Binondo is known for being the world’s oldest China town in the world and called as the center of

commerce and tradings in Manila for having many businesses who mostly managed by the

Filipino-Chinese citizens. Also, some of the streets here like Ongpin St. (Heart of Binondo )

formerly called Calle Sacristia, that was renamed in 1915, in honor of Roman Ongpin , a Filipino-

Chinese philanthropist who also owns a store in Ongpin and Juan Luna formerly called Calle

Anloague that also means “ carpenter and renamed from the great Filipino painter Juan Luna in

1913 , was mentioned in one of his famous novels. Don Roman Ongpin is a Chinese businessman

who got his popularity because of the katipunero rebels who supported him financially during the

successful revolution in 1896 against Spain. There are more renamed streets in Binondo like

Quintin Parades formerly called Calle Rosario, that was renamed from the Filipino statesman and

lawyer, Quintin Paredes. T. Pinpin formerly called Calle San Jacinto that was renamed after Tomas

Pinpin, the first Filipino printer who printed at least 14 books, in 1913.

Binondo was the center of a banking and financial community before world war 2, but after the

war most of the businesses were relocated to the Makati.

military court in 1889 and this is where it was witnessed of the trial of Andres Bonifacio in 1897.

The katipuneros planned to unite the two groups of Katipunan, The Magdalo and Magdiwang.

Emilio Aguinaldo was nominated by the magdalo and Andres Bonifacio was retained by

Magdiwang. Andres Bonfacio didn’t won as the president of the new government because of not

attaining the qualifications, thus he have only finished primary schooling and pursue his career as

a craftsman, so the presiding officer declared his proccedings as void and Emilio Aguinaldo

became the president of the Katipunan. After those, Bonifacio created his own government in

Naic cavite but was arrested upon orders of Emilio Aguinaldo because he refused the

revolutionary Government. His wife and brother also got arrested then Bonifacio was brought to

the military court (Bonifacio Trial House) for hearing. Later on, they were sentenced to death in

May 6. 1897. But until now their death remains a mystery because their body were not seen.
Rizal studied at UST from 1877 to 1882. He first enterted UST in April 1877 took up Philosophy

and Letters and Graduated and passed his final examination on November 25, 1881. Rizal studied

Cosmolology , Metaphysics , Theodicy and History of Philosophy during his first year term, he also

took up medicine course because of having the advice of Ateneo’s Rector to study medicine. He

studied medicine because of wanting to cure his mother’s blindness. He also studied at Ateneo,

took a vocational course of Surveying, Agriculture, Commerce and Mechanics, while he was

studying at UST. He may have high marks but He was unhappy when he was studying at UST

because of the Dominican professors were too hard on him , he may have encountered

discrimination and he was not satisfied with the system of education of the Universtity.
This cemetery is where most of the heroes, presidents and soldiers were buried. The cemetery

was also known as Republic Memorial Cemetery. This was built as the tribute and resting place

for the Filipino soldiers and Allies of the Philippines in world war 2 and was established in May

1947. There was also a law created that was signed by President Elpidio Quirino that states that

the cemetery was supposed to pay respect to the presidents , heroes and the patriots, “for the

inspiration and emulation of this generation and of generations still unborn.”. Then 1954 ,

it was renamed as Libingan ng mga Bayani by President Ramon Magsaysay.

Tondo near Manila North Harbor and ended at sangandaan Legarde st. and Mendiola Street. The

road passes through the Divisoria at Binondo and also at some parts of University Belt at Quiapo

, Sampaloc.

Back then, the Manila Bay was served as the port of Manila. This is where the tradings between

the Philippines and other neighbouring countries goes through, It became the gateway for socio-

economice development prior to Spanish occupation. It was considered the finest harbor in the

far east where the famous ‘Battle of Manila Bay’ was fought between the Americans and the

Spaniards in 1898. Many historians believed that the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade between

Philippines and Mexico, because of the strategic location of Manila Bay. The Galleon Trade lasted

for 244 years. Jose Rizal also passed through in Manila Bay when he was going to Spain. It

happened in August 6 1896, where they entered Manila Bay, he was not able to depart

immediately because the ship that he was supposed to board left earlier.
1. Paco Park

The park (cemetery) was originally designed and made as a cemetery for wealthy and influential

People and it was designed by Maestro de Obras Nicolas Ruiz in 1807. This was the first cemetery

that was built outside the city walls of Manila. The park was also called Cementerio General de

Dilao. Paco park has also served as a burial site for heroes. We can found here the tomb of the

three Famous Filipino priests who were punished by Garrote on February 17, 1872, the

GOMBURZA (Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora). We can also found here

the Rizal’s Tomb. This is where they secretly buried Jose Rizal after his execution on December

30. 1896. His sisters bribed the guardia civil to mark his Tomb with the Initials RPJ.
2. Malacanang Palace

Malacanang Palace was originally built in 1750 by a Spanish nobleman, Don Luis Rocha, as a

summer house. In 1825 it was purchased by the Spanish Government and it then became the

summer residence of the Governor General of the Philippines. In those months when the heat in

their official residence, the Palacio del Gobernador (Spanish, Governor’s Palace), located inside

the walled city of Intramuros a few kilometers away from Malacanang Palace, became stifling, the

Governors General were able to move temporarily to Malacanang and enjoy the breezes and fresh

air of the latter building, situated as it was on the Pasig River and surrounded by gardens. When

the Palacio del Gobernado collapsed in the earthquake of 3 June 1863, the Spanish Government

decided not to rebuild the Palacio del Gobernador and that from now on the Malacanang Palace

would be the official residence of the Governor General of the Philippines. When the Philippines

came under the control of the United States in 1898, the Malacanang Palace became the

residence of the U. S. Military Governors (beginning with General Wesley Merritt) and from 1901

of the U. S. civilian Governors General (the first being William Howard Taft). Over the years

Malacanang Palace was home to 18 Spanish governors general and 14 American civil governors.

When the Philippine Commonwealth was established in 1935, Malacanang served as the official

residence of the President of the Philippines, the first being President Manuel L. Quezon.
3. Quiapo Manila

Quiapo is known for having fortune tellers selling amulets, charms, and even gayuma. This is also

where mostly the devotees goes on Fridays especially during the celebration or the Feast of the

Black Nazarene. And where the protest and demonstrations took place. Quiapo came from the

word water cabbage (Pistia stratiotes) or Kiapo in tagalog. It was referred as the “ Old Downtown

of Manila”. During the American period, Quiapo was a place for Manila's social elites as it is the

center for trade, fashion, art, and higher learning. Now, Quiapo looks like a market place where

you can find cheap or pirated DVDs, fortune tellers, Fruit vendors and people who offers herbal

products. It is home to the Quiapo Church, officially known as Minor Basilica of the Black

Nazarene and canonically known as Saint John the Baptist Parish. It is also the site of one of the

Philippines' biggest cultural events, the Feast of the Black Nazarene, as millions of devotees from

all over the country flock to the district. During the miting de avance of the Liberal Party

on August 21, 1971 in the town square, a bomb explosion killed nine and injured

almost 100 civilians.

If you have noticed, Intramuros was designed as a tight grid to keep its streets functional but

contained. Its purpose is it was suuposed to be Spaniards’s political and military base in Asia.

Horse-drawn carts (kalesa) rattled through the city’s numerous gates to bring residents to various

establishments: Plaza Mayor (the main city square now called Plaza de Roma), the City Hall

(Ayuntamiento), Plaza Santo Tomas (where the original University of Sto. Tomas was built), a

printing press, churches and Spanish-style colonial homes where residents entertained. Due to

constant attacks from foreign invaders, coupled with natural and man-made disasters, defensive

features surrounded the city, including two moats, cannons and fortified walls, from bulwarks to

ravelins. Hence, the name ‘Intramuros’: a city within the walls. This where Fort Santiago is located.

Fort Santiago is a citadel built by Miguel Lopez De Legazpi. Its ruins can be explored, including the

dungeons and pits where Filipino rebels were imprisoned. Several Filipino lives were lost here.

Also, this was where the Philippine national hero, Jose Rizal, was imprisoned before he was

executed by the Spaniards. It has a museum where some memorabilia of Rizal can be seen. It also

has a short film showing what happened in the Walled City and the fort.
Calinawan Cave

According to the tour Guide, Calinawan Cave has 5 to 6 layers. Where the first two layers were still

touched by the light, the third layer was barely dark and the 4th and the deeper layers were untouched by

light. If you don’t have flash lights with you, you’ll surely get lost. It is said that the it would take more

than 3 days to cross the deeper parts of the cave and some parts were closed down or are avoided to pass

because of being dangerous and it is too deep and dark to go there. History tells us that the cave served

as hideout by Filipino revolutionaries during Spanish-American war, and a shelter during the Second World

War. How it got its name, according to local folklore, has a touch of history too, as it was where the

Japanese and American troops settle their disputes, thus Calinawan from the Filipino word “linaw” which

means to settle or to clear. But more than its historical significance, the natural beauty of the cave’s

interiors and chambers are magnets that attract a lot of people that even films and television productions

often use the cave as their shooting location. Sadly, some of them left indelible and irreversible damages

to the cave.
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libingan-ng-mga-bayani