THIS is the most awesome statue of Andres Bonifacio in existence. Not the one in Monumento (A…read moretravesty, really), and not the one in front of the National Post Office. THIS. I am totally in love with the raw energy, the fierceness, the drama of this monument. Not content to showcase Bonifacio standing, they show him charging into action, ready to fight, ready to sacrifice his life for the country as he actually did (Though not at the hands of the enemy, but this is not the time for that discussion). If you angle your shot at just the right spot, you can actually depict Bonifacio attacking Manila City Hall. It's an incredible shot that may or may not be representative of whatever.

The City of Manila and Manilenos love Andres Bonifacio, placing him on a pedestal practically at…read morepar with National Hero Jose P. Rizal. This is with good reason. Bonifacio was founder of the movement known as the Katipunan, which waged a revolution against Spain in the 1890s. It is one of Philippine history's greatest tragedies that Bonifacio became a victim of the very revolution he started, being assassinated by the men of Emilio Aguinaldo after the revolutionary forces split into two factions. Today, the nationalist and Leftist movements consider Bonifacio a national hero. He is their symbol as well as rallying point in their modern day war against oppression. Bonifacio Day is celebrated as a national holiday and the most important shrine to the revolutionary from Tondo is the Kartilya ng Katipunan shrine in Liwasang Bonifacio. No less than National Artist Ed Castrillo created this metal and wood sculpture. The plaza in front is often used for different events, from political rallies to city fairs. Above it all stands the mighty Bonifacio, wielding his bolo and rallying his men to fight the better equipped Spaniards.

Because there are a number of government and private offices in Intramuros, Manila, parking can…read morestill be a problem on some days. The good thing is that some idle places have been opened to parking and these are surrounded by the historic walls. Among them is Plaza Maestranza, which has been well maintained by the Intramuros Administration. Some purists complain that turning such sites is not right, that they should be kept as public areas. But this would be a waste of space, considering that most of Intramuros is not exactly wanting in public areas. Besides, the cars are owned by people who are there not as tourists but as part of their jobs. What I like best about Plaza Maestranza and the rest of Intramuros is that the guards are dressed in uniforms that harken back to the time of Jose Rizal. It's a nice touch.

A long time ago, there was a plot of land beside the Manila City Hall where old trees proliferated…read more Known as the Mehan Garden, it was a park where city dwellers could commune with nature. Over the decades, little by little, Mehan Garden gave way to various construction projects. Today, only a small portion of the original garden remains. Still, the trees which are more than a century old are still thriving. The remnants of the Mehan Garden has not been kept properly by the city government, but the trees are still alive and well. Although there isn't much grass, the place still invites couples and families to lounge and relax, read books, listen to music, or just chat the hours away. Hopefully, the current or the next administration for the city will take better care of the site. Incidentally, on the other side of the back road is a small forested area which has more lush greenery. This was a project of former Mayor Fred Lim. Thankfully, the administration of Mayor Erap Estrada has allowed the forest park to survive.

This is a fort in Manila Philippines although I have been there multiple times I have never been…read morehere. Disclaimer here, I have a long and semi obsessive history with well history. I loved this, we didn't have a tour guide (if they even have any) we went all over and then finally went into this museum which does have a charge to enter. You can't wear any hats inside as a sign of respect. Also if you are over 6 ft (183 cm) be prepared to squat, twist bump most parts of your body as this was built for Philippinoes a long time ago ie: short. If you can take this part of it then you will definitely enjoy it or at least learn something new. Well I would say try it and learn from history. Enjoy.

Nice and a unique historical site to visit and learn. Quite big and on the river front with couple…read morebuildings. Cost for entrance are cheap but long line to get it. Short distance to the plaza de Roma and other attraction places.

I have to admit, I was very surprised by what I saw when I came here. Initially I figured it would…read morebe completely historical with stone fortifications, but instead there's an actual city with restaurants and homes. Must be pretty cool living within history, there's also an amazing view from top of the walls.

Intramuros has endured wars, calamities and foreign invaders and yet this 64-hectare stone city…read morestill stands as strong as it first did 400 hundred years ago. How could it live through such a beating? Clearly, there was so much more to these massive stone walls than its impeccable engineering. Everybody has a lot to say about this citadel, its squatters and scammers but it's the only window to our past and even if we try to look away, we will always come home to it. It's the heart our city, the last breathing structure that has escaped the commercialization of Manila. And while all of us will go on, the undead will remain on its streets guarding the last memory of the Philippine's colonial past.

I don't know whether to give this building one star or five stars. In the years that I worked in a…read morebuilding in Intramuros, I would often look at the El Hogar Building across the Pasig River. What a sight it must have been in its heyday. Today, you can only imagine what it must have looked like before whoever owns it allowed it to deteriorate to its present state. This is another historic landmark that begs to be restored, not torn down and replaced with some fancy condominium, as what has happened with other old buildings in the Binondo district of Manila. It's a sad reflection on us as a people that there is insufficient appreciation of the architecture around us. I am hoping against hope that somehow, this old structure will be restored. Its premiere location alone makes it a must see. There's no reason why it can't be restored by the present owners, then rented out to any of the country's top 1,000 corporations, any one of which should be proud to be based at such a site. I'll give it five stars and keep my fingers crossed.

The Manila Metropolitan Theater (Met for short and Tanghalang Pangkalakhan ng Maynila in Tagalog)…read morefor me epitomizes one of the greatest faults in our country. The MET is another Once a gem of Manila, this theater was designed by renowned Filipino architect Juan M. Arellano. Look carefully enough and you'll spot how some of the buildings architecture transitions from Art Nouveau to Art Deco. To date, many fall in love with her looks despite being as old and withered as she is. In a way, the MET , and even perhaps the entire country, is like the MET. It was once wonderful and glorious. It served as a beacon and symbol to Filipinos celebrating their own culture by hosting Zarzuelas, Filipino opera, and so much more. It withstood the Japanese occupation for crying out loud. Unfortunately, the MET fell victim to Pinoy politics. It played the rope in a tug of war game between the local government of Manila and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), though what the GSIS plans to do with a theater is beyond me. Many attempts have been made to revive this old girl. None have succeeded in restoring the MET back into the once shining and polished gem that it once was. However there is hope. Recent stories have said that the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has been given approval by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to buy this building. The NCCA now plans to spend half a billion pesos on restoring the building in the hopes of restoring its former glory.

If you're a Metro Manila local, I'm sure you've passed by the Manila Metropolitan Theater countless…read moretimes before. In my case, I used to pass by the structure every day back in college as I took my FX to class. "The Met" as many fondly call it, had hosted countless of international artists. The National Commission on Culture and the Arts also declared it a National Culture Treasure as authorized by Republic Act No. 10066. It is however very unfortunate that such a beautiful art-deco structure is being left to rot and decay. I was fortunate enough to attend a concert in The Met a few years back. My favorite Filipino rock band, Wolfgang, decided to hold a concert there. It was indeed a brilliant and cool idea. On one end, it was a nice way to change things up and hold a rock concert at an unusual venue. On the other, it was a way to raise awareness that the structure is in desperately need of proper care and maintenance. As Wolfgang frontman Basti Artadi called it, "the old battle axe." Here's to hoping that future Manila City leadership pursues a concrete and more importantly, sustainable initiative to restore this art-deco beauty to its past glory. The 5-stars I'm giving for this rating is for all The Met's history and legacy, but on how it has been forgotten and disregarded by everyone, one star would even be too generous.

Ever wondered why the Coconut Palace is called the Coconut Palace? Fun fact: 70% of the materials…read moreused in the construction of the Marcos' opulent guest house came from the coconut tree. This is further reflected in the motif inside: the lamps, the chairs, the walls, all are inspired by or directly sourced from the coconut tree. You'd think that with such indigenous materials, the cost of the place would be cheap, but the final price tag of the Palace was USD10 million, and this was in 1978! The Palace is now the office of the Vice President of the Philippines, and is a beautiful place to tour if you can. Take note that you can't just walk in though. You'll be stopped by the Presidential Security Group even before you get close to the gate.

As bad as the history of the coconut palace is (how it was made with whooping amounts of money for…read morePope John Paul II's visit but the he decided to stay elsewhere since he did not like the fact that the money used could have gone to better use), it remains to be one of the greatest artistic legacies from the Marcos regime. I have been to Coconut Palace myself for official business once. At first, you'll notice how heavily guarded the place is but once you're inside, you'll notice how it was called as such. Coconut Palace was entirely made from treated coconut lumber. Also, the palace is very Filipino. With its wooden furniture and use of Capiz shells, it's truly a remarkable place. The guards are very accommodating; they will show you the place and even give a brief description of each. I am not sure about taking pictures though.

There is the shell of a building along historic Aduana street within the Walled City of Intramuros…read morein the capital city of that is begging to be restored. The building was where Customs used to be located in pre-war Manila, but was all but totally destroyed during the war, For some odd reason, it has practically become a tourist site, as well as a favorite of professional and amateur photographers. Only the outer walls and steel bars remain of what looks to be a magnificent looking structure when it was intact. It is not clear who has jurisdiction over the site. It may well be the Intramuros Administration or the National Historical Institute. It could even be the City of Manila itself. Whoever is in charge of this landmark is missing a great opportunity to restore a historically significant structure. But even in its totally destroyed state, it remains sadly beautiful.

Spending an afternoon at the National Museum of the Philippines turned out to be one of the most…read morefascinating ways I could have learned more about my husband's country of birth. And honestly, I was not fully prepared for just how vast and layered Philippine history actually is. The National Museum complex is enormous and covers multiple museums and collections ranging from natural history, anthropology, archaeology, fine arts, indigenous cultures, colonial history, biodiversity, and the many different regions and peoples that make up the Philippines. Walking through the exhibits, you quickly realize the Philippines is not just "one culture," but a massive tapestry of languages, traditions, histories, and influences shaped by centuries of trade, migration, colonization, resistance, and survival. One of the most famous highlights inside the museum system is Juan Luna's *Spoliarium*, an enormous and emotionally powerful painting considered one of the greatest treasures of Filipino art and nationalism. Even tourists unfamiliar with Philippine history usually stop in awe when they see the sheer scale of it in person. Outside the museum, I was especially fascinated by the massive "Tree of Life" structure inside the National Museum of Natural History. It stretches dramatically upward through the center of the building and symbolizes the incredible biodiversity and interconnected ecosystems found throughout the Philippine islands. It is honestly one of the most visually striking museum interiors I've seen anywhere. Now, fair warning: If you visit during school hours, prepare yourself for children. Children everywhere. Apparently Filipino schools absolutely love bringing students here for field trips, and during our visit there were enormous groups of excited students moving through nearly every section of the museum. Honestly though, it was actually kind of heartwarming seeing so many kids actively engaged and learning about their own country's history. The museum itself is very large, and once you start walking, you are going to be walking quite awhile. One small complaint I did have was the lack of seating areas throughout some sections. At a certain point my husband and I found ourselves quietly scanning corners for open benches like exhausted archaeological explorers searching for buried treasure. Still, the experience was absolutely worth it. I loved wandering through the exhibits with my husband, listening to him explain little pieces of Filipino culture and history to me while I absorbed it all through fresh eyes. It felt less like simply visiting a museum and more like gaining a deeper understanding of a country and people I have grown to love deeply myself. The Philippines truly is a beautiful country -- not just in scenery, but in history, resilience, culture, and spirit. And this museum does a wonderful job reminding visitors of that.

During our travels in the Philippines, we made the most of our time visiting the cultural gems…read moreManila has to offer with the National Museum being one of them. My non-Filipino husband was interested in learning about my heritage which inspired my cousin to put together a day trip to the museum. The National Museum is comprised of multiple buildings which are: *The National Museum of Fine Arts *The National Museum of Anthropology *The National Museum of Natural History All are within the same compound but if you plan to visit all 3 buildings be prepared to wear comfortable shoes fit for a day's worth of walking. I also recommend bringing a bottle of water if you can. The museums are free to the public and we managed to visit two out of the three buildings (Fine Arts and Anthropology). We briefly visited the Fine Arts building and were impressed by the massive murals steps within entering. The most moving and impressive works come from one of the country's renowned painters, Juan Luna. His masterpiece, Spoilarium, is one not to miss. It was also interesting to read up on his life which oddly had a dark and ill-fated twist. The Anthropology building has fascinating curated material with discovered relics spanning the country. Some of the oldest material on exhibit dates from 5 BC. Currently artifacts continue to be uncovered/donated and the collection perpetually grows. Overall, the Anthropology museum was our favorite. We left very impressed with the exhibits. Aside from the common touristy things to do, don't discount the National Museum. The information and history behind each piece will leave you culturally enriched.