operates its facilities in the San Miguel district while its rival La Tondeña which had its production facilities in nearby Quiapo district has scaled down its operations.
Tondo was base for food manufacturing by the 1920s and several American companies established plants in the area. The Philippine Manufacturing Company or PMC established production of various products derived from coconut oil ranging from cooling oil to soaps and toiletries. The Philippine Manufacturing Company would later become Procter and Gamble Philippines and in the late 1980s, production from within the crowded Tondo area was gradually phased down and moved to areas outside of Metro Manila.
PMC's rival company, the Philippine Refining Company or PRC established its based of operations five kilometers upstream of the Pasig River in Paco district, along the United Nations Avenue, near Isla de Provisor. PRC was also engaged in the manufacture of product derivatives from coconut oil. In the 1990s, Philippine Refining Company changed its corporate name as part of the global strategy of company brand recognition and is now called Unilever Philippines.
The United Nation's Avenue near the corner of Romualdez street used to be the mini Detroit in the 1930s when the Ford Motor Company established its first assembly plant in the area. The plant facility remains standing and it houses the government office issuing the seaman's passbook.
American owned oil companies in the 1930s like Esso, Mobil Oil and Filipino Oil or FilOil established their oil distribution and lube facilities along the banks of the Pasig River in Pandacan district, at a time when the area was largely a farm village. after almost a century of operations, the fuel distribution and manufacturing facilities are gradually being removed due to its potential security and safety risk to the highly dense population in the area.
Coca Cola still operates its bottling plant in Pandacan but its plant operations is more focused on product distribution into the Metro Manila franchise area.
Several key and notable manufacturing facilities in the City of Manila closed down through the years especially after 1980s. The country's then largest copra milling company at the boundary of Paco and Pandacan district closed down and its plant site is now a middle class town house facility. The depot of the Philippines only gas company with pipelines servicing every home, the Manila Gas Company ceased operations in the 1980s after a protracted legal battle on ownership issue and its facilities were torn down as the 5.5 hectare Manila Gas property is now being converted into a mixed condomimium and commercial tower.
Transportation
Air
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), outside the city proper, serves Manila and the metro area. Over 40 airlines provide daily service to over 26 cities and 19 countries worldwide. Approximately 17 million travellers use NAIA a year, straining what was originally a domestic airport built in the 1930s. A second terminal, Terminal 2 (or the Centennial Terminal) opened in October 1999. The International flag-carrier Philippine Airlines now uses this terminal exclusively for both its domestic and international service while all other international flights use the original NAIA terminal. Air Philippines is in the transition to the newer Terminal 2 alongside PAL. A third terminal was nearly completed until a controversy was discovered by the current Arroyo administration that prompted a series of investigations and international court battle with the builders and the Philippine government.
The main carrier serving NAIA is Philippine Airlines, which has the most extensive network in the Philippines. Newly repackaged Cebu Pacific Air, which uses all A320 aircraft and promotes online booking, positions itself as the first true discount airline in the country. Air Philippines, a subsidiary of Philippine Airlines, competes with Cebu Pacific in the budget market and the inter-provinces routes. Asian Spirit and Sea Air, which use smaller 48-seat planes, are some of the smaller airlines serving the city of Manila.
Another alternative point of embarkation and disembarkation is Diosdado Macapagal International Airport in the Clark Special Economic Zone. As of October 2006, scheduled flights from Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, Seoul, Kota Kinabalu, and Kuala Lumpur, and chartered flights from Shanghai and Taipei use this small airport because of its cheaper landing and parking fees. A mediocre shuttle system serves Clark and Manila. Travellers depart from this airport will have to pay 500 peso departure tax from end of 2006.
Roads
The main roads of Metro Manila are organized around a set of radial and circumferential roads that radiate and circle in and around Manila proper. Roxas Boulevard, easily the most well-known of Manila's streets, line the southern shores of Manila with Manila Bay. The boulevard is part of the Radial Road 1 that leads south to the province of Cavite. Another well-known radial road is España Boulevard (part of Radial Road 7) that starts in Quiapo and ends at the Welcome Rotunda along the border with Quezon City. Pres. Sergio Osmeña Sr. Highway, part of the South Luzon Expressway or Radial Road 3 is the most important highway linking Manila with the provinces of southern Luzon.
The most common types of public transportation are buses and the jeepney. Tricycles are used for short distances. Pedicabs are bicycles attached with sidecars, where the drivers uses foot pedals to propel the vehicle.
Bridges
There are eight (8) major bridge spans in Manila, more than half of the number of bridges that connects the north and south banks of the Pasig River in Metro Manila. There are two (2) rail bridges that crosses the river, the Light Rail Transit 1 and the Philippine National Railways track. The bridges listed below are in a west to east order, with the first bridge Del Pan, nearest to the mouth of the Pasig River into Manila Bay.
Rail transport
Manila is the hub of a railway system on Luzon. The main terminal of the Philippine National Railways is in the Tondo district. Railways extend from this terminal north to the city of San Fernando in Pampanga and south to Legazpi City in Albay, though only the southern railway is currently in operation.
Manila is also serviced by the Manila Light Rail Transit System (separate from Manila Metro Rail Transit System), a national priority project designed to address the overwhelming traffic that congests the national capital. Development of the system began with its inception in the 1970s under the Marcos administration, making it the first light rail transport in Southeast Asia. Recently, the system saw a massive multi-billion dollar expansion in correlation with the rising population of the city; its purpose: to create an alternative form of transportation to solve the demand of an increasingly mobile workforce. After three decades in service, the project has enjoyed an insurmountable success, with favorable opinions from commuters, mainly because of its extremely low fares that is subsidized by the national government. Two lines service the city dwellers and they run along the length of Taft Avenue (R-2) and Rizal Avenue (R-9). A second line runs along Ramon Magsaysay Blvd (R-6) from Santa Cruz, through Quezon City, up to Santolan in Pasig City.
These are the major rail systems, with their station within Manila:
Seaports and piers
The City of Manila is the chief seaport of the Philippines. North Harbor and South Harbor experience busy periods during long holidays such as Holy Week, All Saints Day and the Christmas holidays.
Communication
Postal service
The Philippines central office for its postal service now called Philippine Postal Corporation and it is located at the foot of the Jones Bridge. The main office is housed in a huge art deco style building designed with huge columns at front, built during the American colonial period. The building houses the Philippine Postal Bank and the main mail sorting-distribution operations of the country.
Print and publication
Manila is home to major Philippine newspaper publishers with a number of offices and printing presses located at the Port Area. The news industry is one of the legacies of the American colonization of the Philippines, as they paved the way for the freedom of the press. Some of the major publications based in Manila include the country's oldest newspapers, the Manila Times, the Manila Bulletin, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the Philippine Star, the Manila Standard Today, The Daily Tribune and others.
News agencies
The city serves as host to a number of news and information offices, agencies or services that includes the Office of the Press Secretary and Radio-TV Malacañang or RTVM (the close-in news team of Philippine Presidents) located at the Malacañang Palace grounds.
The National Press Club's building office is located at the foot of the Jones bridge across the Post Office building and it houses the International Press Center or IPC, a government agency tasked to accredit and grant working permits for visiting foreign agencies.
Manila is also home to the prestigious and exclusive organization of journalists called, "Samahang Plaridel," whose members include some of the prominent publishers, editors, reporters of the country.
The Associated Press, Japan's NHK and Fuji TV, and London-based Global Radio News, Ltd. made Manila as its base of newsgathering operations in the Philippines.
Utilities
Electricity and water
Manila's source of electricity is part of the central franchise service area of the Manila Electric Company or Meralco. Water supply for the city is supplied by the Maynilad Water Services, except for portions of the district of Sta. Ana which is serviced by the Manila Water.
Mobile phone, telephone & cable television
The city's telecommunications infrastructure (landlines) are provided by PLDT, Eastern Telecoms, Bayantel and cellular service providers Smart Communications, Globe Telecom and Sun Cellular cover the city. Cable television access is provided by SkyCABLE and Global Destiny Cable.
Internet service providers
Internet Digital Subscriber Line or DSL coverage is provided by PLDT, and Eastern Telecoms, cable internet is serviced by Sky Cable's ZPDee brand and by Global Destiny. Wireless broadband is provided by Smart Communications. Availability of services from among the listed providers vary in the various districts of Manila, except in Malate and Ermita where all providers are available. Wi-Fi is also offered in some gas stations and cafés.
Government
Like all cities of the Philippines, Manila is governed by a mayor who heads the executive department of the city. The current mayor for the 2004-2007 term is Jose L. Atienza, Jr., who has been re-elected for his third term in the 2004 elections. The city mayor is restricted for three consecutive terms (nine years), although he can be elected again after an interruption of one term.
Danilo B. Lacuna, the city's incumbent vice-mayor heads the legislative arm which is composed of the elected city councilors, six from each of the city's six congressional districts.
The city is divided into 897 barangays, which are the smallest unit of local government in the Philippines. Each barangay has its own chairperson and councilors. For administrative convenience, all the barangays in Manila are grouped into 100 zones and which are further grouped into 16 administrative districts. These zones and districts have no form of local government.
The city further has six representatives popularly elected to the House of Representatives, the lower legislative branch of the Philippines. Each representative represents one of the six congressional districts of Manila.
Places of interest
General landmarks
Malls and shopping centers
Hospitals
Hotels
Manila offers a wide range of accommodations ranging from top-rated de-luxe hotels to more affordable universal lodges. Most of these accommodations are located within Roxas Boulevard overlooking Manila Bay, or in the districts of Ermita and Malate. Manila's hotel accomodations are 20 to 30 minutes away from the international and domestic airport.
Places of worship
The cosmopolitan atmosphere and cultural diversity of Manila is reflected in the number of places of worship scattered around the city. The freedom of worship in the Philippines, which have existed since the creation of the republic, allowed the diverse population to build their sacred sites without the fear of persecution. People of different denominations are represented here with the presence of christian churches, buddhist temples, jewish synagogues, and islamic mosques.
Sporting venues
Museums
Cemeteries
History
Pre-Spanish times
Manila began as a Muslim settlement at the mouth of the Pasig River along the shores of Manila Bay. The name came from the term maynilad, literally "there is nilad." Nilad is a white-flowered mangrove plant that grew in abundance in the area.
In the mid-16th century, the area of present-day Manila was governed by three rajahs, or Muslim community leaders. They were Rajah Sulayman and Rajah Matanda who ruled the communities south of the Pasig, and Rajah Lakandula who ruled the community north of the river. Manila was then the northernmost Muslim sultanate in the islands. It held ties with the sultanates of Brunei, Sulu, and Ternate in Cavite.
Spanish rule
In 1570, a Spanish expedition ordered by the conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi demanded the conquest of Manila. His second in command, Martín de Goiti departed from Cebu and arrived in Manila. The Muslim Tagalogs welcomed the foreigners, but Goiti had other plans. The Spanish force of 300 soldiers marched through Manila and a battle was fought with the heavily armed Spaniards quickly defeating the native settlements. Legazpi and his men followed the next year and made a peace pact with the three rajahs and organized a city council consisting of two mayors, 12 councilors, and a secretary. A walled city known as Intramuros, at the southern banks of Pasig River was built to protect the Spanish colonizers. On June 10, 1574, King Philip II of Spain gave Manila the title of Insigne y Siempre Leal Ciudad ("Distinguished and Ever Loyal City").
In 1595, Manila was proclaimed as the capital of the Philippine Islands and became a center of trans-Pacific trade for more than three centuries. For example, the famous Manila galleons sailed between Manila and the port of Acapulco in today's Mexico. These Manila galleons carried silver and other precious metals from the New World to Manila to purchase goods and raw materials from throughout Asia — for example, spices transhipped from the Spice Islands to the south, and porcelain, ivory, lacquerware and processed silk cloth from China and Southeast Asia. Some of these Asian goods were used in Mexico, however, most of the cargo was transhipped across Mexico for delivery to Spain, to be sold in European markets.
British occupation
There was a brief British occupation of Manila from 1762-1764 as a result of the Seven Years' War, which was fought between France and England. Spain became a British enemy when it sided with France due to ties between their royal families. The British Occupation was confined to Manila and Cavite while Simón de Anda y Salazar, acting as a de facto Spanish governor general, kept the countryside for Spain with the help of Filipino soldiers. The Indian soldiers known as Sepoys, who came with the British, deserted in droves and settled in Cainta, Rizal, and explains the uniquely Indian features of generations of Cainta residents. French mercenaries who came with the British also settled in various locations around Manila.
United States rule
U.S. Troops invaded Manila in 1898 and waged war with the Spaniards and Filipinos in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War. Following the defeat of Spain, U.S. forces took control of the city and the islands in one of the most brutal and forgotten chapters of Philippine American history. The Filipinos, having just won their independence from Spain, were fiercely opposed to once again being occupied. They had established the Republic of the Philippines under Aguinaldo in Malolos and had begun to build the foundations for an independent nation. The Americans, who had promised Aguinaldo their support and help in 1898 had struck a deal with the Spanish, in which they would stage a mock battle for the islands in Manila which would establish the Americans as the "legitimate" rulers.
American high command was then under the incompetent and unimaginative General Otis. He invaded and immediately routed the Filipino troops who had taken classic defensive positions around Manila to keep them out. These poorly armed, ill-trained soldiers could not compete with the superior firepower of the Americans: they lost and were so severely beaten that the Filipino dead were used as breastworks.
Aguinaldo immediately ordered the Filipinos to start fighting a guerilla campaign. They did this with unmitigated success, as they had the support of the peasantry and knew the terrain and language better that the Americans. The Americans became uneasily aware that they were fighting not just one "tribe" as they had originally thought, but the entire country, and that their original belief in easy victory was not to be.
Otis was becoming an embarrassment to the McKinley administration as his continual pronouncements of victory were never followed up with success. He was replaced with MacArthur, who with his officials, embarked on a long and bloody campaign. MacArthur once confidentially declared that to subdue the islands would take at least ten years. Officially, it ended after three years, unofficially he was proven right.
One incident in particular stands out. Howling Jake was one of the American commanders was in charge of the pacification of Samar. His words to his troops were infamous, "Kill and burn, kill and burn. The more you kill and the more you burn, the more you please me." When asked who would be spared, he replied, "Everyone under ten."
Villages were burned. People were raped and killed. Filipinos were rounded up and placed in concentration camps where disease and hunger took their toll. They had to sleep standing up in the rain, and those who misbehaved were subjected to water torture. Everyone not in the camp was an enemy and killed. Estimates for the war dead go from 100,000 to a million or more.
In the Treaty of Paris in 1898, Spain handed over the Philippines to the United States of America for US$ 20,000,000 and ending 333 years of Spanish rule in the islands.
The headquarters for USAFFE were located here as were the U.S. 31st Infantry Regiment and the U.S. 808th Military Police Company. The headquarters and bulk of the Philippine Division was located just to the south, at Fort William McKinley. The headquarters for the Far East Air Force was on the outskirts of town, at Nielson Field. Nearby, at Nichols Field was the U.S. 20th Air Base Group. A battalion of the U.S. 12th Quartermaster Regiment was located in the port area and training was conducted there for quartermasters of the Philippine Army.
There were 6 airfields, for the Far East Air Force, within 130 km of Manila, notably Clark, Nichols, and Nielson fields. All U.S. military and airforce bases was closed down in 1992.
World War II
American combat units were ordered to withdraw from the city and all military installations removed on December 30 , 1941. Manila was declared an open city by President Manuel L. Quezon, to spare the city from death and destruction. Quezon issued a decree enlarging the safe zone to include outlying areas of Manila as safe zones, establishing the new administrative jurisdiction called Greater Manila.
The post of mayor of Greater Manila was given to Quezon's former Executive Secretary, Jorge B. Vargas. On the evening of New Year's Day of 1942, a Japanese courier delivered notice to Vargas that Japanese forces already bivouacked at Parañaque would enter Greater Manila the following day. From 9 am to 10 am of January 2, Japanese imperial forces marched into the City of Manila.
Vargas was tasked to hand over to the new authorities Greater Manila and present the remaining Filipino leaders to Japanese authorities. Vargas and the Filipino leaders present were asked to choose three options; (1) a purely Japanese military administration, (2) a dictatorial government run by a Filipino under General Artemio Ricarte who went on self-exile to Japan after the Filipino-American war, or (3) a government by commission selected by Filipinos. Vargas and the local leaders chose the third option and established the Philippine Executive Commission to manage initially Greater Manila, and was later expanded to cover the whole of the Philippines.
Vargas assumed the chairmanship of the Philippine Executive Commission and appointed to the post of Mayor of Greater Manila in 1942, Leon G. Guinto Sr., a Secretary of Labor under the Philippine Commonwealth administration of President Manuel L. Quezon. Guinto held the position of Mayor of Greater Manila until the liberation of the city.
Under Guinto's war-time administration, the City of Manila that was expanded to Greater Manila included districts such as; "Bagumbayan" means New Town (South of Manila), "Bagumpanahon" means New Era (Sampaloc, Quiapo, San Miguel and Santa Cruz), "Bagumbuhay" means New Life (Tondo), "Bagong Diwa" means New Order (Binondo & San Nicholas), the then newly established Quezon City was collapsed and divided into two districts, while the municipalities of Caloocan, Las Piñas, Malabon, Makati, Mandaluyong, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay, and San Juan became districts of Manila.
On October 20, 1944 American General Douglas MacArthur fulfilled a promise to return to the Philippines (see Battle of Leyte). From February 3 to March 3 1945, after the climactic battle at Intramuros ended, the thoroughly devastated city of Manila was officially liberated. Allied troops did not reach the city in time to prevent the Manila Massacre though.
Manila and security
Manila has been subject to militant attacks. The metropolis have been targeted twice by groups Moro Islamic Liberation Front and Abu Sayyaf. In addition, Al-Qaida cells have been discovered in the metropolis.
Project Bojinka, which was a large-scale attack being planned in late 1994 and early 1995, was being planned in Manila. The project was abandoned after the night of January 6, 1995 and the morning of January 7, when an apartment fi