Beautiful Philippines: A Handbook of General InformationPhilippine Islands. Commission of Independence
History
Beautiful Philippines: A Handbook of General Information
Philippine Islands. Commission of Independence
Philippines -- Description and travel; Philippines -- Economic conditions
The principal attractions on this avenue, are the Grand Opera House
where periodical performances are held by foreign opera companies,
the Stadium where prize fighting is held between Filipino boxers as
well as between Filipino and foreign boxers, the Central Methodist
Church, and the San Lazaro Hospital.
[Bilibid Prison]
This avenue is intersected by an equally broad thoroughfare formed by
Azcarraga Street, on which are numerous small shops, several theaters
of various grades, and several residential homes. On the sea-side of
this thoroughfare is situated the Cathedral of the Independent Filipino
Church, an institution headed by Archbishop Aglipay, and having about
3,000,000 members. Other places of interest are the Zorrilla Theater,
the Centro Escolar de Señoritas, a private school for girls, being
the biggest institution of the kind in Manila, and Bilibid Prison,
the great central penitentiary of the Philippines and one of the
largest and best-managed institutions of the kind in the world.
The average number of inmates of Bilibid Prison is between 2,500 and
3,000. The main part of the prison, which altogether covers twenty
acres, consists of well-ventilated wards radiating from a central
tower; cells are little used. There is a fine hospital, a school,
and a highly developed system of industries. Visitors are admitted
everyday for the ceremony of retreat, which occurs at about 4:30 in
the afternoon. The salesroom, where the products of the prison shops
may be seen and purchased, are open to the public during the regular
office hours. Perhaps the best work is to be found in the furniture of
native hardwood; but the wicker furniture, the desk sets, and other
small articles of hardwood, the silverware, and the local curios are
well worth inspection.
[Taft Avenue]
Another wide and picturesque avenue branches off from Burgos Drive,
a short distance from the City Hall. This is called the Taft Avenue,
after the first civil governor of the Philippines, Honorable William
H. Taft, now Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Along
this avenue are several modern concrete buildings, the most important
of which are the Philippine Normal School, the Normal Hall, a dormitory
for ladies, the Santa Rita's Hall, the Central School for American
and European children, the Nurses' Home, and the Philippine General
Hospital.
Turning to the right, on Padre Faura Street, the traveler comes across
a number of the buildings of the Philippine University, all of which
are of reinforced concrete and modern in every respect. The large
vacant space behind these buildings is the University Campus where
athletic exercises and military drills are held almost every afternoon.
[Central Observatory]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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