manila

June 9, 2009

One early  Saturday morning while I was in Manila, I was able to explore the metropolis, all I wanted was to compare the City that I used to know many years ago, while I was  still a student in Far Eastern University.  My first destination was going to the Cultural Complex of the Philippines, as usual there were a lot of joggers from the different walks of life, basically the infrastructure are almost the same, Cultural Center, Philippine Convention Center, Folk Arts Theater now Tanghalang  Balagtas, Philippine Plaza is now (Sofitel Philippine Plaza), and at the back  was the neglected, Manila Film Center. I only noticed the addition of the Star City Complex; a theme rides on the left side of the Cultural Center.

Going to Luneta by foot was a memory of the good ole days; the sea side was almost the same except the different shape of light post. But what was amazing is the beautiful high rise office and condominiums Buildings facing the Manila Bay, it’s like in Makati City or in Hong Kong.

The very popular Luneta, where we used to treat our new arrival relatives, was almost the same, the Chinese Garden, but the open theater was already covered, the Agrippina Circle has a  big statue of Lapu lapu.

Plaza Lawton had some changes, the center of all rallies and campaigns, a big fountain on the center in front of the big classical Central Post Office Building.  It makes the place more interesting and beautiful. The historical Plaza Miranda in Quiapo. The black Nazarene of Quiapo Church,  is now wider and the plaza is more spacious and with some concrete beautiful arch. The popular movie houses are gone, like Galaxy, Roxan, Avenue, State, Idial, Recto and others people now are going to the malls for movies.

The Light Railway Transit is still fine with new couches and now has a connection from Recto to Cubao it is really a big help to ease the traffic somehow. The jeepneys has still the same route with so many in number. And a new beautiful hotel along Avenida , Opera Hotel

Manila will always be like a palm in my hand after schooling and working for quite some time, you tend to learn to love the place in spite of all the odds like horrible traffics, so crowded, flooded when it rains, the old and dilapidated buildings however deep inside i’ll always miss Manila for it has been a part of my wonderful life.