Mention “Manila” and immediately the touristic districts of the so-called Old Manila immediately come into mind, particularly as the city marks its 452nd founding anniversary this June. It is just sad that the other equally interesting districts are often left out of the usual tourist circuits, when they too, also have exciting stories to tell and spots to showcase.
Below are among the city’s under-the-radar areas which you can best explore on two wheels for unhampered mobility. And while you’re at it, play Hotdog’s 1976 rock classic “Manila” for a compleat experience.
Tondo. Regarded by many as the “poor man’s district” because of many informal settlers, it is actually the heart of a precolonial kingdom and was a prestigious middle-class address up until before the Battle of Manila in 1945, which devastated most parts of the city. The postwar decades saw its slide into overpopulation and urban decay, making it lose its glory days.
But mind you, despite the perception of poverty, its people can throw the grandest Santo Niño fiesta across the country where every household serves a hearty feast to visitors.
Its historic public spaces got a major facelift during former Mayor Isko Moreno’s tenure and brought back their old function as safe and decent recreational parks—Plaza Amado Hernandez, facing Santo Niño parish church, Plaza Morga which houses the monument of home-grown revolutionary general Macario Sakay, and the tree-lined Plaza Moriones, the district’s “little Luneta.”
Tondo has experienced gentrification in recent years with the rise of local enterprises, mostly mid-priced dining outlets which can be at par with Makati restaurants.
Not to be missed is Ugbo St., perhaps the local counterpart of the famed Bangkok night food streets, which has morphed into a nocturnal colony of clean, inexpensive, and finger-licking goodies.
Situated in the Bangkusay and Velasquez area, the food micro-enterprise has been around since the 1980s, but it was just a few years back when entrepreneurs decided to take it to the next level and make it a food trip destination. It’s also the closest immersion you can get with the amiable and unpretentious community.
San Nicolas. A small district carved out of Binondo, it is regarded by heritage advocates as the “The Forgotten Treasure of Manila” because of its unpopularity even among residents of the city. Named after San Nicolas de Tolentino, the patron saint of seafarers and boatmen, it lies at the banks of the Pasig River and the Estero de Binondo where commercial cargo were unloaded for centuries.
Composed only of 15 barangays, it takes pride in its century-old ancestral houses, many of which have been converted into warehouses, a good number of them in a decrepit state, which includes the birthplace General Antonio Luna at Urbiztondo St.
It is also the entry-point to the new Binondo–Intramuros Bridge, a 680-meter, four-lane tied-arch Chinese-funded bridge has a steel bowstring arch design with inclined arches, and a favorite spot for snapshots by bikers, riders and motorists.
Quiapo. The Coco Martin-starred teleserye has brought the spotlight, quite literally, to this quaint middle-class district which is a unique mix of races and religions.
People’s knowledge of the place is often limited to the Black Nazarene Basilica and its mammoth “traslacion” procession every January, and the all-steel neo-Gothic San Sebastian Cathedral.
But beyond these iconic churches, it is a treasure trove of history of commerce which is overshadowed by undesirable elements lurking in the shadows. It is also the “mecca,” so to speak, of the Islamic faithful in the metropolis because of the massive Masjid Al-Dahab or the Manila Golden Mosque and Cultural Center, which can house 22,000 worshipers.
The vicinity is awash with eateries of tasty Maranao, Maguinadanaon and Taosug dishes and delicacies, as well as stores of Islamic apparel and paraphernalia. Immersing yourself in these shops will give you a feel of the way of life in Muslim Mindanao.
Quiapo is also dotted with heritage houses, most notably the 108-year old Bahay Nakpil-Bautista, a museum which touts itself as the Home of Heroes of the Philippine Revolution. It also embraces the Laperal Mansion (Arlegui Guest House), which became the presidential residences of Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos.
Despite the urban mishmash, Quiapo is an eye candy for photographers and photojournalists who are smitten by its authentic Old World charm.
San Miguel. While most people may be familiar with the Malacañang Palace and the St. Jude Thaddeus Shrine, awareness of the district where they belong is quite low. Named after St. Michael the Archangel, its other claim to fame is being the birthplace of La Fabrica de Cerveza de San Miguel which brews the leading 132-year-old beer brand.
The quaint locality has maintained its upper middle-class ambiance and has kept commercialization at bay, and is undoubtedly among the most remarkable heritage districts in Metro Manila.
