The district of Sampaloc in the City of Manila has long been known not only as a bustling residential enclave but also an important educational center of the city and of the metropolis as a whole. But at the heart of this busy district is a spiritual core that is common among many communities in the country. What makes Sampaloc’s case a bit different though is that its spiritual core is served not only by one but two Catholic churches with an intertwined history that has shaped the suburb we know of today.
-
-
Reminiscing the cinematic glitter: the old movie theaters of downtown Manila (Part III: along Recto Avenue)
Claro M. Recto Avenue in Manila is an interesting thoroughfare in that it has served to link Manila’s educational and commercial hubs. As such, the area around that road formerly known as Calle Azcarraga is an area of bustling activity.that has made it a prominent Manila thoroughfare through the years. There were about a dozen or so movie theaters that used to stand along this stretch of the road. Around the University Belt side of Recto alone, there were the Manila Cinema and U-Belt Cinema, (which I don’t know what sites they are now) as well as the “big four” of the U-Belt Recto area which happen to be all located…
-
Reminiscing the cinematic glitter: the old movie theaters of downtown Manila (Part I- an introduction)
Before came the blight, there was the bright. The bright that shone from the dozens of neon signages that illuminated the cityscape which was downtown Manila. For the people who lived in those bygone days, those neon signs were a form of welcome, a respite from those day-to-day struggles or whatever issue of the day that was bothering them. The bright lights would lead them right into a movie theater where they can enjoy the latest movie released in town. Or it could be a comedy act or some performer who will be having a show for that day. Yup, some of those theaters serve a dual purpose as well.…
-
The Gota de Leche of Sampaloc
If you find yourself somewhere in the middle of Manila’s “University Belt” in Sampaloc disttrict, you may have chanced upon this nicely-preserved American-era building and some fresh patch of green which is a welcome sight in the midst of the area’s frentic activity and some unfortunately-dilapidated structures nearby. For someone who had often roamed around U-Belt back in college, I have always wondered about this structure. I was lucky to have gotten access to this place and appreciate this preserved heritage of old Manila in Sampaloc. The story behind this building began in 1905, (some sources however say it’s 1907) when industrialist and philanthropist Teodoro Yangco and a group of…