Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception

The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic Minor Basilica in the capital of the Philippines, Manila. The cathedral of the Archdiocese of Manila, located within the centuries-old section of Manila called Intramuros, is the seat of the Archbishop of Manila. Having been destroyed several times by natural disasters and fires during its 400-year history, the current structure standing was completed in 1958, the cathedral's sixth incarnation. It is dedicated to Saint Mary under the title "Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception", in her role as patroness of the Philippines.

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

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

Construction of the third cathedral began in 1584. The new structure, consisting of three naves and seven chapels, was blessed in 1614. It was toppled by another earthquake which shook Manila in 1645.

The magnificent fourth cathedral was constructed from 1654 to 1671. It was severely damaged in 1863 by a very strong earthquake that also damaged the Palace of the Governor General of the Philippines. In 1880, another earthquake toppled its bell tower, rendering the cathedral tower less until 1959.

The fifth cathedral was constructed from 1870–1879. It was solemnly blessed in December of 1879. The cross atop the central dome is a reference point of astronomical longitudes of the archipelago. This incarnation of the cathedral was reduced to rubble by the bombing in 1945 during the Battle of Manila.

The present cathedral was constructed from 1954 to 1958 during the tenure of Manila Archbishop Rufino Jiao Cardinal Santos, and under the supervision of architect Fernando Ocampo. It was elevated to the rank of minor basilica in 1981 by Pope John Paul II.

by: John Christian Potenciano

Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene

Quiapo Church, officially known as Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, is a Roman Catholic church located in the District of Quiapo, Manila, in the Philippines. The church is one of the most popular churches in the country. It is home to the Black Nazarene, a much venerated statue of Jesus Christ which many people believe has miraculous attributes. The church was painted cream after the original Mexican Baroque edifice was burned down in 1928. Also known as St. John the Baptist Parish, the church at present belongs to the Archdiocese of Manila. The current rector is Rev. Msgr. Jose Clemente Ignacio, who succeeded Msgr. Josefino Ramirez (the Vicar General of the archdiocese) upon the latter's appointment as rector of the Archdiocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Maysilo, Mandaluyong City.

When Governor General Santiago de Vera founded the District of Quiapo on August 29, 1586, the Franciscan Missionaries built the first church of Quiapo with Bamboo and Nipa. Unfortunately, this church was burned in 1639. Rebuilding and repairs at intervals gave the parish a stronger edifice which the earthquake of 1863 partially destroyed. Under the supervision of Fathers Eusebio de Leon and Manuel Roxas, the third church was completed in 1899, with Fr. Roxas raising PhP. 40,000.00 from contributions. In the fire of October 30, 1928, the church was left in ruins leaving its scarred walls and belfry. Dona Encarnacion Nakpil de Orense, head of the Parish Committee, raised funds for the reconstruction of the church and National Artist for Architecture Juan Nakpil was made responsible for the church's rebuilding. Miraculously, the church survived the ravages of the Second World War, despite its surrounding buildings being completely destroyed.

by: John Christian Potenciano

Parish of the Holy Sacrifice

The Parish of the Holy Sacrifice is the landmark Catholic chapel in the University of the Philippines, Diliman. Known for its architectural design, the church is recognized as a National Historical Landmark and a Cultural Treasure by the National Historical Institute and the National Museum respectively. It was designed by the late National Artist for Architecture, Leandro Locsin, which was only one of the five national artists who collaborated on the project. Alfredo Juinio served as the structural engineer for the project. Other Filipino artists contributed to the design of the interior of the church: Around the Chapel are fifteen large murals painted by Vicente Manansala depicting the Stations of the Cross; The marble altar and the large wooden cross above it were sculpted by Napoleon Abueva; The mosaic floor mural called the “River of Life” was designed by Arturo Luz.

Initially, Leandro Locsin designed the church for the Ossorio family, who was planning to build a chapel in Negros. Unfortunately, when Frederic Ossorio left for the United States, the plans for the chapel were scrapped.

However, in 1955, then University of the Philippines, Diliman Catholic Chaplain, Fr. John Delaney, S.J. commissioned Locsin to design a chapel that is open and can easily accommodate 1,000 people. The Church of Holy Sacrifice is the first round chapel in the Philippines with the altar in the middle, and the first to have a thin shell concrete dome. The floor of the church was designed by Arturo Luz, the Stations of the Cross by Vicente Manansala and Ang Kiukok, and the double-sided crucifix and altar base by Napoleon Abueva, all of whom are now National Artists.

by: John Christian Potenciano

Robinson Place Manila

Robinsons Place Manila or Robinsons Midtown Mall is a shopping mall located in the city of Manila. It was the second and by-far, the largest Robinsons Mall ever built by John Gokongwei. It began operations in 1995 and was opened in 1997. The mall features anchors like Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Department Store.

Robinsons Manila was originally built in the 1980s. It was then redeveloped into a 7-level shopping complex that houses more than 330 local shops, dining outlets, entertainment facilities and service centers. The Padre Faura Wing was opened on June 2000 which contains more shopping and dining facilities. It has opened another wing, The Midtown Wing or The Midtown in mid-2008 making it larger than Robinson's Galleria and therefore the largest Robinson's Mall.


By: JAYMAR OBSTACULO

SM North

SM City North EDSA is the first SM Supermall operated by SM Prime Holdings, which is the largest retail and mall operator in the Philippines. SM City North Edsa is the largest shopping mall in the Philippines and the second largest shopping mall in the world, having a gross floor area of 460,000 square meters. It is located at the intersection of North Avenue and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) in Quezon City, approximately a kilometer west of Quezon City Hall and 10 kilometres north of Makati City. SM North EDSA's First major tenants are Manels, Jollibee, Ricky Reyes, National Bookstore, French Baker, Sportshouse, McDonald’s, Max's of Manila, Goldilocks Bakeshop, Dimensione, Magic, Ideal Vision, Fabric Warehouse, and Multi time^[1].

Construction of SM City North EDSA started in 1983 and opened in 1985. Since then, the shopping mall has undergone several expansions and renovations. It features SM Department Store, The flagship SM Supermarket, a bowling alley, a food court, a Sky Garden, an entertainment stage for events, a 12-cinema complex, a Hypermarket, and 820 specialty shops and restaurants. In 2006, Ayala Malls constructed TriNoma, a shopping mall across North Avenue from SM City North EDSA, and created significant market competition.


By: JAYMAR OBSTACULO

Robinson Galleria

Robinsons Galleria Mall is located near P. Poveda; near Ortigas Ave; 0.1 kilometre away from Arcadia Avenue; 0.2 kilometre away from Mrt Line 3; 0.2 kilometre away from Edsa; Robinsons Galleria Mall is geographically located at latitude (14.5913 degrees) 14° 35' 28" North of the Equator and longitude (121.0595 degrees) 121° 3' 34" East of the Prime Meridian on the Map of Manila.

The locations related to Robinsons Galleria Mall are represented by the shortest path a radio wave would travel and may not be nearest by road. For example, Robinsons Galleria Mall is located 0.1 kilometre from Crowne Plaza. Robinsons Galleria Mall is located 0.2 kilometre from Holiday Inn Galleria Manila. Robinsons Galleria Mall is located 0.2 kilometre from EDSA Shrine. Robinsons Galleria Mall is located 0.2 kilometre from Poveda Learning Center. Robinsons Galleria Mall is located 0.2 kilometre from Robinsons PCI Bank Tower.


By: JAYMAR OBSTACULO

Greenbelt

Greenbelt is a shopping mall located at Ayala Center, Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines which is just near Glorietta and SM Makati. It's owned by Ayala Malls, a real-estate subsidiary of Ayala Land, which is an affiliate of Ayala Corporation. It opened in the 1980s and it is one of Ayala Corporation's flagship projects. The mall offers a mix of high-end retail shops, restaurants, amenities, leisure and entertainment in the Philippines. Currently, the mall has 5 sections, 2 are indoor buildings and the other 2 buildings are open-air shopping. The most recent addition, Greenbelt 5, opened in 2007.


BY : FRANCIUS B. BALDEMORO

Shangri-la Plaza

The Shangri-La Plaza Corporation (SLPC) was established in November 1991. SLPC manages the Shangri-La Plaza – the country’s premier upscale shopping and lifestyle destination. The Shangri-La Plaza offers its customers a complete and carefully selected mix of superior goods and services in well-planned merchandise zones. Esteemed names in fashion and lifestyle including Zara, Paul Smith, Cartier and Escada have taken residence within the mall. The Shangri-La Plaza also plays host to events, performances and exhibits showcasing the best of the metro’s culture and arts.

In 2003, the mall was awarded the Best Shopping Center of the Year by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Philippine Retailers Association.

With its span of successes and retail excellence, The Shangri-La Plaza continues to realize its vision of being Manila’s top lifestyle destination.

Shangri-La Plaza is an upscale shopping mall situated in the Ortigas Center, a business/commercial district in Mandaluyong City, Philippines.

It is surrounded by four streets in the commercial area, namely, Internal Avenue, St. Francis Avenue, Shaw Boulevard and the major highway EDSA. Affectionately called The Shang, this seven-storey structure is also accessible through the Shaw Boulevard MRT Station in the fifth floor which connects it to the Manila Metro Rail Transit System.

It is also the only retail arm of Kuok Group of Companies, the owner of the worldwide chain of Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts

For more information, visit www.shangrila-plaza.com

BY :FRANCIUS B. BALDEMORO

TriNoMa

TriNoma, or Triangle North of Manila, is a large shopping mall in Quezon City in the Philippines owned by property development firm Ayala Land Inc. Opened in 2007, the mall is located on the side of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, near the North Avenue MRT Station in Quezon City, giving significant market competition to the nearby SM City North EDSA as one of the largest malls in Manila's metropolitan area

BY: FRANCIUS B. BALDEMORO

SM Megamall

SM Megamall is a a large shopping mall located in the Ortigas business district of Metro Manila, Philippines. It is the third SM Supermall developed and operated by SM Prime Holdings, the largest mall operator in the Philippines owned by Henry Sy Sr.. The mall has two buildings interconnected with a bridge. The mall is measured with a land area of approximately 18-hectares and has a total floor area of an estimated 348,000 m², making it the third largest shopping mall in the country and seventh largest shopping mall in the world. Megamall is the mall that gave attention to Filipinos to make way for the malling experience.

The mall attracts a daily foot traffic of 800,000 people. Currently, SM Megamall is under major renovation and expansion with the 3-hectare parking lot in front of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) will be redeveloped into more mall space. When finished, it will be envisioned to become the largest mall in the country, surpassing SM City North EDSA.

The mall has the maximum capacity of 4 million people.

• Constructed in 1989
• Opened its doors on June 28, 1991

By: KIM QUI T. ROLDAN

SM Mall of Asia (MOA)

SM Mall of Asia (MOA) is a shopping mall owned and developed by SM Prime Holdings, the largest mall developer and owner in the Philippines. SM Mall of Asia is the second largest shopping mall in the Philippines and the 4th largest shopping mall in the world. It has a land area of 42 hectares and has a gross floor area of an approximate 390,193 m² (4.2 million square feet) and 407,101 m² of total area. The mall is located at Bay City, Pasay City, Philippines just near the SM Central Business Park, the Manila Bay and the southern end of EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue). The mall attracts a daily foot traffic of 200,000 people.

• Construction began in mid-2002

By: KIM QUI T. ROLDAN

Gateway Mall

Gateway Mall is a shopping mall complex located at Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City. Also underway at Araneta Center is a mall expansion and construction of the Gateway Tower. Gateway Mall has won some awards in terms of its mall design and tenant mix which made the mall to become the 2006-2007 shopping mall of the year. The mall features more than 300 shops and restaurants anchored by Rustan's, Food Express, a 9 Digital Cineplex and a Globe Platinum Cinema and a games arcade.

• 2003 - Constructed
• 2004 - Opened

By: KIM QUI T. ROLDAN