Mandaluyong City

 

Mandaluyong City is referred to as “Tiger City of the Philippines”, “Metro Manila’s Heart”, and the “Shopping Mall Capital of the Philippines”. It is well developed that many of its infrastructures are owned and managed by the most successful business men in the country.

 

Some of the attractions in the city are the Ortigas Center, one of the centers of business and commerce in the metropolis. Part of the Ortigas Center are the main headquarters of Asian development bank, Banco De Oro, and the headquarters of San Miguel Corporation, Southeast Asia’s largest food and beverage company. Also located here is the Unilab, one of the most prominent pharmaceutical laboratories and factories.

 

Aside from the malls and shopping centers, Mandaluyong also has tourist spots that reflects the history. To name a few:

• Dambana ng mga Alaala (Memorial Monument) – a monument for the people who struggled for liberty and freedom during the revolution period.

• Don Bosco Technical College – used to be known as San Carlos Seminary. The Japanese made this as their headquarters during the World War II.

 

Visit the Official City Government Website of Mandaluyong, click here

 

 

 

City of San Juan 

 

SAN JUAN CITY is a HISTORIC CITY right in the heart of Metro Manila. It is geographically small but very big in terms of cultural significance, social prominence, economic progress and tourism potentials.

 

San Juan is located at the very core of the metropolis. It only has a land area of 5.94 square kilometers, which accounts for a less than one percent of the total land area of National Capital Region, the urban center of the country. Its size has become an advantage because it is easier to manage and govern.

 

Among the many interesting places in San Juan are the Pinaglabanan Shrine, which marks the 1897 battle of the Philippine Revolution, and the Greenhills Shopping Center, a popular bargain mall for consumer electronics, clothing and other merchandise.

 

The city also has several notable places of worship. Saint John the Baptist Parish, more commonly known as "Pinaglabanan Church", is where the city's patron saint, John the Baptist, is enshrined. The Santuario del Cristo Church is the settlement's oldest existing church, while Mary the Queen Parish in West Greenhills serves the local Filipino-Chinesecommunity, and is a popular venue for weddings.

 

From 1925-1971, the Iglesia ni Cristo once headquartered in the town at its former Central Office Complex, now known as the Locale of F. Manalo. It features Art-Deco designed ensembles, crafted by National Artist for Architecture Juan Nakpil. The Chapel is the centerpiece of the Complex, which also contains the old Central Office and Pastoral House which was the home of the church's first Executive Minister, Ka Felix Manalo, along with other Ministers and Evangelical Workers. When Manalo died in 1963, a Mausoleum was constructed on the grounds of the Complex by Architect Carlos Santos-Viola.

 

 

Marikina City

 

Marikina was given the title Shoe Capital of the Philippines because of its notable shoe industry, being the biggest manufacturer of shoes in the Philippines, producing almost 70% of shoe production in the country. The Shoe Museum houses part of the famous shoe collection of the former First Lady Imelda Marcos, shoes of some of the world leaders and celebrities and shoes of different countries, making it the world's largest collection of pair of shoes in a museum.

 

Marikina is the main gateway of Metro Manila to Rizal Province as well as Quezon Province. It is one of the most awarded metropolitan city in the Philippines, including the prestigious "Most Competitive Cities in the Philippines" awarded by National Competitiveness Council in 2003 and 2005, and until now, Marikina maintains on top 10 list in Philippine rankings, and ranking number 1 in Metro Manila for many years. The city is rapidly transformed into a highly urbanized and one of the wealthiest local government unit in the Philippines. It is also home of some of high-end communities in Metro Manila, such as Loyola Grand Villas, Provident Villages and gated communities in Barangay Industrial Valley and Marikina Heights where many of the wealthy and famous live.

 

Some of the tourist attractions:

Marikina River Park 
Spurred by the death of natural resources resulting from the continuous growth in residential areas, the City of Marikina took pains in rehabilitating and converting the 220 ha. Marikina River into a sports and recreational park. 

Jesus dela Peña Chapel 
One of the old churches of Marikina built in honor of the Infant Child Jesus. 

Tuazon Entertainment Zone 
The Tuazon Entertainment zone is a one-kilometer stretch of entertainment centers to include sing-along bars, restaurants, and cafes located at the heart of the city. 

Doll Museum 
Located inside Kapitan Moy, the Doll Museum houses an impressive collection of Patio Tesoro Nenita dolls where historic events of Marikina are depicted in dioramas. 

Teatro Marikina 
Opened last December 2002, Teatro Marikina is the manifestation of the city's commitment to the development of culture and arts. This facility caters to various events such as plays, concerts, shows, graduations, exhibits and seminars. 

 

 

Pasig City

 

Pasig  is one of the highly urbanized cities of Metro Manila in the Philippines and was the former capital of the province of Rizal prior to the formation of the grouping of cities designated as the National Capital Region. Located along the eastern border of Metro Manila, Pasig is bordered on the west by Quezon City and Mandaluyong City; to the north by Marikina City; to the south by Makati City, Pateros, and Taguig City; and to the east by Antipolo City, the municipality of Cainta and Taytay in the province of Rizal.

 

Pasig is primarily residential and industrial, but has been becoming increasingly commercial in these recent years. Pasig is one of the three municipalities appointed by the diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines (as the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pasig), making the Pasig Cathedral (formerly The Immaculate Conception Cathedral) a landmark, coinciding to itstownship in the year 1573.

 

Some of the tourist spots are:

 

• Immaculate Conception Cathedral - Also known as the Pasig Cathedral. It is the oldest edifice within Pasig built in 1575. The present church was which was built between 1722-1760 and this is considered as the first Marian Parish in the Philippines.

•  

• Bahay na Tisa - Owned by 7 generations of Tech Family up to present. It is built by Don Cecilio Tech y Cabrera in the early 1850's and used as venue for meetings during the Martial Law being called as the Freedom House during that time. Even become an unofficial San Jose Barangay Headquarters. It also houses the Santo Nino de Pasion which sick people visited and received Holy Communion every Easter Sunday. The house is built in adobe stone supporting the hardwood material on the second floor. The roofing used to be a Tisa before it was replaced by Asbestos due to damages causes by War. This is declared as the oldest Bahay na Bato in Pasig City.

 

• Cuartel Del Guardia Civil - Also known as the Guanio Residence. It was built in 1881 by Don Apolonio Santiago y Domingo before it was converted to a prison for captive katipuneros. This was acquired by Engr. & Mrs. Domingo Guanio.

 

• Pasig City Museum - It was formerly know as the Concepcion Mansion as it was built by Don Fortunato Concepcion in 1937. It was used during the Japanese war as headquarters of Japanese and this is where the americans hoisted the American Flag as a sign of freedom from Japan. In 1980, the City of Pasig acquired the house from Dr. Jose Concepcion, heir of Don Cecilio Concepcion and was converted as the official museum of the city. It went rehabilitation and restoration in 2008. It is considered as one of the best local historical museum in the Philippines.

 

Cainta, Rizal

 

The Municipality of Cainta (Filipino: Bayan ng Cainta) is a first-class urban municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. It is one of the oldest (originally founded on August 15, 1571), and has a land area of 4,299 hectares (10,620 acres).

 

Cainta serves as the secondary gateway to the rest of Rizal province from Metro Manila. With the continuous expansion of Metro Manila, Cainta is now part of Manila's conurbation, which reaches Cardona in its westernmost part, and is therefore one of the most urbanized towns.

 

With a population of 311,845 inhabitants per the 2010 census, Cainta now holds the record as the most populous municipality in the Philippines, although there are efforts underway to convert it into a city. Its income of Php766,924,602 makes it the richest municipality in the country.

 

Cainta face different challenges especially with its boundary disputes with Pasig (Greenpark, Karangalan, St. Joseph, Villarica, Riverside, and Midtown), Taytay (Greenland and eastern part of Cainta), and Antipolo (Valley golf, Valley view, and Palmera Heights)

 

Taytay, Rizal

 

The Municipality of Taytay is a first class, densely populated municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. It is currently the third most populous municipality in the country. Conurbated with Metro Manila, it is bounded by Cainta on the north, Pasig Cityand Taguig City on the west, Antipolo City in the East and Angono on the South. It is the "Woodworks and Garments Capital Of the Philippines", although there are efforts underway to convert it into a city.

 

Taytay's local income surged to Php 501,779,646.00 in 2011, making it the second richest municipality in the province after Cainta. The economy is in transitory period from agricultural to a more pronounced commercial and industrial activities.