A metropolis as chaotic and crowded as Metro Manila may be the last place in mind one would have to find a bird sanctuary. But surprisingly there is one. What makes it even more surprising is that it is found near the littered and filthy coastline of Manila Bay. This sanctuary is called the Las Piñas-Parañaque Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area, popularly known as the LPPCHEA or LaPPaCHEA. It is a strip of land that protrudes from the main coast of Metro Manila serving as a buffer of sorts between the main coastline and the Manila Bay. LPPCHEA in a vlog by Joel Andrada
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Balara’s Hidden Park
Whenever one hears the mention of the place called Balara (or, more formally, Matandang Balara), it evokes either of the two things: being the area right across the University of the Philippines Diliman Campus and being the center of the metropolis’ waterworks authority. Even in the current setup where Metro Manila’s waterworks administration is divided between Maynilad Water Services Inc. in the western portion and Manila Water Company in the eastern part, both companies as well as the government body that oversees them, the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) are still based in the Balara compound. Inscribed at the top of the gate of the Balara compound is the…
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Automobiles of Authority: Visiting the Presidential Car Museum
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines has been on the roll these past few years. During that time, it has successfully transformed its museums from boring relics to interactive showcases, making them fun, educational landmarks worth visiting even more. A tour these days of the Rizal Shrine in Intramuros, Museo ng Katipunan in San Juan, and the Quezon Memorial Shrine Museum in Quezon City are just a few examples of the splendid work the NHCP has done. At the same time, the NHCP has been busy conceptualizing new museums as well, one of which just opened last Sunday, August 19 on the occasion of the 140th birth anniversary of…
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The Birthplace of La Liga Filipina
This should have been published last month, during the anniversary of the founding of La Liga Filipina. But it’s history and national heroes’ month anyway so it’s still to get this out online today. Today, the whole stretch of Ilaya Street from Plaza Amado V. Hernadez to the intersection at Juan Luna Street is a scene of urban madness. For one, the street is not passable to vehicular traffic with all the stalls occupying the road itself. Walking along this stretch of road is also a…challenge, to say the least, as you navigate through the walkways that have become narrow because of those stalls while trying to be mindful of…
