History

Spanish Colonial Period
Paco Park was originally planned as a municipal cemetery for the well-off and established aristocratic Spanish families who resided in the old Manila, or the city within the walls of Intramuros during the Spanish colonial era.

Most of the wealthy families interred the remains of their loved ones inside the municipal cemetery in what was once the district of Dilao (former name for Paco). The cemetery was built in the late 1700s but was completed several decades later and in 1822, the cemetery was used to inter victims of a cholera epidemic that swept across the city.

The cemetery is circular in shape, with an inner circular fort that was the original cemetery and with the niches that were placed or located within the hollow walls. As the population continued to grow, a second outer wall was built with the thick adobe walls were hollowed as niches and the top of the walls were made into pathways for promenades.

A Roman Catholic chapel was built inside the walls of the Paco Park and it was dedicated to St. Pancratius.

On December 30, 1896, Philippine national hero Dr. José P. Rizal was interred at Paco Park after his execution at Bagumbayan.

Second World War
In 1912, burial or interment at the Paco Park ceased. It had been the burial ground for several generations and descendants of those who were buried in the park had the remains of their ancestors transferred.

During the Second World War, Japanese forces used Paco Park as a central supply and ammunition depot. The high thick adobe walls around the park was ideal for defensive positions of the Japanese.

The Japanese just before the liberation of Manila in 1945, dug several trenches and pill boxes around and within the Park with three 75 millimeter guns to defend their fortification against the charging 148th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Battalion of the United States Army with the Philippine Scouts & the Commonwealth of the Philippine Army.

Into the Eighties
The park was converted into a national park in 1966 during the term of President Diosdado Macapagal. Paco Park’s grandeur was slowly restored after the war and since then has remained as a public park and promenade for many teen age sweethearts who could spend quiet moments along the park’s benches and private alcoves.

Paco Park and its care was placed under the responsibility of the National Park’s Development Committee (NPDC) during the regime of President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

During the Marcos period, through the efforts of former First Lady Imelda R. Marcos, culture was given emphasis and priority in the country and Paco Park was one of the few venues chosen to host events related to culture.

On February 29, 1980, then Press and Cultural Attache of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Philippines, Dr. Christoph Jessen with then NPDC Vice-Chairperson Teodoro Valencia started a classical concert within Paco Park as part of the celebrations for the “Philippine-German Month,” and the program became a tradition, a weekly fare held every Friday afternoons and called the, “Paco Park Presents.”

This event featured and highlighted the exchange of Filipino and German musical artists who performed at Paco Park and it served as a means to strengthen the bond between Germany and the Philippines.

In 1998, the celebration of Philippine-German month was moved from February to March, with the concert starting at 7:00 P.M. But Paco Park Presents continues to celebrate its anniversary every February.

The park is open Monday to Sunday (except on Wednesday) from 8:00AM to 5:00PM and every Friday by sunset, “Paco Park Presents” feature the finest musical artists and chorales, local and guests performers for an evening of classical and traditional Filipino music.

Paco Park has become a very popular venue for weddings and receptions for couples who prefer a garden-like settings. The Chapel of St. Pancratius is under the care of the Vincentian fathers who also manage the nearby Adamson University.

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Source: wikipedia

Tags: manila luneta ocean-park intramuros binondo travel manila-city city-of-manila manila-city-hall divisoria schools

The much-awaited opening of the Manila Ocean Park is slated on Feb. 24 after its supposed opening late last year was delayed due to unfinished construction.

The opening of the park was originally set to open last December in time for the Christmas season but was moved to February since additional attractions were made, according to Tina Santos, the park’s marketing officer.

With the park’s construction, Filipinos will have the opportunity to view and learn more about its own marine riches.

The park has earned protests from animal rights advocates but both officials from Manila Ocean Park and the Worldwide Fund for Nature have signed last month a partnership which states that the marine park has “immense potential to create further awareness for the country’s marine issues.”

The officials of the marine park have promised not to show protected and endangered species unless these are captive-bred from Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species-certified farms and facilities.

The park also has a science research program, an empirical research on the development of a technology for coral propagation for reef rehabilitation.

Manila Ocean Park is the country’s first world-class and largest aquarium facility. It will showcase marine biodiversity from within and around the waters of the Philippines.

The park is owned by China Oceanis Philippines Inc., a subsidiary of China Oceanis Inc., a Singaporean-registered firm that has operated four oceanariums in China. PNA

Excertps from: http://www.tribune.net.ph/metro/20080210met5.html

For you to have a medical insurance, you need to contact a medical insurance company. But don’t go for the first one that you see. You should check out things like their available plans. Most company have plans like individual, group, indemnity and managed care. You just have to choose what you think suits you and your family’s protection.

Another thing to consider is their accredited hospitals. You definitely don’t have to go for a medical insurance company that don’t acknowledge hospitals in your area. In Manila, most hospitals like Manila Doctors Hospital and Medical Center Manila acknowledges Medical Insurance Philippines of Pacific Prime International.

* Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center (Private - Blumentritt St., Santa Cruz)
* Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital (Lope de Vega, Santa Cruz)
* Dr. Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center (Rizal Ave., Manila)
* Family Clinic (Private - Sampaloc)
* Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Medical Center (Tondo)
* Hospital of the Infant Jesus (Private - Laong Laan St., Sampaloc)
* Manila Doctors’ Hospital (Private - UN Ave., Ermita)
* Manila Center Medical (Private - Gen. Luna St., Ermita)
* Mary Chiles General Hospital (Private - Gastambide St., Sampaloc)
* Mary Johnston Hospital (Private - Juan Nolasco St., Tondo)
* Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center (Roxas Blvd., Malate)
* Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital (Private - Sanchez St., Santa Mesa)
* Philippine General Hospital (Taft Ave., Ermita)
* San Lazaro Hospital (Quiricada, Santa Cruz)
* University of Santo Tomas Hospital (Private - España, Sampaloc)
* Tondo Medical Center (Balut, Tondo)

Intramuros is currently the seat of the Archdiocese of Manila, the oldest archdiocese in the country. The archdiocese’s offices is located in the Manila Cathedral (Basilica Minore de la Nuestra Señora de la Immaculada Concepcion) in Intramuros.

Other notable churches and cathedrals in the city include San Agustin Church in Intramuros, a UN World Heritage Site is a favorite wedding place of notable people and one of two fully air-conditioned churches in the city; Quiapo Church, also known as the Basilica Minore del Nazareno Negro, site of the annual January Black Nazarene procession; Binondo Church, also known as Basilica Minore de St. Lorenzo Ruiz; Malate Church (Nuestra Señora de Remedios); and San Sebastian Church or the Basilica Minore de San Sebastian, the only all-steel church in Gothic style in Asia. Many of the other districts of Manila have their own notable churches.

The Manila Cathedral, also known as the minor basilica of the Immaculate Conception, was the seat of the Archbishop of Manila during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines, and still remains the ecclesisastical seat of the Archdiocese of Manila.

The See of Manila, with jurisdiction over all the Philippine Islands and suffragan to the See of Mexico, was erected in 1578. The first bishop, Domingo de Salazar (born 1512), arrived in Sept., 1581.

The first cathedral, made of nipa and bamboos, was built in 1581. It was damaged by a typhoon in 1582 and razed by fire in 1583.

The new cathedral, which was made of stone, was made in 1592. It was destroyed by an earthquake in 1600.

The third cathedral, with three naves and seven chapels, was started in 1584 and blessed in 1614. It was toppled by another earthquake which shook Manila in 1645.

The magnificent fourth cathedral was constructed in 1654 to 1671 under Archbishop Miguel Poblete. It was severely damaged in 1863 by a very strong earthquake that even toppled the Palace of the Governor General of the Philippines. In 1880, another earthquake toppled its bell tower and since then until in 1959, the cathedral remained towerless.

The fifth cathedral was constructed in 1870-1879. It was solemnly blessed in December of 1879. The center cross of the dome is a reference point of astronomical longitudes of the archipelago. The magnificent cathedral was toppled into ruins by the bombs of World War 2 in 1945.

The present cathedral was constructed in 1954 to 1958 under Archbishop Rufino Jiao Santos of Manila and under the supervision of National Artist for Architecture Awardee, Architect Fernando Ocampo. It was elevated into the rank of minor basilica in 1981 by Pope John Paul II.

The cathedral is also the resting place for former prelates who served the Archdiocese of Manila. Among those interred in the cathedral crypts (similar in style to that of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City) are Michael J. O’Doherty, the last American and foreigner Archbishop of Manila, Rufino Jiao Santos, the first Filipino cardinal, Gabriel Reyes, the first Filipino archbishop of Manila and Cardinal Jaime Sin, the prelate who is considered to be one of the leaders of the EDSA Revolution in the Philippines that ended the 20-year regime of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos.

Source: wikipedia
You may also visit the Manila Cathedral Official Site.

Also known as Rizal Park, Luneta is one of the city’s premier attraction being the most famous park in the country. From its former name bagumbayan (new town) wherein Philippine’s national hero Jose Rizal was executed last 1896, Luneta is a great place of historic archives like the execution of the Gomburza in 1872, official proclamation of the country being a fully independent republic in 1946, a mass was held here by Pope John Paul in 1995, and the opening and closing of the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.

In Luneta, you’ll find Quirino Grandstand, the Chinese and Japanese Gardens, the main office of the Department of Tourism, the National Museum, National Library, Orchidarium, Planetarium, Butterfly Pavilion, an open air auditorium and a chess plaza.

Luneta has been a place for families to enjoy picnics during sundays and holidays. Thousands or even hundreds of thousands of tourists both local and foreign visits Luneta monthly.

One good trivia here is that the flagpole located in front of the Rizal monument is the kilometre zero which means it is the starting point for all measurements in distances in the Philippines.

One of the city’s premier shopping center, SM City Manila was built at the heart of the city beside the Manila City Hall catering a huge variety of goods for shoppers.

SM City Manila is owned and operated by the Shoemart chain of malls, the same group that runs Mall of Asia.

The mall’s exact location is at Concepcion corner Arroceros and San Marcelino Street near landmarks Post Office, Metropolitan Theater and the LRT central station which gives it easy access to everyone.

SM City Manila has six levels featuring hundreds of shops and restaurants, as well as twelve deluxe cinemas, amusement centers and a fully computerized bowling center.

Providing an elegant atmosphere for shoppers, Robinsons Place Manila offers cozy cafes and restaurants on almost every floor of the six-level mall. Aside from huge selection of shops inside, every shopper can choose to a wide variety of cuisines being offered by a number of food outlets.

Though occupying an entire block, nobody will feel lost or empowered inside. The interior features the same blend of form and function that distinguishes other Robinsons malls.

The prices were decent for a department store and the holiday sales made the mall even better than normal

Sorrounded by main roads like Pedro Gil, Adriatico and Padre Faura, access to Robinsons Place Manila will not be hard.