• Parañaque

    Ohayo Gozaimasu, Okada Manila!

    First of all, apologies for the lack of new content the past week. I had issues with my computer that needed to be resolved and thankfully all is well now. Also, today’s entry is something long overdue as well. But until recently, the Urban Roamer has not had the time to check out this new metropolitan landmark. But it was good to see how things have progressed since it first opened as chances are at least it has taken more form now. With that said, the Urban Roamer has finally stepped inside the youngest (so far) landmark in the growing Entertainment City complex, the Okada Manila.

  • Parañaque

    Baclaran Faith: The Baclaran Redemptorist Church

    If you have been in the metropolis for quite a while, one of the most common phrases you will hear is that other word to call Wednesday: Baclaran Day. The day when devout Catholics go to this busy part of Parañaque for their weekly devotions to the Marian icon of the Our Mother of Perpetual Help. At the center of this devotion is the towering contemporary Romanesque church dedicated to the Mother of Perpetual Help, which by itself has become a well-known and beloved landmark in this part of the metropolis. Being a Wednesday at the time of this entry’s release, it’s about time that the Urban Roamer checks out this particular…

  • Parañaque

    Parañaque Cathedral: The Catholic Bastion of South Metro Manila

    Whenever one talks about the Catholic heritage of Metropolitan Manila, the focus is always on the Catholic Churches of the City of Manila. That should not come as a surprise as the city itself has been the center of activity for centuries while those outside Manila were then just considered as rural outbacks. In that context, while it is nice to see these towns progress to the cities they are now, it is unfortunate that in the process, some of that old town flavor got lost in the midst of urbanization and, sadly mostly unchecked, planning. Nevertheless, some vestiges of heritage remain throughout the metropolis beyond the City of Manila…

  • Parañaque

    From Macau to Manila: A City of Dreams Realized

    Entertainment City in Parañaque still has a long way to go, but so far things are moving forward as far as developments in the area are concerned. Solaire Resort and Casino has been doing well so far as a new player in the area emerges to stir up the landscape there, so to speak. The fact that this new player even made an effort to put up an ad featuring Academy Award winners in the persons of director Martin Scorcese and actors Robert de Niro and Leonardo Di Caprio is indication enough of how serious it is. With that ad that went viral in the first few weeks of 2015, City…