The Philippines Today, Yesterday, and Tomorrow
The street called initially Calle Isaac Peral, named after Isaac Peral y Caballero who was a Spanish naval officer and engineer. Peral invented the first electric-powered submarine in 1888 known as the Peral Submarine. In his younger years, Peral was stationed in the Philippines. It was while here in 1881 that Peral suffered a wound … Read more
Calle Observatorio (Calle Padre Faura) The street was first known as Calle Observatorio, after the Manila Observatory of the Jesuits which was located in the street. The Manila Observatory was established in 1865. It provided scientific data such as weather forecasts as well as seismological data. In 1901, it was recognized by the Americans as … Read more
Calle San Luis (T.M. Kalaw Avenue) This east-west road was once known as Calle San Luis, named after Saint Louis of France, who was king of France from 1126-1270. During the Spanish period, Calle San Luis formed the northern edge of the settlement of Ermita. The area north of it was part of the Bagumbayan … Read more
The National Fruit of the Philippines: The Sweetest Mango in the World The mango is the national fruit of the Philippines, and Philippine yellow mangoes are known to be the sweetest in the world (specifically the Sweet Elena strain from Zambales province) according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Dried mangoes are also popular … Read more
Paseo Padre Burgos (Paseo de las Aguadas/Paseo de Bagumbayan/Paseo de Sebastian Vidal) Paseo de Padre Burgos or Burgos Drive, forms the boundary between Intramuros and Ermita. It was once called Paseo de las Aguadas due to its proximity to the esteros and water-filled moats that surrounded Intramuros. It was also known as Calzada de Bagumbayan, … Read more