Manila is not the great city it once was, and for many of the jaded people inhabiting it, it’s nothing more than an old and worn-out concrete jungle. Plagued with tangled traffic lines, and the air stained with a black mist hanging over it, Manila is what others would call their boulevard of broken dreams. For what was once a prestigious and progressive city that bustled with life, is now a seemingly dull and lifeless disappointment.

Before the war that pushed Manila down on its knees, it was known as the Paris of Asia. But gems of that era are still around, alive more than ever, and renewed in the face of apparent desolation. Contrary to what other people may believe, Manila still has some of the oldest yet timeless havens made new; places that are considered as glimpses of La Ciudad Insigne y Siempre Leal – The Noble and Ever Loyal City that was, and will always be Manila.

Manila Cathedral

Under the Spanish plaza system, it could be said that Manila Cathedral was the very heart of the country. It was recently renovated by the orders of Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales in 2012, and it has always been a venue for papal masses.

Manila Cathedral is currently located at Plaza de Roma in Intramuros.

Fort Santiago

Often a popular spot for wedding photos, Fort Santiago was an old military fort used until the American and Japanese occupation. The dungeons are said to be haunted, but then again, everywhere in Intramuros is pretty much ghost territory. A place of interest would be the new and improved Rizal Shrine that is located a little deeper into the fort.

San Agustin Church

This is probably one of the prettiest churches I’ve ever seen, and having said so, San Agustin Church was declared a heritage site by UNESCO, and it stands as the oldest stone building in the Philippines. With its humble exterior, visitors are often subject to awe and impressed surprise when they get inside. The exhibits and the monastery itself are being renovated, and a lot of its artifacts are under restoration.

The very founder of Manila itself, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi’s remains lie in the church. Beautiful and breathtaking tromp l’oeil painted ceilings and intricately carved doors are some of the most distinguishing features of the San Agustin Church, thus making it a famous church for lavish weddings.

Although they say that during the war, the supernatural creature Kumakatok, our local version of the Harbinger of Doom, knocked on every building in Intramuros except for the doors of the San Agustin Church. It was the lone survivor of the war.

National Museum Complex

Currently standing with two buildings to its name – The National Art Gallery, and the National Museum of the Filipino People, the National Museum Complex is going to get an upgrade, with plans of a National Museum of Natural History underway.

The art gallery is also getting an additional selection to its contemporary art collection. The art gallery holds works from the legendary artists like Luna, Hidalgo, Dela Rosa, “Botong” Francisco, and Tolentino.

The National Museum of the Filipino People pays homage to its namesake, holding various anthropological artifacts that tell the story of the FIlipino, who we are as a nation, and how our culture has developed and diversified. It features fossils of the oldest human remains discovered, and mammoths, the Manunggul Jar that’s displayed on the one-thousand-peso bill, and items discovered from a galleon shipwreck on the coast of Batangas. A visit to the National Museum will certainly make for an extensive trip down memory lane, consisting of memories you don’t have, but memories all the same.

Luneta

But of course, who could forget Luneta Park? It used to be called Bagumbayan, during the time when the Spanish took over Intramuros, and Filipinos were exiled and they had to find a place to settle in. It was an open public field, often a venue for executions, until the Brits came and said, ‘wait, we need a park to have tea in,’ and so they turned Luneta into a park.

It’s popular because it’s the place where our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, was executed in, and it’s a common unknown fact that he was not shot in the spot where his monument stands. Instead, Rizal was executed in a nearby field where they now hold a lights and sounds show to re-enact his execution.

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So, if you have some free time during the incoming summer vacation, you don’t need to go too far for an educational trip, or have to dole out cash excessively to have a good time. It’s a great thing to keep alive the memory of Manila as a place you’re so used to that you no longer see what’s so good about it, but with the right lenses, you can see the true value of a city that holds much of your people’s history that it’s been dusted under.

Jessica Racquel Santillan
A written school exercise for Features and Technical Writing, 2015.

Growing up, Binondo was a magical place for me. Like a labyrinth I’d get lost in if I so much as let go of my lola’s hand when visiting relatives, it was no more than a noisy and crowded district at the heart of Manila – at least, that was what it had seemed to me back then. I didn’t always go there as a child though; only occasionally.

But after my mom got assigned in Binondo for work, I found myself visiting more and more. I would usually go there after college lectures and I used to be so proud of myself for being able to commute going there from Vito Cruz.

Visiting my mom at work normally warranted a foodtrip after. And Binondo has never disappointed me when it comes to food. Take it from me – if you ever find yourself lost in Binondo, know this one thing: you will never go hungry.

Masuki’s Beef Wonton and Siopao

I’m always craving for noodles, one way or another. Masuki has this unique sauce for its wonton noodles. It’s a mix of sweet and salty that you pour into your bowl that essentially gives the soup its flavor. But what I do with the sauce (it’s savory and really delicious, trust me), is that I dip my siopao into it or the other way around. The hand-pulled noodles are always a treat because I like it when my noodles are firm and long so my tummy is always pleased when my mom and I go to Masuki for dinner. Aside from their famous noodles, they’re also known for their siopao with adobo-like filling, and their giant siomai!

Masuki is located in Benavidez Street in Binondo, but if you don’t want to go too far for a quick stop, they have a branch over at the Mall of Asia now too!

Po Heng’s Lumpiang Sariwa

Now, I’ve never actually been to Po Heng Lumpia House because what my mom does is that she orders lumpiang sariwa for the family and has it delivered to her office. For Php50, you get a burrito-sized lumpiang sariwa with special tokwa, dried seaweed, and peanuts in the mix! The sweet sauce for their lumpia is one of my favorites, too. I’m not really a vegetable-person myself, but Po Heng’s lumpia made me want to eat my veggies willingly, and my mom considers that an accomplishment for her and Binondo’s fresh variety of lumpia!

Lucky Rainbow’s Pumpkin Soup

On one of the rare occasions that I was able to tag along with my mom and her officemates for their Christmas party, I had the most satisfying experience of getting to try pumpkin soup. Lucky Rainbow offers a huge variety of Cantonese buffet servings, but one that I remember the most was the bright orange pumpkin soup that I was hesitant to try at first, but am absolutely glad that I did. The pumpkin soup had this remarkable texture of actual pumpkin but what surprised me was the bits of crab and shrimp in the soup. I also loved the cold cuts and the huge dalagang bukid they especially put in front of me!

Sincerity’s Fried Chicken

I know that Sincerity is pretty famous for their fried chicken, but I think what’s most often overlooked in their menu is their kikiam. While I do love their chicken, the highlight of our trips to Sincerity is their sweet and longganisa-sized kikiam that I like topping off with a sweet and sour sauce! Sincerity’s lemon chicken is also one of the best that I’ve had, and that’s definitely one the things I always make sure to order!

Ying Ying’s Beef Wonton

Tucked into an unassuming street sits the small but cozy Ying Ying Tea House! It’s just like any other Chinatown dimsum place but it’s heir beef wonton and fish cakes that really blew me away. The prices are affordable too so it’s a good place to visit with friends when you’re really looking for a good food trip but without the risk of running of your pockets empty and with a gaping hole!

Jessica Racquel Santillan
A written school exercise for Features and Technical Writing, 2015.

As a child (and even well into my teenage years), I have always been afraid of the water because I nearly drowned when I was six. I was envious of my cousins who could swim like they belonged in the water, because even if I did want to learn how to swim, I was a coward and thought that I could never conquer my fear of the water.

The ocean scared me – it seemed endless and felt like it could swallow and devour me without a second thought, if it so wanted to. It was an abyss that stared right back at me if I dared to look into it.

It would take a single trip to change everything. It was during a time that I had felt like I was being crushed under the weight of the world that I discovered that I wasn’t as big as I thought I was. My first time at the beach was when we went to the Caramoan Islands in Bicol. It did not disappoint.

I was complete enraptured by the views that I thought I would only ever see in videos and magazines. The sea was sparkling under the sun and huge land masses sprung up from the middle of the ocean. The sand was immaculately white that it hurt to look at it for too long, and the air refreshing.

I love watching sunsets and sunrises and have often dreamed of seeing the water kissing the shoreline, seeing the waves crashing on the rocks that stood in the water, and being in Caramoan Island was akin to being in paradise. I wanted to write everything down because I didn’t have a camera with me but it felt like the images were imprinted upon the back of my eyelids.

It was the first time I had ridden on a boat for hours just to get to our hotel and it was breathtaking to see the water ripple underneath me.

I always dream of being free without any care in the world. I was never one to like being boxed as much as I wanted to be cooped up in my room all the time. Being in the ocean felt like a liberation of sorts for me. While I was sitting on a boat under the sun, in the open space and holding witness to the vastness of the seas, I realized that I was but a small human being treading upon sheets and sheets of a wide expanse of water that could pull me down deep.

I am an ocean and could pull and draw people in who were brave enough to want to dive into the depths. I can cradle and swallow. People often tell me I’m mysterious and very selective when it comes to showing my affections. I want people to know and love me, but at the same time be as mysterious as the water of the seas. I want to be the kind of freedom that people will come back to when they need it.

I still don’t know how to swim, actually. But I want to learn how to be one with the water someday. One trip can’t ease my phobia completely, after all. But it has shifted my perspectives at least a little. One day, I’ll gather up enough courage to go in and lose myself in the cool waters of the ocean. I won’t be afraid anymore.

But I can step back and enjoy the view for now.

Jessica Racquel Santillan
A written school exercise for Features and Technical Writing, 2014.