City of Manila Lungsod ng Maynila |
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— City — | |||
(From top, left to right): Manila skyline, Fort Santiago, Rizal Park, Manila City Hall, Roxas Boulevard, The CCP, Malacañang Palace, Manila Cathedral and Manila at night. | |||
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Nickname(s): "Pearl of the Orient" "Queen of the Orient" "The City of Our Affections" "City by the Bay" "Distinguished and Ever Loyal City" |
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Map of Metro Manila showing the location of the City of Manila | |||
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Coordinates: 14°35′N 120°58′E / 14.583°N 120.967°ECoordinates: 14°35′N 120°58′E / 14.583°N 120.967°E | |||
Country | Philippines | ||
Region | National Capital Region | ||
District | 1st to 6th districts of Manila | ||
Barangays | 897 | ||
Incorporated (city) | June 10, 1574 | ||
Government | |||
- Mayor | Alfredo Lim (2007-2010; LP) | ||
- Vice-Mayor | Isko Moreno (2007-2010; NP) | ||
Area | |||
- Total | 38.55 km2 (14.9 sq mi) | ||
Population (2007) | |||
- Total | 1,660,714 | ||
- Density | 43,079.5/km2 (111,575.3/sq mi) | ||
Time zone | PST (UTC+8) | ||
ZIP code | 0900 to 1096 | ||
Area code | 2 | ||
Website | www.manila.gov.ph |
The City of Manila (Filipino: Lungsod ng Maynila) is the capital of the Philippines and one of the 17 cities and a municipality that makes up the Manila metropolitan area, the National Capital Region of the Philippines. It is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay, on the western side of the island of Luzon. With a population of 1,660,714 Manila is the second most populous city in the Philippines behind only neighboring Quezon City. The city's inhabitants, however, inhabit an area of only 38.55 square kilometers, making Manila not only the most densely populated city in the Philippines but also the most densely populated city in the world.[1]
The city is divided into six legislative districts and consists of sixteen geographical districts: Binondo, Ermita, Intramuros, Malate, Paco, Pandacan, Port Area, Quiapo, Sampaloc, San Andres, San Miguel, San Nicolas, Santa Ana, Santa Cruz, Santa Mesa and Tondo. Within their precincts can be found areas of bustling commerce and some of the most historically and culturally significant iconic landmarks in the country as well as the seat of the executive branch of the government. Manila is a major political, cosmopolitan, cultural, religious, educational, and transportation center of the Philippines along with its metropolitan area.
Manila is bordered by several cities of the Manila metropolitan area: Navotas and Caloocan cities to the north, Quezon city to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong cities to the east, Makati city to the southeast, and Pasay city to the south. The Pasig 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 earliest written accounts of the city date back to the Spanish era which describe a native settlement already existing in the area when the Spanish first arrived. Manila eventually became the center of Spanish activity in the Far East and one end of the Manila–Acapulco galleon trade route leading to it being called the "Pearl of the Orient". Later it saw the arrival of the Americans who made contributions to the city's urban planning and development only to have most of those improvements lost in the devastation of World War II. Since then the city has been rebuilt. The city is currently headed by Mayor Alfredo Lim.
Contents |
History
First known as Gintu (land of golds) or Suvarnadvipa by its neighboring provinces. The said kingdom flourished during the latter half of the Ming Dynasty as a result of trade relations with China[2]. Ancient Tondo has always been the traditional capital of the empire. Its rulers were equivalents to kings and not mere chieftains, and they were addressed as panginuan or panginoon ("lords"), anak banwa ("son of heaven") or lakandula ("lord of the palace"). Well into the 13th century, the city consisted of a fortified settlement and trading quarter at the bay of the Pasig River, on top of previous older towns.
During the reign of Sultan Bolkiah in 1485 to 1521, the Sultanate of Brunei decided to break the Dynasty of Tondo's monopoly in the China trade by attacking Tondo and establishing the state of Selurong (now Manila) as a Bruneian satellite-state[3][4]. A new dynasty under the Islamized Rajah Salalila[5] was also established to challenge the House of Lakandula in Tondo[6]. Islam was further strengthened by the arrival to the Philippines of traders and proselytizers from Malaysia and Indonesia[7]. The multiple states competing over the limited territory and people of the islands simplified Spanish colonization by allowing its conquistadors to effectively employ a strategy of divide and conquer for rapid conquest.
Manila became the seat of the colonial government of Spain when it officially controlled the Philippine Islands for over three centuries from 1565 to 1898. During the British occupation of the Philippines, the city was occupied by Great Britain for two years from 1762-1764 as part of the Seven Years War. The city remained the capital of the Philippines under the government of the provisional British governor, acting through the Archbishop of Manila and the Real Audiencia. Armed resistance to the British centred in Pampanga.
Manila, Philippines also became famous during the Manila-Acapulco trade which lasted for three centuries and brought goods from as far as Mexico all the way to South East Asia. In 1899, the United States purchased the Philippines from Spain and colonized the whole Philippine archipelago until 1946.[8] During World War II, much of the city was destroyed. It was the second most destroyed city in the world after Warsaw, Poland during World War II. The Metropolitan Manila region was enacted as an independent entity in 1975. The current Mayor of Manila was Alfredo Lim.
Geographical History
Before and during the Spanish colonization of the Philippines, Manila was the provincial capital over a province whose territory at one time covered nearly all of Luzon, and included the modern territorial subdivisions of Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Batangas, Quezon, Mindoro, Masbate and Marinduque. Later, these subdivisions were themselves made provinces, leaving Manila province with a territory roughly equal to the present City of Manila proper (except Intramuros, the capital site), and the northwestern two-thirds of Rizal province. The boundary of Manila province went from northeast to southwest, including Antipolo, Cainta, Taytay and Taguig, and all of the towns north and west of them, in Manila province; and Angono, Teresa, Morong, and the towns south and east of them, in Laguna province. Early in the province's history, the provincial name was changed from Manila to Tondo Province, by which it was known for most of the Spanish era.
In about 1853, four pueblos or towns of Tondo Province were joined with the northeastern towns of Laguna province to form the politico-military Distrito de los Montes de San Mateo, or District of the San Mateo Mountains. The Tondo Province annexed to this new district the towns of Cainta, Taytay, Antipolo and Boso-boso, while Laguna contributed the towns of Angono, Binangonan, Cardona, Morong, Baras, Tanay, Pililla and Jalajala. But the name of the new district proved unwieldy, too long, and misled many into thinking the town of San Mateo (in Tondo province) was the capital of the San Mateo Mountain District, when in reality the district capital was in Morong. So, in 1859, following common practice of the day, the district was renamed after its capital; namely, Morong District. At about the same time, Tondo Province was renamed Manila Province.
When the Spaniards turned over the Philippines to the hands of the Americans, a civil government was formed. In about the same period, the Manila Province was dissolved by the Philippine Commission, and its pueblos were incorporated with those of the District of Morong, forming the new Province of Rizal. A few weeks, a new charter for the City of Manila, defining its boundaries and annexing some of towns of the Province of Rizal to its districts. These boundaries were slightly revised and redefined on January 29, 1902 when the suburb of Gagalangin was annexed to the city district of Tondo, and the former pueblo of Santa Ana was turned into a city district of Manila. On July 30 of the same year, the city board officially divided the city into 13 political subdivisions named as districts, and the boundaries of each were defined. On August 15 of the same year, the pueblo of Pandacan was annexed as a city district. Since then the boundaries and city districts of Manila have remained essentially the same.
During World War II, the city of Manila was declared an open city and its administrative boundaries expanded to outlying cities and municipalities. It was called the Greater Manila and 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.
In 1948, Quezon City was declared the national capital of the new Republic of the Philippines. On May 29, 1976, President Ferdinand Marcos returned the national capital to Manila (in honor of its history) by virtue of the Presidential Decree No. 940, stating that "the area prescribed as Metro Manila by Presidential Decree 824 was to be the seat of the national government".
Climate
Under the Köppen climate classification system, Manila features a tropical wet and dry climate that borders on a tropical monsoon climate. Together with the rest of the Philippines, Manila lies entirely within the tropics. Its proximity to the equator means that the temperature range is very small, rarely going lower than 20°C and going higher than 38°C. However, humidity levels are usually very high which makes it feel much warmer. It has a distinct, albeit relatively short dry season from January through April, and a relatively lengthy wet season from May through December.
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Record high °C (°F) | 35 (95) |
35 (95) |
36 (97) |
37 (99) |
38 (100) |
38 (100) |
38 (100) |
36 (97) |
35 (95) |
35 (95) |
35 (95) |
34 (93) |
38 (100) |
Average high °C (°F) | 30 (86) |
30 (86) |
31 (88) |
33 (91) |
34 (93) |
34 (93) |
33 (91) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
31 (88) |
Average low °C (°F) | 21 (70) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
22 (72) |
23 (73) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
24 (75) |
23 (73) |
22 (72) |
23 (73) |
Record low °C (°F) | 14 (57) |
14 (57) |
16 (61) |
16 (61) |
17 (63) |
20 (68) |
22 (72) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
21 (70) |
19 (66) |
17 (63) |
14 (57) |
Precipitation mm (inches) | 23 (0.91) |
23 (0.91) |
13 (0.51) |
18 (0.71) |
33 (1.3) |
130 (5.12) |
254 (10) |
432 (17.01) |
422 (16.61) |
356 (14.02) |
193 (7.6) |
145 (5.71) |
2,042 (80.39) |
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world/city_guides/results.shtml?tt=TT002730 October 2009 |
Demographics
Population density
Population Census | |||
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Census | Pop. | Rate | |
1903 | 219,928 |
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1960 | 1,138,611 |
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1970 | 1,330,788 | 1.6% | |
1975 | 1,479,116 | 2.1% | |
1980 | 1,630,485 | 2.0% | |
1990 | 1,601,234 | -0.2% | |
1995 | 1,654,761 | 0.7% | |
2000 | 1,581,082 | -0.97% | |
2007 | 1,660,714 | 0.68% |
With a population of 1,660,714 (based on year 2000 census data[9]) and a land area of 38.55 km2, Manila was the most densely populated city in the world with 43,079 people/km2.[1] District 6 is listed as 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.[10] Year 2007 census figures showed a population of 1,660,714, giving a density of 43,079 people/km2.[9]
Manila's population density dwarfs that of Paris (20,164 inhabitants per km2), Buenos Aires (15,028 inhabitants per km2), Mexico City (11,700 inhabitants per km2), Istanbul (1,878 inhabitants per km2, with its most dense district Fatih's 48,173 density), Shanghai (16,364 inhabitants per km2, with its most dense district of Nanshi's 56,785 density), and Tokyo (10,087 inhabitants per km2).[11]
But when accounting for the entire urban area, Metro Manila drops to 85th place with 12,550 people/km2 in a land area of 1,334 km2 (which includes areas beyond Metro Manila), behind even Cebu City, which ranks 80th.[11][12]
Manila has been classified as a "Beta+" global city by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network in 2008.[13]
Languages
The vernacular language is Tagalog in the form of Filipino, while English is the language most widely used in education and business throughout the Metro Manila region. A number of older residents can still speak basic Spanish, which was a mandatory subject in the curriculum of Philippine universities and colleges, and many children of European, Arab, Indian, Latin American or other migrants or expatriates also speak their parents' languages at home, aside from English or Filipino for everyday use. Minnan Chinese (known as Lannang-oe) is spoken by the city's Chinese-Filipino community.
Economy
Manila's economy is diverse and multifaceted. With its excellent protected harbor, Manila serves as the nation's chief seaport. In addition, it is a major publishing center for the Philippines.[14]
Diverse manufactures include chemicals, textiles, clothing, and electronic goods. Watches, iron and steel, leather goods, and shoes are also manufactured within the city. Food and beverages and tobacco products also employ many residents. Additionally, local entrepreneurs continue to process primary commodities for export, including rope, plywood, refined sugar, copra, and coconut oil.[14]
Tourism is also a thriving industry. Being one of the major tourist destinations in the country, the city attracts over 1 million visitors[14] from all over the world annually. Many of Manila's tourist sites are found in Binondo, Intramuros and Malate. Manila also has a booming growth rate which projected to surpass that of Singapore by the year 2020.
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.[15] 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 Santa Ana Public Market and the Pritil Public Market. Cheap buys or goods being sold at rock-bottom prices are available in the flea markets of Divisoria and Quiapo, where bargaining is a major shopping experience.
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 Santa Cruz. 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.
Religion
The cosmopolitan atmosphere and cultural diversity of Manila is reflected in the number of places for worshipping throughout the city. The freedom of worship in the Philippines, which has 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.
- Roman Catholicism
Almost all of the city's population are Roman Catholics. Manila is the seat of the Archdiocese of Manila, the oldest archdiocese in the country, and the Primate of the Philippines.[16] The archdiocese's offices is located in the Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Intramuros.
Manila is the home to three other basilicas, besides the Manila Cathedral, namely, the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz and the Basilica Minore de San Sebastian.
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, the Augustinians, the Augustinian Recollects, the Benedictines, the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, the Vincentian Fathers, the Congregatio of the Immaculati Cordis Mariae, and the De La Salle Christian Brothers.
Other notable churches in the city include San Agustin Church in Intramuros, the shrine of the canonically crowned image of Nuestra Señora de Consolación y Correa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site[16], and a favorite wedding place of notable people and one of two fully air-conditioned churches in the city; the Binondo Church, also known as Basilica Minore de San Lorenzo Ruiz; Malate Church, the shrine of Nuestra Señora de Remedios; Ermita Church, home of the oldest Marian Image in the Philippines, Nuestra Señora de Guia; Tondo Church, home of the century-old ivory image of Sto. Niño (Child Jesus); and Sta. Ana Church, shrine of the canonically crowned image of Nuestra Senora de los Desamparados.
- Protestant churches
Manila is the home to some of the older and larger Protestant churches in the Philippines. While most of the older churches established by American missionaries are located within the city's limits, a greater number of the larger churches are located in the suburbs and satellite cities.
After the Second World War, a great influx of foreign Protestant missionaries came to the islands among which are the Baptists, Nazarenes, Pentecostals, and the Christian and Missionary Alliance. They established churches and schools throughout the islands making Manila their headquarters of operations. The Baptist Bible Church in Santa Mesa is the first church founded under the auspices of the Baptist Bible Fellowship in 1947.[citation needed] Since its founding, the Springfield, Missouri-based Baptist Bible Missions have established 2000 churches in the Philippines.
Aside from the Evangelical Christians, Manila is also the home of most of the country's Mainline Protestants. Today, the Pro-Cathedral of the Saint Stephen, the centre of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Philippines of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines is located at Sta. Cruz. Also, the mainly Ilocano revolutionary church Iglesia Filipina Independiente is headquartered in Ermita. Both of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines and the Iglesia Filipina Independiente belong to the Anglican Communion.
- Iglesia ni Cristo
The largest entirely indigenous Christian church in the Philippines, and the largest independent church in Asia, Iglesia ni Cristo is one of the flourishing religion in the city. Iglesia has numerous chapels and churches across the city, notable for the narrow-pointed spires.
- Islam, Buddhism and 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, where Masjid Al-Dahab is located. There is also a large Hindu temple for the Indian population, and a Sikh Temple was also erected. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints built a temple within the city. There once was a synagogue in Malate for the small Jewish community in the Philippines; a new synagogue has since been erected in neighboring city of Makati, along Tordesillas Street.
Events
Manila Day, held every June 22, is an annual holiday to commemorate the founding of the city, under the patronage of John the Baptist. There's also the Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9 that draws thousands of devotees yearly.
Places of interest
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 ("New Town"), the 53 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. 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, the Quirino Grandstand and the Manila Ocean Park.
Aside from Rizal Park, Manila has very few other open public spaces. Rajah Sulayman Park, Manila Boardwalk, Liwasang Bonifacio, Plaza Miranda, Mehan Garden, 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. A newly opened and functional aquarium Manila Ocean Park features a wide variety of marine animals.
The city offers a wide range of accommodations ranging from top-rated deluxe hotels to more affordable universal lodges. Most of these accommodations, including the world-renowned Manila Hotel, are located within Roxas Boulevard overlooking Manila Bay, or in the districts of Ermita and Malate.
The popular districts of Malate and Ermita showcase a wide variety of hotels, restaurants, clubs, bars, cafes, art and antique shops. The nightlife offers everything from cultural shows to discothèques, casinos, entertainment lounges, and fashionable cafes. Right at the heart of the city lies the Intramuros, and it is the site of forts and dungeons, old churches, colonial houses, and horse-drawn carriages. other historical buildings and landmarks, parks and open spaces, museums, shopping centers, and sports facililities can be found all over the city.
General Landmarks
- 1322 Golden Empire at Roxas Boulevard
- Apolinario Mabini Shrine
- Chinatown
- Centro Escolar University
- Coconut Palace
- De La Salle University
- Districts of Ermita and Malate
- Embassy of the United States in Manila
- Far Eastern University
- Fort Santiago
- Intramuros
- Malacañang Palace
- Manila Baywalk
- Malate Church
- Manila Boardwalk
- Manila Cathedral
- Manila City Hall
- The Manila Hotel
- Manila Ocean Park
- Manila Central Post Office
- Manila Yacht Club
- Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden
- Metropolitan Theater
- Museo Pambata
- National Library of the Philippines
- National Museum of the Philippines
- Paco Park
- Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz
- Plaza Miranda
- Rizal Park
- San Agustin Church
- San Sebastian Church
- SM City Manila
- SM City San Lazaro
- SM City Santa Mesa
- Quiapo Church
- Quirino Grandstand
- Rajah Sulayman Plaza
- Remedios Circle
- The Supreme Court of the Philippines
- Victims of Martial Law Memorial Wall-Bonifacio Shrine
- University of Santo Tomas
Cemeteries
Museums
- Bahay Tsinoy
- Intramuros Light and Sound Museum
- Main National Museum, Padre Burgos Street
- Museo ng Maynila (Museum of Manila), formerly the Pre-War Army-Navy Club Bldg., Rizal Park
- Museo Pambata (Children's Museum), formerly the Pre-War Elk's Club Bldg., Rizal Park
- National Museum of the Philippines, Rizal Park
- Parish of the Our Lady of the Abandoned-Sta. Ana (pre-Spanish artifacts)
- Plaza San Luis, Intramuros
- San Agustin Church Museum, Intramuros
- The Museum at De La Salle University-Manila, Taft Avenue, Malate
- UST Museum of Arts and Sciences
- DLS-CSB Museum of Contemporary Arts and Design (MCAD)
Sporting venues
- Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Vito Cruz Street, Malate
- San Andrés Gym (Mail and More Arena), the home of the now-defunct Manila Metrostars)
Government
The current mayor for the 2007-2010 term is Alfredo Lim, who is making a comeback following a three-year stint as a Senator. The city mayor is restricted to three consecutive terms, totaling nine years, although a mayor can be elected again after an interruption of one term. Isko Moreno, the city's incumbent vice-mayor, heads the legislative arm 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 geographical 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 Legislative districts of Manila. Current district representatives of the city are Benjamin Asilo (District 1), Jaime C. Lopez (District 2), Zenaida Angping (District 3), Trisha Bonoan - David (District 4), Amado Bagatsing (District 5) and Bienvenido Abante (District 6).
Manila being the seat of political power of the Philippines, has several national government offices headquartered at the city. Planning for the development for being the center of government started during the early years of American colonialization to the country when they envisioned a well designed city outside the walls of Intramuros. The strategic location chosen was Bagumbayan, a former town which is now the Rizal Park 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.. The plan was abandoned and construction was halted due to the outbreak of World War II.[citation needed]
Eventually, under the Commonwealth Government of Manuel L. Quezon, a new government center was to be built on the hills northeast of Manila, or what is now Quezon City. Several government agencies have set-up their headquarters in Quezon City but several key government offices still resides in Manila. The city host the Office of the President, the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Departments of Budget and Management, Finance, Health, Justice, Labor & Employment, and Tourism. Manila also hosts important national institutions such as the National Library, National Archives, National Museum and the Philippine General Hospital.
City seal
The City Seal of Manila 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. The sea lion in the seal of Manila was adopted by Singapore into its merlion.
Districts
The city is divided into sixteen (16) geographical 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 Andrés Bukid was previously part of Santa Ana, while Santa Mesa was once a part of Sampaloc. These districts should not be confused with the six congressional districts of Manila.
District | Barangays | Population (2007 census) |
Area (has.) |
Pop. density (per km2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Binondo | 10 | 12,100 | 66.11 | 18,304.1 |
Ermita | 13 | 6,205 | 158.91 | 3,904.8 |
Intramuros | 5 | 5,015 | 67.26 | 7,455.7 |
Malate | 57 | 78,132 | 259.58 | 30,099.8 |
Paco | 43 | 69,300 | 278.69 | 24,866.7 |
Pandacan | 38 | 76,134 | 166.00 | 45,862.9 |
Port Area | 5 | 48,684 | 315.28 | 15,441.4 |
Quiapo | 16 | 23,138 | 84.69 | 27,322.0 |
Sampaloc | 192 | 255,613 | 513.71 | 49,758.5 |
San Andres | 65 | 116,585 | 168.02 | 69,386.2 |
San Miguel | 12 | 16,115 | 91.37 | 17,636.9 |
San Nicolas | 15 | 43,225 | 163.85 | 26,380.5 |
Santa Ana | 34 | 62,184 | 169.42 | 36,703.5 |
Santa Cruz | 82 | 118,779 | 309.01 | 38,438.1 |
Santa Mesa | 51 | 98,901 | 261.01 | 37,892.2 |
Tondo | 259 | 630,604 | 865.13 | 72,891.6 |
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.
Education
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 Miguel, 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 the state universities University of the Philippines in Ermita; University of Santo Tomas, the oldest higher institution of learning in the Far East founded in 1611, on Espana Boulevard; Philippine Women's University, De La Salle University and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde along Taft Avenue; San Beda College in San Miguel, Adamson University and St. Paul University in Ermita; University of the East and San Sebastian College in Recto Avenue; Far Eastern University in Nicanor Reyes Street; and Centro Escolar University in Mendiola Street; College of the Holy Spirit, Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Intramuros, Mapúa Institute of Technology, Lyceum of the Philippines University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines in Sta. Mesa; Philippine Normal University, Technological University of the Philippines, Philippine Christian University, Emilio Aguinaldo College, and the city-owned Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila at Intramuros.
The Division of City Schools-Manila, a branch of the Department of Education, refers to the city's three-tier public education system. It governs the 71 public elementary schools, 32 public high schools, and 2 public universities.
The city also plays host to Manila Science High School, the Philippines' pilot science high school; the National Museum, where the Spoliarium of Juan Luna is housed; the Metropolitan Museum, the premier museum of modern and contemporary visual arts; Museo Pambata (Children's Museum), a place of hands-on discovery and fun learning; and, the National Library, the repository of the country's printed and recorded cultural heritage and other literary and information resources.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Public transport
Manila, being a major city, affords various transportation options. Famous of all these forms of transportation is the public jeepney, which has been in use since the years immediately after World War II. Buses, air-conditioned metered taxi and Tamaraw FX mini-vans are also popular forms of transportation. Tricycles and Pedicabs are used for short distances. In some areas, especially in Divisoria, two stroke motors are fitted in the pedicabs and are used for goods transport. Regardless of modernity, horse-drawn calesas are still used in the streets of Binondo and Intramuros.
Aside from those means of transportation, the city is 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 railway 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. Two lines service the city residents, the Yellow Line that runs along the length of Taft Avenue (R-2) and Rizal Avenue (R-9), and the Purple Line that runs along Ramon Magsaysay Blvd (R-6) from Santa Cruz, through Quezon City, up to Santolan in Pasig City.
In addition, the city 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.
These are the major rail systems, with their stations within Manila:
- Yellow Line (LRT 1) (with 12 Stations): R. Papa, J. Abad Santos, Blumentritt, Tayuman, Bambang, D. José, Carriedo, Central Terminal Station, UN Ave., Pedro Gil, Quirino, and Vito Cruz
- Purple Line (LRT-2 or MRT-2) (with 4 Stations): Recto, Legarda, Pureza, and V. Mapa
- PNR: (with 8 Stations) Vito Cruz, Herran (Pedro Gil), Pandacan, Sta. Mesa, España, Laong Laan, Blumentritt and Tutuban.
Airports
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), eight km south of the city center, serves Manila, Metro Manila and nearby provinces. A second terminal, Terminal 2 (or the Centennial Terminal) opened in October 1999. The Philippines' official flag-carrier Philippine Airlines uses this terminal exclusively for both its domestic and international service, while all other international flights use the original NAIA terminal. A third terminal (NAIA-3) opened in August 2008. It currently houses the domestic flights of Air Philippines, PAL Express and Cebu Pacific's international and domestic flights. The main carrier serving NAIA is Philippine Airlines. KLM is the only European airline to serve the airport.
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 Rotonda 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.
Bridges
There are eight 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 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.
- Roxas Bridge - formerly called Del Pan Bridge (San Nicolas to Port Area)
- Jones Bridge - formerly called Puente de España (Binondo to Ermita)
- McArthur Bridge (Sta. Cruz to Ermita)
- LRT 1 (Carriedo Station to Central Station)
- Quezon Bridge (Quiapo to Ermita)
- Ayala Bridge (San Miguel to Ermita)
- Mabini Bridge - formerly called Nagtahan Bridge (Sta. Mesa to Pandacan)
- Philippine National Railways (Santa Mesa station to Pandacan station)
- Padre Zamora Bridge formerly called Pandacan Bridge (Sta.Mesa to Pandacan)
- Lambingan Bridge (Sta. Ana)
Seaports and Piers
The Port of Manila, located in the vicinity of Manila Bay, is the chief seaport of the Philippines. It primarily serves the city's commercial needs. North Harbor and South Harbor experience busy periods during long holidays such as Holy Week, All Saints Day and the Christmas holidays.
Pasig River Ferry Service
The mouth of Pasig River is located here on this city. The Pasig River Ferry Service operates 17 stations along the Pasig River from Plaza Mexico in Intramuros to Pasig City.
There are 7 stations situated in the city, as follows:
- Plaza Mexico - Intramuros
- Escolta - Binondo
- Quiapo - Quiapo
- Polytechnic University of the Philippines - Santa Mesa
- Santa Ana - Santa Ana
- Lambingan - Santa Ana
Medical facilities
Manila is home to the office of the World Health Organization in the Philippines, main office of the Department of Health, and several hospitals and medical centers. One of the many programs of the Department of Tourism is to promote Medical Tourism in the Philippines which hosts to a large number of wellness centers and spa facilities.The Manila Health Department, which responsible for the planning and implementation of the health programs of the city government, is operating the 44 health centers and lying-in facilities scattered throughout the city.[17] Some of the notable hospitals in the city are the Manila Doctors' Hospital and the Philippine General Hospital in Taft Avenue; Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center, Dr. José R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, and San Lazaro Hospital in Santa Cruz, University of Santo Tomas Hospital in Sampaloc; and the city-owned Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center in Malate.[16]
International relations
Twin towns - Sister cities
Manila has a number of sister cities worldwide:[18]
International
- Acapulco, Mexico
- Astana, Kazakhstan
- Bangkok, Thailand(1997)
- Beijing, China (2002)[19][20]
- Bucharest, Romania(1986)
- Cartagena, Colombia
- Guangzhou, China (1982)[21]
- Haifa, Israel(1971)[22]
- Havana, Cuba
- Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Honolulu, USA
- Jakarta, Indonesia
- Jersey City, USA
- Lima, Peru
- Madrid, Spain (1987)[23]
- Malaga, Spain
- Maui County, Hawaii, USA
- Montreal, Canada (2005)[24]
- Moscow, Russia
- New Delhi, India
- Nice, France
- Sacramento, USA
- San Francisco, USA
- Santiago, Chile
- Sydney, Australia
- Taichung, Taiwan
- Taipei, Taiwan (1966)[25]
- Takatsuki, Japan
- Tehran, Iran
- Winnipeg, Canada (1979)[26]
- Yokohama, Japan[27]
Friendly location
Local City
See also
- Imperial Manila, a political epithet to describe Manila's role in national affairs.
- Mega Manila, a larger, albeit geographical area of Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
- 1968 Casiguran earthquake, an earthquake the caused damage in Manila's Binondo district.
- Battle of Manila, various battles fought in the city.
- List of metropolitan areas by population
- Megacity
External links
Find more about Manila on Wikipedia's sister projects:
Textbooks from Wikibooks
Quotations from Wikiquote
Source texts from Wikisource
Images and media from Commons
News stories from Wikinews
Learning resources from Wikiversity
- Official Website of the City of Manila
- Manila travel guide from Wikitravel
- Interactive satellite view of Manila
- Interactive street map of Manila
Navotas City, South Caloocan City | Quezon City | |||
Manila Bay | San Juan City Mandaluyong City |
|||
Manila | ||||
Pasay City, (Bay City) | Makati City |
Largest cities in the Philippines | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rank | City | Region | Population | Rank | City | Region | Population | |||
1 | Quezon City | National Capital | 2,679,450 | 11 | Dasmariñas | Region IV-A | 556,330 | ||||
2 | Manila | National Capital | 1,660,714 | 12 | Cagayan de Oro | Region X | 553,966 | ||||
3 | Caloocan | National Capital | 1,378,856 | 13 | Parañaque | National Capital | 552,660 | ||||
4 | Davao City | Region XI | 1,363,337 | 14 | Las Piñas | National Capital | 532,330 | ||||
5 | Cebu City | Region VII | 798,809 | 15 | General Santos | Region XII | 529,542 | ||||
6 | Zamboanga City | Region IX | 774,407 | 16 | Makati | National Capital | 510,383 | ||||
7 | Antipolo | Region IV-A | 633,971 | 17 | Bacolod | Region VI | 499,497 | ||||
8 | Pasig | National Capital | 617,301 | 18 | Muntinlupa | National Capital | 452,493 | ||||
9 | Taguig | National Capital | 613,343 | 19 | San Jose del Monte | Region III | 439,090 | ||||
10 | Valenzuela | National Capital | 568,928 | 20 | Marikina | National Capital | 424,610 | ||||
Philippines 2007 Census |
Citations
Bibliography
- Bayor, Ronald H (June 23, 2004), The Columbia Documentary History of Race and Ethnicity in America, Columbia University Press, ISBN 0-231-11994-1, http://books.google.com/books?id=o2eWvyig9SgC, retrieved 2009-05-14.
- Blair, Emma Helen, ed. (1911), The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803, http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=philamer&cc=philamer&idno=afk2830.0001.003&q1=blair&frm=frameset&view=image&seq=5, (Vol. 1, no. 3).
- Boot, Max (April 1, 2002), The Savage Wars of Peace: Small Wars and the Rise of American Power, Basic Books, ISBN 0-465-00720-1, http://books.google.com/books?id=0lIg-lGwqBoC, retrieved 2009-05-14.
- Fish, Shirley (2003), When Britain Ruled the Philippines 1762-1764, Bloomington, Ind.: 1st Book Library, ISBN 1-4107-1069-6, http://books.google.com/books?id=RdIEAAAACAAJ.
- Kumar, Amitava (October 29, 1999), Poetics/Politics: Radical Aesthetics for the Classroom, Palgrave, ISBN 0-312-21866-4, http://books.google.com/books?id=AJfkKgAACAAJ, retrieved 2009-05-14.
- Painter, Nell Irvin (May 1, 1989), Standing at Armageddon: The United States, 1877–1919, W. W. Norton & Company, ISBN 0-393-30588-0, http://books.google.com/books?id=5_gB8ABKAx0C, retrieved 2009-05-14.
- Tracy, Nicholas (1995), Manila Ransomed: The British Assault on Manila in the Seven Years War, University of Exeter Press, http://books.google.com/books?id=AoNxAAAAMAAJ, retrieved 2009-05-14 ISBN 0-85989-426-6, ISBN 978-0-85989-426-5
Footnotes
- ^ a b "World's Densest Cities". Forbes Magazine. http://www.forbes.com/2006/12/20/worlds-most-congested-cities-biz-energy-cx_rm_1221congested_slide_2.html?thisSpeed=15000. Retrieved 04-05-2010.
- ^ San Agustin, Gaspar de, Conquistas de las Islas Philipinas 1565-1615, Translated by Luis Antonio Mañeru, 1st bilingual ed (Spanish and English), published by Pedro Galende, OSA: Intramuros, Manila, 1998
- ^ Scott 1984
- ^ "Pusat Sejarah Brunei" (in Malay). Government of Brunei Darussalam. http://www.history-centre.gov.bn/sultanbrunei.htm. Retrieved 04-03-10.
- ^ Santiago, Luciano P.R., The Houses of Lakandula, Matanda, and Soliman [1571-1898]: Genealogy and Group Identity, Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society 18 [1990]
- ^ Henson, Mariano A. 1965. The Province of Pampanga and Its Towns: A.D. 1300-1965. 4th ed. revised. Angeles City: By the author.
- ^ Agoncillo 1990, p. 22
- ^ "City Profiles:Manila, Philippines". United Nations. http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/habitat/profiles/manila.asp. Retrieved 04-03-10.
- ^ a b "Population and Annual Growth Rates by Region, Province, and City/Municipality: 1995, 2000, 2007". National Statistics Office. http://www.census.gov.ph/data/sectordata/2007/municipality.pdf. Retrieved 04-04-2010.
- ^ "Manila - The city, History, Sister cities". Cambridge Encyclopedia. http://encyclopedia.stateuniversity.com/pages/14217/Manila.html. Retrieved 04-04-2010.
- ^ a b {{cite web |url=http://www.manilacityph.com/pdf/population.pdf |title=Manila City Population |publisher=Manila City Government |format=PDF |accessdate=04-04-2010
- ^ "World Urban Areas: Population & Density" (PDF). demographia.com. August 2008. p. 80. http://demographia.com/db-worldua.pdf. Retrieved 2009-05-14.
- ^ "GaWC - The World According to GaWC 2008". Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network. 06-03-2009. http://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/world2008t.html. Retrieved 04-04-2010.
- ^ a b c MSN Encarta: Manila. Accessed September 06, 2008. Archived 2009-11-01.
- ^ Manila City Government website. Accessed September 06, 2008.
- ^ a b c Wow Philippines: Manila-Cosmopolitan City of the Philippines. Accessed September 08, 2008.
- ^ Mabasa, Roy C. (April 14, 2007). "Free hospital, health aid in Manila assured". The Manila Bulletin. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
- ^ "Sister Cities of Manila". © 2008-2009 City Government of Manila. http://www.manila.gov.ph/localgovt.htm#sistercities. Retrieved 2009-07-02.
- ^ "Sister Cities". Beijing Municipal Government. http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/Sister_Cities/Sister_City/. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
- ^ Allison Lopez (August 7, 2008), Manila mayor flies to ‘sister city’ for Beijing Olympics, Philippine Daily Inquirer, http://sports.inquirer.net/breakingnews/breakingnews/view/20080807-153276/Manila-mayor-flies-to-sister-city-for-Beijing-Olympics, retrieved 2008-09-09
- ^ "Sister Cities of Guangzhou". Guangzhou Foreign Affairs Office. http://www.gzwaishi.gov.cn/Item/3970.aspx. Retrieved 2010-02-10.
- ^ "Twin City activities". Haifa Municipality. http://www.haifa.muni.il/Cultures/en-US/city/CitySecretary_ForeignAffairs/EngActs.htm. Retrieved 2008-02-14.
- ^ Mapa Mundi de las ciudades hermanadas (Spanish), Madrid.es.
- ^ Manila-Montreal Sister City Agreement Holds Potential for Better Cooperation : Philippines : Gov.Ph : News
- ^ The 45 Sister Cities of taipei, taipei.gov, http://www.protocol.taipei.gov.tw/sister/esister.htm, retrieved 2008-09-09
- ^ Sister Cities, New Winnipeg, http://web.archive.org/web/20051228134139/http://newwinnipeg.com/news/info/sister-cities.htm, retrieved 2008-09-09 (archived from the original on 2005-12-28)
- ^ "Eight Cities/Six Ports: Yokohama's Sister Cities/Sister Ports". Yokohama Convention & Visitiors Bureau. http://www.welcome.city.yokohama.jp/eng/tourism/mame/a3000.html. Retrieved 2009-07-18.