from a midwifery school

Emilio Aguinaldo College
General Luna Street and Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila

Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) is one of the newer institutions of higher learning in Manila. Established as Marian School of Midwifery in 1973, it progressed into a college comprised of 16 schools, with an excellent track record – a consistent top performing institution in Criminology and other equally competitive programs such as Dentistry.

Along the way it dropped its generic name for a renowned one – Emilio Aguinaldo, the primary figure in the Philippine Revolution and the president of the Revolutionary Government of the First Philippine Republic.

EAC established partnerships with neighboring The Pearl Manila Hotel and Medical Center Manila to provide actual training to its students with a related major. Aside from the hotel and the hospital, EAC has superior facilities for a campus that occupies a relatively small area. It’s sports facilities and  cultural venues have actually held events in the local collegiate WNCAA and the regional 23rd Southeast Asian Games for Arnis and Wushu events.

A branch campus in Dasmariñas, Cavite was established by EAC around late 1970s. After years of operation this branch has been sold to De La Salle University and is now part of the DLSU System carrying the name De La Salle University – Dasmariñas.

the wedding chapel

Saint Pancratius Chapel, Paco Park
Belen Circle, Paco, Manila

There has been a mention of a chapel within Paco Park on an earlier post. It is this one. Saint Pancratius isn’t exactly the grandest chapel to hold a hopefully once-in-a-lifetime event like weddings. It is very small but others say that’s the reason it makes weddings more intimate. It’s not the most aesthetically pleasing thing. But others think the rugged and ancient feel of its exterior makes it more romantic. A dome with a more circular base certainly does it better most of the time.  But can one actually tell, besides, it makes this chapel more unique.

The only reason why I think Paco Park’s worth it is it has a huge garden full of local garden plants and flowers. The thick and dark circular walls, these ancient, artistic and morbid walls, surround this wonderful garden. It makes any celebration successfully private without sacrificing the view of the ‘great outdoors’. And since it’s conveniently located right smack in the middle of Manila’s southern half, annoying guests won’t have to complain about the location.

boundaries

Paco Park
Belen Circle, Paco, Manila

Other sources say Paco Park is actually still within the district of Ermita (not within Paco’s). Since it’s Paco Park and not something else, let’s believe it’s in Paco. To try defining the boundaries of Manila’s districts is a little difficult. Aside from Pasig River, which  conveniently divides the 9 northern districts to the southern 8, there may be virtually no notable seperating entity at all. So far, I haven’t seen a map that clearly divides one from another and a political map, which would go well on the baranggay description in Wikipedia, isn’t available either.

Moving on with the today’s picture, it’s the famous Paco Park. To those who know less about the park other than its semi-landmark status and its function as the venue of the longest running televised performance show that is Concert at the Park, Paco Park may be any park but a memorial park. The thing is, it is. Or more appropriately, it was. When old Manila was technically speaking restricted to what was within the thick walls of Intramuros (which would be around late 1700) its municipal cemetery would be this one- Paco Park.

It mostly contained deceased members of the more affluent families and an outer ring was later installed to make room for more dead bodies. In 1882, it contained the victims of a cholera outbreak. Jose Rizal, the most famous National Hero had been to Paco Park as well immediately after his execution in Luneta. In 1912, Paco Park is no longer a cemetery. The dead bodies (or what remained from them) staying in Paco Park have been excavated by their relatives and transferred elsewhere.

Paco Park played a significant role for the Japanese side during the war as a central depot for its ammunitions. Its adobe walls prove beneficial for their defense. Coincidentaly, Paco, then known as Dilao, had always been Manila’s sort of Japantown even way before the war.

Now it’s just a park frequented by locals, student residents and tourists. But with the nice little chapel kept intact through ages, it’s a top spot for garden weddings. Nevermind the hollow walls which niches used to occupy, some couples actually think the idea is romantic.

Like nearby Adamson University, Paco Park’s affairs is managed by the VIncentians.

pink and gray

Librada Avelino Hall, Centro Escolar University
Mendiola Street, San Miguel, Manila

Centro Escolar University (CEU) is a private university. As Centro Escolar de Señoritas, it was founded by two women, Librada Avelino and Carmen de Luna in 1907. It became a university 32 years later.

The original campus, accesible from Manila’s historic Mendiola Street, is composed of 14 academic buildings that house the usual university facilies. The most recognizable off the pink cluster would be the iconic Librada Avelino Hall. Its themes and color schemes have also been the basis for the architectural design of the primary buildings of both its Makati and Malolos campuses.

For more information on Centro Escolar University click here

domes and such

Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception
Postigo corner General Luna, Intramuros, Manila

Quezon City’s Araneta Coliseum, which is also known as The Big Dome, is probably the most recognizable dome in Metro Manila. But if one limits the boudaries to Manila alone, it has to be Manila Cathedral’s dome. Most Manilans are Catholics, and this cathedral has been the seat of Manila’s Archbishop for a very long time. However, the dome (and practically the whole thing) didn’t always look that way.

Ever since Legazpi had founded the city of Manila (1571), he had appropriated an area for the construction of a church dedicated to the Immacuate Conception. On this area, several incanations of the church, first as a parish and later as the seat of an archdiocese, stood, and only to be toppled down repeatedly by earthquakes .

The current one had risen from the ruins brought about by the WWII’s Manila Battle of Liberation (1945), and had served since its solemn consecration which was appropriately held on the eve of 1958’s feast of the Immaculate Conception.

a tall building

1322 Golden Empire
Roxas Boulevard, Manila

1322 Golden Empire is currently the tallest condominium in the Philippines, 6th tallest building in Metro Manila, and the most luxurious of all apartments facing Manila Bay. Its golden finish dramatically reflects the setting sun.

minor seminary

Main Chapel, Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary
EDSA corner Bernardino, Guadalupe Viejo, Makati

In Catholicism, a seminary is an institution of learning of sorts for aspiring priests. Minor seminaries are institutions for young men who have, as early as high school level, already decided to become priests. Although some minor seminarians decide not to pursue priesthood after minor seminary, the Catholic Church nonetheless have kept these institutions to continue nourishing the vocations of the youth. Before 1955, the Archdiocese of Manila’s Minor Seminary is not considered as a separate entity.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Minor Seminary has been established since then and although now a few blocks away from its sister major seminary, San Carlos Seminary, it is still part of a bigger seminary complex occupying areas along EDSA in Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City. The Belgian CICM handled the administration of OLGMS until it was handed to the Diocesan Clergy in 1970. Since then 8 Filipino priests have assumed the role of Rector, which acts as the seminary head. The last 4 of them, Msgr. Mejino, Msgr. Odiver and Reverend Fathers Agustin and Garcia are all graduates of OLGMS.

by the bay, part 2

Manila (Roxas Boulevard) Skyline
from Harbour Square, Malate, Manila

This photo goes to the left and the other one posted a day ago, to the right. And now we have the bigger picture.

by the bay

Manila (Roxas Boulevard) Skyline
from Harbour Square, Malate, Manila

Given its bayside appeals, Manila, specifically Roxas Boulevard’s version of a high rise skyline, does not compare to the skylines of business districts Makati and Ortigas. However, there are some upcoming major developments along the bay that may just change this bayside skyline dramatically.

Harbour Square is a new development in a place that was once (sometimes still) called Breakwater. Aside from spectacular views of Manila Bay, its regular sunset showcase and the vibrant Roxas Boulevard, Harbour Square has all those fancy cafeterias, fine dining restos, fast food chains, little bargain shops and everything mall-ish, except that it’s outside a mall and on a way smaller scale.

before malacañan

Palacio del Gobernador
Andres Soriano Jr. corner General Luna, Intramuros, Manila

The  angle is unflattering but I’ve rarely seen that building from such view. I’ll try to do better next time.

This structure we call Palacio del Gobernador houses several government offices and the Intramuros administration. Its lot used to house the real Palacio del Gobernador, the official residence of the Governor General. That palace, previously owned by a man named Venegas, who is a member of the Real Audiencia (Supreme Court), was destroyed by the 1863 earthquake.

The Governor General was waiting for the palace’s rebuilding, until another earthquake rocked the same spot around 1880s. It was then decided that the official residence will be transfered to a favorable summer residence along Pasig River. That one became known as Malacañan Palace and up to now is the official residence of the president of the Philippines. The lot containing the halted and destroyed reconstruction of the old Palace was used as a bomb shelter during WWII. On the last days of the war, no less than 132 people were killed on that spot.

For more information regarding this building, check this other wordpress blog. The site is a very good source for everything that concerns Intramuros district.