World Social Forum on Migrations 2012

Chinatown, Binondo

Binondo was the main center of commerce in the Philippines before the last World War where Spanish Filipinos, Chinese and the Chinese mestizos conducted business and finance complete with banks, insurance companies and financial institutions from the United States and Great Britain. During the Spanish era, the Chinese in the Philippines were a major lynchpin in linking the Chinese junk trading system and the Silk Road to Acapulco (Mexico) and...

CULTURAL CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES (CCP)

The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Complex is the center for the performing arts of the whole country. Located along Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, this is the premier venue for ballet presentations, concerts, stage plays, performances, exhibits and trade fairs. Inaugurated in 1969, the CCP comprises a fine concert hall seating 2,000 plus an intimate 400-seat theater as well as a library, museum, art gallery, and an upscale...

FORT SANTIAGO

Fort Santiago is part of the walled city in Manila called Intramuros ( from spanish within the walls) José Rizal, the Philippine's national hero, was imprisoned in the fort before his execution in 1896; the site features, embedded onto the ground in bronze, his final footsteps representing the walk from his cell to the location of the actual execution.

MALACAÑANG MUSEUM

The official residence of the President of the Philippines is Malacañan Palace. Situated in the old Manila district of San Miguel, over the 175 odd years that government has owned the place, the buildings have been remodelled, expanded, demolished and rebuilt, and adjoining land bought. Most recently, in 1978 to 1979 the Palace itself was drastically remodeled and extensively rebuilt by then First Lady Imelda Romualdez Marcos.

MANILA CATHEDRAL

The baroque Manila Cathedral has been declared a minor basilica by Pope John Paul II. It lies at the heart of Intramuros in the capital Manila and is the seat of the Archbishop of Manila. Like St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Manila Cathedral is the interment place of several Filipino archbishops. It has also hosted the funeral masses of former Philippine presidents Carlos P. Garcia and Corazon Aquino. The...

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM

Established in 1976, the Met was originally a museum to show foreign art. Its basic nature and purpose was "to broaden our people's awareness of the cultures of the world and to provide them with the opportunity of viewing international art in original form." By 1986, 90 exhibitions of non-Philippine art had been held at the museum. Among them were the works of Picasso, Klee, and Gropius, as well as...

NATIONAL MUSEUM

The National Museum of the Philippines is the repository and guardian of the Philippines' natural and cultural heritage. As one of the lead government cultural agencies, it is tasked to achieve the goals of instilling cultural consciousness and a sense of pride and nationalism among Filipino citizens through its activities covering the sciences, education and culture. Established in 1901 as an ethnography and natural history museum, and subsequently housed in...

Rizal Park

Rizal Park is situated in the heart of the city of Manila, Philippines. It is at the northern end of Roxas Boulevard, overlooking Manila Bay. Rizal Park's history began in the early 1800s during the Spanish rule. While Manila's social and business activities were confined within Intramuros, a small area just south of the walls was cleared to prevent sneak attacks from the patriotic natives. The area was shaped like...

SAN AGUSTIN CHURCH

One of the immensely popular wedding churches in Manila, San Agustin Church is also one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. Built built between 1587 and 1606, it is the only building left intact after the destruction of Intramuros during the Battle of Manila (1945). The present structure is actually the third to stand on the site and has survived seven major earthquakes, as well as the wars in...

SAN SEBASTIAN BASILICA

San Sebastian Church is located in Quiapo, one of Manila's older districts. Surrounding it are rows of old houses. The Church of San Sebastian is made of a steel frame and panels and is known for its distinct characteristic - that of being the only neo-gothic steel church in the Philippines and in Asia. The steel parts were manufactured in the Societe Anonyme's foundry in Binche, Belgium and were shipped...