It’s that time of the year once again when the Urban Roamer embarks on a different roaming adventure to visit not a place for the living, but a place for the departed ones. This time, it is a privilege for me to finally get the opportunity to visit the largest public cemetery in Metro Manila today: none other than the Manila North Cemetery. Originally, the Manila North Cemetery was part of a bigger cemetery complex owned by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila that included what are now the La Loma Cemetery and the Chinese Cemetery. After the allocation of the property to the Chinese community in Manila for the…
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A shrine for the Revolution’s Grand Old Lady
If there is one real-life proof that can be shown to the adage that “one can never be too old for anything,” our history provides such in the life of Melchora Aquino, (1812-1919) the “Grand Old Lady of the Revolution” popularly known to many as “Tandang Sora.” In her 80’s, as the Philippine Revolution was beginning to unfold and would eventually break out, she helped provide a venue for secret meetings for the revolutionaries, giving them comfort, shelter, and even medical aid to those wounded in battle. While she never fought in battle, revolutionaries and the Spanish authorities recognize her invaluable contributions to the revolution. In fact, the Spaniards deemed…
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“Time will not dim the glory of their deeds*” the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial
*quote by General John Pershing, American war hero who served during the First World War From 1941-1945, the Philippines was a part of a greater battlefield that was the Pacific theater of the Second World War as the forces of Japan and of the United States clashed in a series of encounters aptly described as “hell on earth.” Countless lives were lost as a result, especially among the American troops who fought valiantly for their motherland. Once the war was over, the United States government drew up plans as to how to honor its fallen troops. A decision was made to put up a memorial ground on what was then…
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Death: Chinese style at the Manila Chinese Cemetery
It’s that morbid time of the year once again. And continuing the tradition I started last year, the Urban Roamer is going to take you once again to some creepy place in the metropolis. Creepy and interesting at the same time. For this adventure, we are back at Manila’s old cemetery complex. While we visited the Catholic cemetery of La Loma the last time, this time we are at a neighboring cemetery known as the Manila Chinese Cemetery.