National Capital Region (For April 29, 2016)

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION

National Capital Region, commonly known as Metro Manila is the total urban area that is composed of different cities and the surrounding urban fringe.

Metro Manila is composed of  Manila, the capital city of the country, Quezon City, the country's most populous city, the Municipality of Pateros, and the cities of Caloocan, Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay, Pasig, San Juan, Taguig, and Valenzuela.

Places of Interest:

Rizal Park / Luneta Park

Rizal Park or Luneta Park is the most famous landmark in Manila. The country’s national hero and genius, Jose Rizal’s monument stands in the facade of the park across the Roxas Boulevard and the Manila Bay. Many tourists and locals go there every day to have some photos taken in the famous statue and park. No entrance fee in the park so chillax.

Fort Santiago and Intramuros

One of my favorite places to visit in Manila is Fort Santiago, also part of the famous Intramuros. If you love visiting historical places and seeing vintage stuffs, you’ll surely enjoy this place. Fort Santiago was where Jose Rizal spent his last days before his execution. He also had written some of his writings here. Seeing Fort Santiago mirrors the life and culture of the country during the Spanish times and the sixteenth century. You’ll see here some Rizal’s anecdotes, novels, attire, the room where he was a prisoner, the room where he used to write, his table, his pens, lamps, and yeah I remember seeing a part of Rizal’s spinal bone preserved in the museum there. I think the entrance fee in Fort Santiago and Intramuros cost around 75 pesos. There are also Kalesa or carriage around the area in case you want to tour around riding it.

Mall of Asia

The huge mall is owned by the SM supermalls group. Big concerts and events are usually held here. Just recently, the popular Justin Bieber had his first concert in the country in MOA. Known celebrities and icons also performed here like Beyonce, Rihanna, Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus, Maroon 5, Bruno Mars, and many more. Fantastic fireworks displays are seen every Saturday night and during some special occasions in MOA. International Pyro Musical Competition is also held every year. Experience the best IMAX theater here as well. Totally one of the best tourists spots and places to visit in Manila.

Delicacies:

Balut

A balut (spelled standardized as balot) is a deveping bird embryo (usually a duck or chicken) that is boiled and eaten from the shell. It originates and is commonly sold as street-food in the Philippines.

Kwek-Kwek

Tokneneng is a tempura-like Filipino street food made by deep-frying orange batter covered hard-boiled eggs.
A popular variation of tokneneng is kwek kwek. The main difference between the two lies in the egg that is used. Kwek Kwek is traditionally made with quail eggs or "itlog ng pugo", while Tokneneng is made with chicken or duck eggs. Due to their similarities, the two are often confused with some people calling tokneneng "kwek kwek" and vice versa.

Literary Form:

El Filibusterismo

The novel's dark theme departs dramatically from the previous novel's hopeful and romantic atmosphere, signifying the character Ibarra's resort to solving his country's issues through violent means, after his previous attempt at reforming the country's system have made no effect and seemed impossible with the attitudes of the Spaniards towards the Filipinos. The novel, along with its predecessor, was banned in some parts of the Philippines as a result of their portrayals of the Spanish government's abuse and corruption. These novels along with Rizal's involvement in organizations that aim to address and reform the Spanish system and its issues led to Rizal's exile to Dapitan and eventual execution. Both the novel and its predecessor, along with Rizal's last poem, are now considered Rizal's literary masterpieces.

Noli me Tangere

Noli Me Tángere (Latin for Touch Me Not) is a fictional novel written by José Rizal, one of the national heroes of the Philippines, during the colonization of the country by Spain to expose the inequities of the Spanish Catholic priests and the ruling government.
Originally written in Spanish, the book is more commonly published and read in the Philippines in either Filipino or English. Together with its sequel, El Filibusterismo, the reading of Noli is obligatory for high school students throughout the country