A portrait of Two Manilas

 

A portrait of Tourist Manila

Manila City Hall   US Embassy Manila

All over the world, historic districts are prime property, not only because of their central location, but more for the elegant architecture that defines their character. Manila is no stranger to character, with remnants of its glorious past still evident in the pre-war and early post-war buildings of Escolta, Ermita, and Malate. And slowly, heritage advocates are sending the message across that our future is in our past. One prime example is BPO@Escolta. For close to a year now, stakeholders in Escolta have been meeting quite regularly to plan the comeback of our country’s former center of commerce, giving it a new lease on life by hosting business process outsourcing (BPO) firms in the district’s storied architectural gems. Escolta hosts some of the finest examples of Philippine architecture of the early and mid-20th century. And with this effort, its future seems bright. Photographs are a big part of my life since childhood it fit perfectly with the need to explore and expand my understanding of the world. That said, memories and photos of Manila are the many  moments of nostalgia which catches my attention after forty five years of absence.  They form a big part of my magical experience that I have in collaboration with the world. I also think these series reinforces  me to the true beauty of photography, it’s ineffable ability to guide me and speak about the multidimensional world we live in. In the twilight of age all things seem strange and phantasmal,   As between daylight and dark ghost-like the landscape My heart goes back to wander there, And among the dreams of the days that were,   I find my lost youth again.     And the strange and beautiful song,     The groves are repeating it still:   "A boy's will is the wind's will, And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts." I should not be withheld but that some day into their vastness I should steal away, Fearless of ever finding open land, or highway where the slow wheel pours the sand...RF   Manila Chinatown Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards in 1571, trade between ethnic Filipino Malays and Chinese traders was already established in pre-colonial Manila. Manila's Chinatown is one of the oldest in Asia, established sometime in the late 17th century. It is home to many ethnic Chinese who left the Chinese mainland for a home in the Philippines. Binondo is a stone's throw away from the District of Intramuros, which was the Philippine's administrative capital under Spanish rule. The district was within the range of Intramuros' canons to quell any uprising the Chinese could have started. Binondo became a center of commerce during the American colonial era of the Philippines, since the Chinese were known to be experts in trading and finance. Banks, department stores, restaurants, insurance companies, nearly all giant commercial establishments were built in Binondo, the most prominent of which are located in the Escolta Avenue, though these are somewhat out of vogue and dilapidated today. World War II destroyed much of Binondo's commercial establishments. After the war, most companies relocated to Makati, the current central business district of Metro Manila. The Jones Bridge, initially named as the Puente Grande and later known as Puente de España, crosses the Pasig River and connects the districts of the Binondo, Chinatown and Escolta areas with the center of downtown Manila. This bridge is considered to be the oldest in all of the Philippines. Roxas Boulevard in Manila, Philippines Architect Daniel Burnham, in preparing the general plan for Manila in 1905, made this observation: "Possessing the bay of Naples, the winding river of Paris, and the canals of Venice, Manila has before it an opportunity unique in the history of modern times, the opportunity to create a unified city equal to the greatest of the Western World with the unparalleled and priceless addition of a tropical setting." Truly, Manila must have been such a beautiful city. Historical accounts before its devastation during the Second World War talk about grand avenues, magnificent architecture, an efficient public transport system, clean waterways (oh yes, the esteros of Binondo were bustling with commercial activity), elegant parks, gardens and open spaces, all of which that have become nothing but memory, if people even remember that the city had those before. Are we not all tired of hearing how depressing Manila has become? How a succession of mayors has effectively contributed to the ugliness and urban blight of Manila continues to remain a mystery to many. One mayor demolished not a few of its architectural landmarks, massacred its civic center, open spaces and forest parks to build a park and ride facility, school buildings that could have been located elsewhere, and allowing the construction of shopping malls that stick out of the grand architecture. Intramuros - Manila Hotel Intramuros is the oldest district and historic core of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Known as the Walled City, the original fortified city of Manila was the seat of the Spanish government during the Spanish colonial period. The walled part of Manila was called intramuros, which is Latin for "within the walls"; districts beyond the walls were referred as the extramuros of Manila, meaning "outside the walls" The Manila Hotel which opened in 1912 and extensively remodeled in the 1970s is a Philippine landmark, home to high society and to political intrigue, and often a scene of historic events. 1898- Judge William Howard Taft issued of the first decrees of the Second Philippine Commission, to create an urban plan for the Manila. Architect and city planner Daniel Hudson Burnham drafted a wide and long tree-lined boulevard that would begin at the park and at the spit’s end of the bay, a boulevard that would be dominated on one end by a hotel. 1908- William Parsons was appointed to continue where Burnham left off. He supervised the design and construction of Manila Hotel and was completed four years later. Soon, a magnificent, white, green-tile-roofed California Missionary-styled edifice emerged housing 149 spacious and high-ceilinged rooms. Since then, it is a hotel that commands the best westward view of Manila’s fabled sunset, the fortress of Corregidor, the poignant ruins of the medieval fortress that was Intramuros, and the palm-lined promenades of Luneta Park.   Corregidor on the horizon. Between December 24, 1941 and February 19, 1942, Corregidor became the temporary location for the Government of the Philippines. On December 30, 1941, outside the Malinta Tunnel, Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña were inaugurated respectively as President and Vice-President of the Philippines Commonwealth for a second term. The Tail of Corregidor Island with Hooker's Point at the farthest end.   Calesa terminal. Kalesa (sometimes called a karitela) is a horse-driven carriage used in the Philippines. The word predates the Spanish conquest and descends ultimately from an Old Church Slavonic word meaning "wheels." This was one of the modes of transportation introduced in the Philippines in the 18th century. Manila Yacht Club, Roxas Boulevard across the Blvd. was our old quarters at the Manila Naval Station (MNS)   Quezon Memorial Circle Elliptical Road, Quezon City Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial Paco Park and Cemetery, Manila Andres Bonifacio EDSA cor. Rizal Avenue, Caloocan, Manila Andres Bonifacio's monument in Caloocan City, Andrés Bonifacio was one of the chief leaders of the revolution of the Philippines against Spanish colonial rule. The 1896 Philippine Revolution was the first revolution in Asia against European colonial rule. Dugo sa Magdalena. Kinalugmukan ng duguang katawan ni Emilio Jacinto sa simbahan ng Magdalena, Laguna Mabini monument.This is Apolinario Mabini's monument located at the plaza fronting the city hall. Mabini, tagged as the "Sublime Paralytic", is a son of Tanauan. In my days we just call this place as Luneta. Manila is the site of the country's premiere park, Rizal Park, which was erected for the country's national hero, José Rizal. Besides having parks and green areas, Manila is the home to several plazas, such as the Plaza Balagtas and Plaza Miranda, the site of the1971 politics-related bombings. Within Manila lies notable parks and green areas, such as the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Rajah Sulayman Park, Manila Boardwalk, Liwasang Bonifacio, Mehan Garden, Paco Park, Remedios Circle, the Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden, Pandacan Linear Park, and the Malacañang Garden. FORT SAN ANTONIO ABAD MNS nowJose V. Andrada Naval Station Manila, Philippines.       I always pass by these golf course on Mckinley Road everyday in my commute to Makati and from where we lived. What I remember most was the abundance of huge acacia trees and vegetation that made the place cool. Established in 1901, this is undoubtedly Manila's preeminent golf club. The 18-hole course is impeccably maintained, while the clubhouse features a coffee shop, a restaurant and a gym for the relaxation of members. Wack Wack Golf & Country Club, Mandaluyong City, Wack Wack Golf & Country Club is one of the oldest golf clubs in the Philippines, having been founded in 1930 by a prominent American resident William J. Shaw. Established as an exclusive championship course in the then town of Mandaluyong (now Mandaluyong City) in the metropolitan area of Manila, it has consistently been considered as one of the best golf courses in world. It was the home of the Philippine Golf Open Championships, the traditional kick-off site of the annual Asian Circuit, and site of numerous world golf events like the World Cup and others. Aside from its classic course, the East Course, Wack Wack has been completed another 18-hole all-weather championship course, the West Course. So that now, Wack Wack prides itself as the only golf club with two championship courses in the heart of Metropolitan Manila. The Club maintains its original objective set by its founders, to utilize its luxurious courses towards the development of the sport of golf in the country and establish closer ties between local and foreign golfers. Pre-Hispanic period Before the first arrival of Europeans on Luzon island, the island was part of the Majapahit empire around the 14th century, according to the epic eulogy poem Nagarakretagama which described its conquest by Mahārāja Hayam Wuruk. The region was invaded around 1485 by Sultan Bolkiah and became a part of the Sultanate of Brunei. The site of Intramuros then became a part of the Islamic Kingdom of Maynila ruled by various Datus, Rajas and the Sultan. Construction of the defensive walls was started by the Spaniards in the late 16th century to protect the city from foreign invasions. The 0.67-square-kilometre (0.26 sq mi) walled city was originally located along the shores of the Manila Bay, south of the entrance to Pasig River. The reclamations during the early 20th-century obscured the walls from the bay. Guarding the old city is Fort Santiago, its citadel located at the mouth of the river. Intramuros was heavily damaged during the battle to recapture the city from the Japanese Imperial Army during the Second World War. Reconstruction of the walls was started in 1951 when Intramuros was declared a National Historical Monument, which is continued to this day by the Intramuros Administration. The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines (colloquially UST or "Ustê". Filipino: Unibersidad ng Santo Tomas), is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the Philippines and in Asia. and is one of the world's largest Catholic universities in terms of enrollment found on one campus. UST is also the largest university in the city of Manila. Almost all the MD’s of the family graduated from UST. The old  Navy base inside Manila Naval Station at Dewey Blvd. adjacent to the Manila Yacht Club. The Manila Cultural Center foreground/below US Embassy Compound, near Rizal Park, Manila, as seen from the Filipinas Hotel. Port of Manila in background. I reflect the times in High School when we trek on to this site from Padre Faura, Rizal Hall to the US Embassy Canteen to buy our ice cream cone for 10 centavos. Padre Faura, University of the Philippines Manila campus     Espirito Santo Church Sanctuario de San Antonio, Forbes Park, Makati, Metro Manila

A portrait of True Manila   Armed only with his Rolleiflex, photographer Jed Bacason searches for stories on the streets of Manila,Philippines. These stories follow the lives of children, the elderly, artists and business people from the poorest slums to hip nightclubs. “The Philippines is a third-world country and, more often than not, the whole world only hears about our country when something terrible happens on this side of the world,” explains Bacason. “Through these images, I wanted to show some of the people that constitute the capital city – a sense of the place, if you will, and who you may bump into, if you roam the city streets.” In 2009, Bacason was among a group of photographers invited by a local organization to photograph a garbage dump in Manila where a whole community of people eke out a living by scavenging and making charcoal. At first he was reluctant to take on what he perceived as just another poverty story and didn’t expect anything special to come from the experience. “When we entered the complex and saw how extreme their living conditions were, it hit me like a ton of bricks… The noxious smell coming from garbage and burning wood was instantly suffocating but you can see little kids running around in dirty, torn clothes and adults going about and flashing smiles at you as you pass by,” writes Bacason. “…They’ve given me a stark reality to reflect on and a hard lesson in life and I am still to give back something in return.” Instead of making pictures that highlighted the extreme conditions of the dump, he chose to focus on the surprising smiles and humanity that persisted in spite of the conditions. “I saw individuals rather than a cluster of poverty-stricken people,” remembers Bacason. “I wanted them to look into the lens and out to the audience, to make that connection.” Bacason was first exposed to photography as a child when his father brought home a 35mm Zenit SLR camera. He didn’t start using a camera seriously, however, until after college in 2004 when he began working as a news correspondent for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, a national newspaper. “From appreciating photo stories, I eventually started getting interested in the process of making journalistic photos and reading lots of resources online,” recalls Bacason. “The social media sites that started emerging in the early 2000′s also helped me a lot in being exposed to the right groups and persons who have been known locally for their documentary photography works, such as Geric Cruz, Luis Liwanag, and the ballsy Alex Baluyut.” “The Filipinos’ spirit of resilience, the stern resolve to pursue happiness in the face of overwhelming odds, is one trait that hopefully comes across in my work – that we can also be as diverse and fulfilled as the wealthiest nations.” Bacason lives in Manila with his wife Patty and their five-month-old daughter Cassy. Click here to visit Jed Bacason’s website and view more of his work. - Patrick Traylor, ptraylor@denverpost.com 1 A mother and her child cool off in a park in Manila on a hot summer day. The city is dotted with parks and other places where the residents can sit down and relax. These places are also sometimes venues for petty crimes and small-time crooks. # 2 A local underground band poses for a portrait in Manila. # 3 Portrait of an elderly Muslim woman inside the Islamic complex in Quiapo, Manila. Most of the Muslims in Manila hail from Mindanao provinces, where Islam is the main religion. # 4 A street vendor wipes sweat off his forehead while selling rosaries and other religious items outside the church in Quiapo, Manila on a hot afternoon. # 5 Portrait of a street vendor selling cigarettes and a large religious item on the streets of Manila. # 6 An elderly man on the streets of Manila. # 7 A photographer waits near the broken clock at Luneta Park for any potential customer asking for souvenir photos. Along with other resident photographers in the park, he uses film and refuses to use digital cameras because he cannot waste time and opportunities while trying to learn the new technology. # 8 Portrait of a Luneta park photographer offering photo souvenir services to tourists and passersby. # 9 A resident of Malabon city in Manila smokes a cigarette on a wooden bench outside the street after eating lunch. # 10 A colorful character wears the Philippine flag in one of the rallies against the sitting heads of the government. # 11 A street child stands beside the large monument in Manila dedicated to the hero of the Philippine revolution, Andres Bonifacio. # 12 Street children play at the church facade in Quiapo, Manila on a slow day while their parents sell various goods and novelty items to tourists and churchgoers. They help out their parents during busy days. # 13 Hundreds of families of scavengers eke out a living at a large garbage dump in Manila, Philippines called Happyland. The ironic name comes from the word hapilan, a local term for a dump site. Happyland scavengers forage the large mound of garbage for any recyclable materials such as plastics, bottles, and metal parts where they exchange them at nearby junk shops. Scavengers earn a measly eighty pesos (USD 2.00) for a day's work. # 14 A scavenger cleans up a box spring of a discarded bed collected from Happyland, a large garbage dump in Manila. Most of the residents of Happyland collect recyclable materials such as plastics, bottles, and metal parts where they exchange them at nearby junk shops. They also salvage any wood from the dump and nearby construction sites for the charcoal makers to produce charcoal from. Scavengers earn a measly eighty pesos (USD 2.00) for a day's work while the charcoal makers are better off with two hundred pesos (USD 5.00). # 15 A couple expecting a child rests outside their house in Happyland, a large garbage dump in Manila. The place and its adjacent poverty-stricken areas are also fondly called "children factory" due to the sheer number of children and pregnant women living in the community. # 16 Portrait of the keppers of peace and security of Happyland, a large garbage dump in Manila. Most of the residents of Happyland collect recyclable materials such as plastics, bottles, and metal parts where they exchange them at nearby junk shops. They also salvage any wood from the dump and nearby construction sites for the charcoal makers to produce charcoal from. Scavengers earn a measly eighty pesos (USD 2.00) for a day's work while the charcoal makers are better off with two hundred pesos (USD 5.00). # 17 Portrait of a resident of Happyland, a large garbage dump in Manila. Most of the residents of Happyland collect recyclable materials such as plastics, bottles, and metal parts where they exchange them at nearby junk shops. They also salvage any wood from the dump and nearby construction sites for the charcoal makers to produce charcoal from. Scavengers earn a measly eighty pesos (USD 2.00) for a day's work while the charcoal makers are better off with two hundred pesos (USD 5.00). # 18 Children of residents of Happyland play on a makeshift billiards table. Happyland is a large garbage dump in Manila where families of scavengers and charcoal-makers call the place home. The place and its adjacent poverty-stricken areas are also fondly called "children factory" due to the sheer number of children and pregnant women living in the community. # 19 Children of residents of Happyland play on an old, discarded bicycle. Happyland is a large garbage dump in Manila where families of scavengers and charcoal-makers call the place home. The place and its adjacent poverty-stricken areas are also fondly called "children factory" due to the sheer number of children and pregnant women living in the community. # 20 A charcoal maker rests for a cigarette break inside one of the kilns producing charcoal in Happyland, a large garbage dump in Manila. Most of the residents of Happyland collect recyclable materials such as plastics, bottles, and metal parts where they exchange them at nearby junk shops. They also salvage any wood from the dump and nearby construction sites for the charcoal makers to produce charcoal from. Scavengers earn a measly eighty pesos (USD 2.00) for a day's work while the charcoal makers are better off with two hundred pesos (USD 5.00). # 21 Happyland scavengers line up as they await for the garbage truck to unload trash collected from all over Manila. Most of the scavengers in Happyland come from Sitio Damayan in Barangay 105 in Tondo, Manila, Philippines. Aside from scavenging, people here also work as charcoal makers. # 22 Two kids try to mix play with work inside Happyland, a large garbage dump in Manila. Several of the scavengers inside the complex are out-of-shool children who are forced to do their parents' work in order to augment the daily income. Scavengers earn a measly eighty pesos (USD 2.00) for a day's work. # 23 Two tattooed teenagers loiter on a bridge in Manila while asking for money from passersby to see them jump to the murky waters some twenty to thirty feet below. # 24 Neil Monsalud, street photographer in Manila. # 25 Poklong Anading, an established artist in Manila. # 26 Portrait of an elder citizen and her relatives from a local neighborhood called Daangtubo, a small community residing on a strip of land owned by the government. She has called this place home since she was in her teens and now lives with her extended family. After more than sixty years of settling informally, residents are threatened with eviction after the government plans to reclaim the area. # 27 Portrait of an elder citizen of a local neighborhood called Daangtubo, a small community residing on a strip of land owned by the government. After more than sixty years of settling informally, residents are now threatened with eviction after the government plans to reclaim the area. # 28 Portrait of a father and son living in Daangtubo, a small community residing on a strip of land owned by the government. After more than sixty years of settling informally, residents are now threatened with eviction after the government plans to reclaim the area. # 29 Portrait of an elder citizen of a local neighborhood called Daangtubo, a small community residing on a strip of land owned by the government. After more than sixty years of settling informally, residents are now threatened with eviction after the government plans to reclaim the area. # 30 Portrait of one of the elders of a local neighborhood called Daangtubo, a small community residing on a strip of land owned by the government. She is one of the settlers of the area in the mid-50's. She now lives in Daangtubo with all her sons and daughters and grandchildren. After more than sixty years of settling informally, her family, along with other residents, are threatened with eviction after the government plans to reclaim the area. # 31 Portrait of an elder citizen of a local neighborhood called Daangtubo, a small community residing on a strip of land owned by the government. After more than sixty years of settling informally, residents are now threatened with eviction after the government plans to reclaim the area. # 32 Portrait of Patty Labrador, a Psychology graduate who is now employed as an HR personnel responsible for screening applicants in one of the BPO companies in Manila. # 33 Local band Stick Figgas performs at Cubao X, a hotspot for up-and-coming artists and musicians. # 34 Portraits of young business process outsourcing (BPO) employees enjoying higher-than-average salaries and better standing in the society. BPO industry has been flourishing in Manila and other major cities in the Philippines since the turn of the century due to the labor force's high proficiency in the English language and low labor costs. BPO companies currently employ most of the newly graduates seeking for quick employment and high income.

Church at the Campo Santo de La Loma. Today it is All Saints' Day. Filipinos observe this day by visiting their dead relatives in cemeteries and memorial parks and columbariums, go to church and light candles in commemoration of this day La Loma Cemetery, memorable for its vegetation and semi rural setting that attracts the youth for adventure specially at twilight and even at pitch dark on a moonless night. Every year in the last week of October, Filipinos take a Roman Catholic inspired holiday to remember the dead. Cemeteries all over the country come alive during these days, as relatives of the dead spruce up the graves of their ancestors.