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Manila is the capital of the Philippines. 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 ... more »
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Hotels Manila is the capital of the Philippines. 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.
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. It is currently included in the roster of global cities of the world.
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 Intramuros. Intramuros is the original walled-city of Manila and one of the oldest walled city 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.
Every district in the city with the exception of Port Area has its own public market, locally called the pamilihang bayan. 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. 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.
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.
Things to do
General landmarks
* Rizal Park, also known as Luneta * Intramuros, the walled city built by the Spaniards, originally considered to be the City of Manila * Fort Santiago * Malacañang Palace, the official residence of the President of the Philippines * The Supreme Court of the Philippines * Plaza Miranda * Manila Baywalk * Rajah Sulayman Park * Manila Boardwalk * Ermita and Malate Districts, a place for Bohemian night life * Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden (Manila Zoo) * National Library of the Philippines * Paco Park, the location of the hit Paco Park Presents * University Belt Area * Chinatown (Binondo district)
Museums
* Bahay Tsinoy * Intramuros Light and Sound Museum * Museo ng Maynila (Museum of Manila) * National Museum of the Filipino People * Museo Pambata (Children's Museum) * The Museum - De La Salle University-Manila * UST Museum of Arts and Sciences
Malls and shopping centers
* SM City Manila * SM Department Store Quiapo * SM City San Lazaro * Robinson's Place - Manila * Harrison Plaza (SM Harrison; Shopwise; Rustan's) * Ever Gotesco Manila Plaza (Recto) * Isetann Department Store (Recto and Quiapo) * Divisoria Flea Market * 168 Shopping Mall * Tutuban Center (Cluster Building, Centermall & Primeblock) * Quiapo Bargain Center, home for endless bargain goods * Palengke or Pamilihan sa ilalim ng tulay (literally means "a marketplace under the bridge), a center for indigenous Filipino products
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 areas in 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 on 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 and crushing the native settlements to the ground. 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 the trans-Pacific silver trade for more than three centuries.
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.
U.S. Occupation
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 the Treaty of Paris in 1898, Spain handed over the Philippines to the United States of America for US$ 20,000,000 and ending 377 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
After American combat units were ordered withdrawn from the city on December 31, 1941, Manila was declared an open city by President Manuel L. Quezon and was occupied by Japanese forces on January 2, 1942, but on February 5, 1945 American General Douglas MacArthur fulfilled a promise to return to the Philippines. From February 3 to March 3, 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. Ironically, the carpet-bombing of Manila and the relentless shell-bombings by the Americans killed many more than the Japanese atrocities as they fled desperately.
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 fire led investigators to a laptop computer containing the plans.
Airport
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) outside the city proper serves Manila and the metro area, over 30 airlines provide daily service to over 26 cities and 19 countries worldwide. Approximately 14 million travellers use NAIA a year straining what was originally a domestic airport built in the 1930s, that a second airport, the Terminal 2 or the Centennial Airport was built with American, Korean, Japanese & German investments and opened in October 1999. The International flag-carrier Philippine Airlines now uses this terminal for both its domestic and international and while all other international flights use NAIA Air Philippines is in the transition to the newer Terminal alongside PAL.
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There is a small domestic airport approximately 1.5 miles from NAIA on Domestic Road that is the main hub of Asian Spirit, Cebu Pacific, South East Asian Airlines and Air Philippines(soon to be in the T2). These regional carriers use Boeing 737 & 757 alongside A320 and DC-9-30 airplanes as well as small two-engine propeller planes. The domestic airport serves every major city throughout the Philippines from 5am to 8pm daily.
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 biciycles attached with sidecars, where the drivers uses foot pedals to propel the vehicle.
The Pasig River is crossed by a number of bridges in Manila. Eastward they are Roxas Bridge (commonly referred to as the Del Pan Bridge), Jones Bridge, McArthur Bridge, Quezon Bridge, Ayala Bridge, Nagtahan Bridge (also known as Mabini Bridge), Pandacan Bridge, and Lambingan Bridge.
Railways
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 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.
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* This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the Source wikipedia.
