Explore Manila! (Malabon)

More than their pancit and kakanin, the city of Malabon is also known as the heritage city of Metro Manila because of its well-preserved heritage houses. It is a heritage and culinary destination in the metro. Welcome to Explore Malabon!

This leg of our photowalk, which we have dubbed as "pencilwalks", is a part of a project that I spearheaded where a group of Instagrammers or IGers will be going around Metro Manila this 2015 to discover its sights and sounds. Dubbed as "Explore Manila!", we would like to give "staycation" a different look. At the end of this series, we would like to answer this question - what makes Metro Manila an alternative tourist destination?

Explore Malabon!

Malabon is one of the densely populated cities located north of the metropolis. The city sits on a flat low-lying terrain making the city susceptible to flooding especially during the rainy season. The city was once under the jurisdiction of Tondo and was initially known as Tambobong. It was inaugurated as a city in 2001 when it celebrated its 407th founding anniversary.

C. Arellano and Gen. Luna Streets

Malabon is one of the early settlements in Manila and heritage houses is a common sight along Malabon's main thoroughfares. The great thing about it is that most of these houses are well-preserved and are still functional. On the back side of it though was that we were not able to get into one as most of it are privately owned. But it was nice to admire these old houses as we walked along Luna Street.

Heritage houses are preserved and are still in use in Malabon.

Food Stop: Jamico Restaurant

Malabon is a gastronomic destination and since we wanted to take a break from our morning walk, we decided to take our first food stop in a restaurant famous for their crispy pata - Judy Ann's Crispy Pata. Thanks to our foodie researcher, @aizeecream, we braved another 30 minutes of walking just to search for this place and it was worth the wait.

A definite must-try when you are in Malabon.

The crispy pata was crunchy, tender, and tasty. It had that right flavor and had that sweet tangy twist. The sweet tangy taste was from the homemade pickled relish that they sprinkle on the meat. A definite must-try dish when you are in Malabon.

Simbahan ng Concepcion

The "Simbahan ng Concepcion" is one of the oldest churches in Malabon as it was established in 1607 by the Augustinians. The current structure of the church was built in 1886. The church became the home of the Philippine Independent Church in 1902 and was later turned over back to the Roman Catholic church in 1906 after a Supreme Court decision in favor of the latter.

The church was designed with buttresses that could withstand earthquakes. The simple facade conceals the interior beauty of the church. A historical marker, installed in front, reminds its parishioners and tourists of its historical significance.

The simple facade of the historical church - Simbahan ng Concepcion.

The church is magnificent with its grand interiors. The ceilings look grand with the 14 stations painted on the ceilings of the church. The altar's main highlight is the image of the Immaculate Concepcion, the patroness of the church. The same image was canonically crowned by the late Jaime Cardinal Sin in 1986.

The magnificent interiors of the Concepcion Church.

Angel Cacnio Gallery

Tucked comfortably in Malabon is a home that houses the great works of Angel Cacnio. The gallery is located within the compound of his home and if you plan to visit the gallery, a prior appointment with them or the city government is needed. We were lucky that Mr. Cacnio was welcoming when we arrived and was warm enough to accommodate our "surprise" visit.

The home of Mr. Cacnio serves as his art gallery.

Angel Cacnio is a multi-awarded artist from Malabon having received the Gintong Parangal ng Malabon In 1981 and the Gintong Ama for Arts and Culture in 1996. He is a graduate of Fine Arts from UP Diliman and he is the artist behind the design of the 20-peso and 100-peso bills that are currently in circulation. His gallery showcases his passion for Philippine heritage, history, legends, values, and beliefs.

The warm reception of Mr. Cacnio was a welcome relief from the summer afternoon heat. I enjoyed listening to the stories behind his artworks. A painting of a lady hangs on a wall turned out to be a portrait of his wife that he gave as a gift. It was a profession of his unending love to her. He also has a wide collection of artworks that depict Filipino values and traditions.

A panoramic view of the gallery.

He gamely showed us newsprints of the recognitions given to him by various organizations. He was proud to also show us his art designs on Philippine currency when he was commissioned for it. He was also proud to show us his approved designs for the Php20 and Php100 bills.

A visit will not be complete without a group picture with Mr. Cacnio. Photo credits to @ryandeguzman_

What really stood out for me for his warm personality. He was like a father who was showing of his works to his kids. He was beaming and you could really feel his excitement with every bit of story that he shares. One amazing thing is being able to see and feel his passion for the arts.

Malabon City Hall Compound

Rising from the Malabon landscape is the Malabon City Hall. The new building sits just right beside the Navotas River. It offers a great view of the Navotas skyline on the other side.

The Malabon City Hall was opened in 2008 as a one-stop shop for local government transaction. It prides itself for its digital system which aims to make government transactions faster.

The Malabon City Hall dominates the city's skyline.

We came to visit the compound with the afternoon sun. It allowed us to capture great cityscape silhouettes with Navotas on the background. It also allowed us to play around with our shadows in taking our captures.

San Bartolome Church

The San Bartolome is one of the oldest churches in Metro Manila. The church was established in 1614 and the construction of the first stone structure started in 1622. Further construction continued in succeeding years and in 1861, the construction of the Parthenon exteriors and columns started.

The church was badly damaged during the World War 2 and was restored starting in 1951. It was in 1958 that efforts to restore its dome and belfry started. San Bartolome Church has 7 bells under its care at present, two of which are dedicated to Sta. Rita and one to San Bartolome.

The Greco-Roman facade of San Bartolome Church.

The strong facade of the San Bartolome complements the towering building of the city hall as they stand side by side. It is reminiscent of the strength of government and religion in our country. Its architectural design and columns is similar to that of Greco-Roman Temples. I remember standing in front of the church and I was just amazed by its sheer beauty.

The grand interiors of the San Bartolome Church in Malabon.

The grand interiors are hard to miss with its painted ceilings and its dome. The church is highlighted by a simple retablo with San Bartolome as its central figure. The interiors and the exterior design of the church complements each other with its grand intricate designs.

Food Stop: Nanay's Pancit Malabon

Having a taste of Pancit Malabon is a must when you are in Malabon. This is one dish that placed Malabon in the culinary map of the Philippines. We headed off to Nanay's Pancit Malabon along Gov. Pascual Avenue where we heard has an authentic take on the dish.

Nanay's Pancit Malabon looks like your usual eatery by the street but do not be deceived by its looks as it has the tastiest pancit malabon dish that I have tasted. It does not scrimp on ingredients. A single serving is enough to satisfy your noodle cravings.

A definite must-eat when you are in Malabon.

Pasalubong Find: Dolor's Kakanin

I am such a huge fan of kakanin and one thing that you should have before leaving Malabon is Dolor's Kakanin. At present, they have six kakanin on their menu list - Sapin-sapin, Kalamay Ube, Biko, Kamoteng kahoy, and Mais. They also have puto galapong ang my personal favorite, pitsi-pitsi.

Dolor's Kakanin is one that has been part of Malabon's culinary heritage dating as far back as the 1930s. Now, these rice cakes are one of the most sought after desserts and snacks by Filipinos.

Post Travel Notes:

Our Malabon exploration is one that I will forever remember with fondness as I met one of the finest artists in the Philippines - Angel Cacnio. I think it is the highlight of our walk. My only regret is not being able to ask him to sign a Php20 bill for my keepsake. I guess that will be one reason for me to head back to his gallery and have a chat with him again.

We ended the afternoon watching the sun set over the Navotas skyline.

Malabon was a history and cultural delight for me. It is amazing to see heritage sights standing beside modern structures. It was also great to discover how the city government is able to optimize tourism opportunities with their tricycle tours. Now, that is one that I need to try out soon.