Whenever Manila is mentioned, the speaker actually refers-sometimes unknowingly-to a vast conglomeration of 12 cities and five municipalities. Each is an autonomous political entity, but together functioning as one city called Metro Manila. Exploring this metropolis can be quite a daunting prospect even for its residents, but as a visitor you may rest assured that your stay will be most likely confined to certain areas which likely offers glimpses of Manila's historic places.
A stroll through the 16th-century walled city takes you to such landmarks as San Agustin Church, Luneta Park, and Bahay Tsinoy. Each of these sites deserves to be visited individually, particularly if one is interested in culture. Attached to San Agustin Church, the Philippine's oldest church, is the San Agustin Museum-displays an astonishing array of artistic treasures. Nearby is another point of interest-the Bahay Tsinoy. The Bahay Tsinoy, or the Chinese Filipino House is a mansion located in the Intramuros section of Manila that has been converted into a museum. The museum documents the history, lives and accomplishments of the Chinese in the Philippines, as well as their position in society. Just outside Intramuros' walls lies Luneta Park, where many important historical events have taken place, including the martyrdom of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, our national hero. Rizal's death ushered in in the Philippine Republic, Asia's first democracy. Rizal's monument depicts his courageous stand for freedom and enshrines his mortal remains as a symbol of Filipino nationhood.
In every aspect of Philippine life, in every phase of Philippine history, in its culture and tradition, language and songs, in everything Filipino, there throbs a presence of unique Filipino which found its way there long before Philippine recorded history. We are Filipinos and molded centuries by Philippine life. If Chinese are proud to be a Filipino, then we should be also. We need to trace our history, learn, cherish, be proud of it and share with other Filipino. From a destiny shared with every Filipino, in everything that is Philippines, then, we are enriching this land with the legacies of his Filipino heritage.
