It is that time of the year once again to remember all things and frightening. For this year, the Urban Roamer headed down south in that wide and bitterly contested Fort Bonifacio area to visit one of the most prominent burial places in the metropolis and the country as a whole. Yes, today we visit the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani, ibingwhich literally means the burial ground of heroes. Its origins can be traced back in May 1947, when the Republic Memorial Cemetery was established in what was then known as Fort McKinley to serve as a final resting place that would honor the men and women who have served the…
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The Battle for Fort Bonifacio
While the current talk in global affairs is about the conflict of Syria and the possible involvement of the US and whoever of its allies willing to join, Metro Manila is seeing a conflict of its own too as two highly-urbanized cities and a small municipality are engaged in all-out war of sorts for the control of the most disputed territory in the country right now, the almost 730-hectare territory which was once part of a vast military complex known as Fort Bonifacio. The battle for the control of this former military base turned into a bustling commercial and business district has been subject of a long ligation that has…
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the “mind-blowing” Mind Museum
After that somewhat-disappointing experience at the MOWELFUND Museum, I conditioned myself to lower my expectations a bit for this next roaming adventure, yet another museum in this case which has been dubbed “The Mind Museum”. But hearing a lot of buzz about it, how it was envisioned to be a world-class museum that many will appreciate, not to mention me being fascinated in science and technology, my interest was piqued enough for me to check it out. First things first, let me give you a brief background about the Mind Museum. This was conceived as a project by the Bonifacio Art Foundation, Inc., (BAFI) a foundation established in 1996 by…
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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…