National Museum of Natural History

The Philippines' National Museum of Natural History opened on May 18, 2018. At the time of my visit (August 2018), only seven of the twelve galleries have opened, the other five were still works in progress.

There are exhibits about the Philippines' UNESCO Natural Heritage Sites; species of plants and animals that have been discovered in the country; mangroves, beaches, wetlands, and forests in the Philippines; and marine, plant, and animal life of our country.

Plants and animals discovered in the Philippines

There are replicas (such as Rafflesia, the world's largest flower, which I learned we had 13 species of! But, sadly, endangered.), miniature models (such as the lakes in the Philippines), life-size models (making you feel like you were walking through a forest or a mangrove), taxidermied animals, pressed plants, interactive zones, and activity areas.

Explore the mangrove

Check out the flora and fauna of a mossy forest

The mangroves and forests (pine forests, mossy forests, rainforests, etc) exhibits I thought were pretty awesome. It was like walking through a mangrove/forest and observing the creatures that inhabit it. It was also interesting to learn about the animals endemic to the country. Some creatures I had only heard and seen for the first time: such as the weird looking bird called Philippine Frogmouth.

Take a closer look at these plants

Two extinct birds in the Philippines: spot-billed pelican (left) and sarus crane (right).

Marbled water monitor, endemic to the Philippines

Of all the exhibits, my favorite would have to be about the underwater life in the Philippines. I love the sea but can only dream of scuba diving. In this exhibit, I learned about some corals that I have seen while snorkeling, poisonous corals and creatures, and which areas in the Philippines we can find whales, dolphins and sea cows.

Check out this corner to know where to spot whales, dolphins, and sea cows in the Philippines.

The titan triggerfish (center, back row) attacked me in Gilutungan!

It makes me proud that we have these museums—National Museum of Natural History, National Art Gallery, Museum of the Filipino People—in the country! And then it makes me sad to learn how we have taken our natural resources for granted. We have many animals endemic to our country, but are a threatened species (Philippine eagle, tamaraw, rufous hornbill, Visayan warty pig, etc) because of hunting and loss of habitat. In 1900, we had 70% of forest cover. It is now 2018; the chart shows just data from 1999 and the projection for 2010! I shudder to think how little is left—if any at all!

National Museum of Natural History
Teodoro F. Valencia Circle, Ermita, Manila
Tuesday to Sunday 10AM to 5PM
Free admission

Directions: Take the LRT to United Nations Station. Walk 300 meters to the National Museum of Natural History.

Libingan ng mga Bayani

My travel buddy abandoned me in a cemetery in Taguig because I was a pain to be with. He wanted me buried in one of the plots there. Unfortunately for him, I was no hero. Just joking. He had to fly home on an emergency and I decided to visit a cemetery. But the first story would have been more interesting. I would have asked him to choose a spot next to one of the Philippine presidents.

Libingan ng mga Bayani in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig is the final resting place of tens of thousands of Filipinos who have brought honor to the country: soldiers, statesmen, national artists/scientists, presidents.

The words of General Douglas MacArthur

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

It was a gloomy and quiet afternoon when I visited Libingan ng mga Bayani. I found the graves of three of four Philippine presidents: Elpidio Quirino, Carlos Garcia, and Ferdinand Marcos. (I didn't see Diosdado Macapagal's.) Ferdinand Marcos's was being guarded by three soldiers and visitors had to write down their names on a logbook.

Memorials were erected around the cemetery. One is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with three pillars representing Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. There are memorials for the Filipino soldiers who fought in the Korean War, in the Vietnam War, and in World War II.

And around the 103-hectare cemetery were thousands of white crosses marking the graves of soldiers. The stillness of the cemetery disrupted every five minutes or so by a plane flying overhead.

From Manila to Bataan by Ferry

What's the shortest distance between two points? A straight line! And that is what 1Bataan Integrated Transport System has brought to the people: a faster option (a little over an hour) to get from Manila to Bataan. From Esplanade Seaside Terminal MOA (Manila) to Port Capinpin in Orion, Bataan (and vice versa) to be exact.

Photo from Budget Biyahera

This service has been running for less than a year (it made its maiden voyage on December 11, 2017). The ferry is very clean, the aircondition really cold. If you watch the movie that they show during the journey, expect to walk out of the ferry freezing and wondering what happens at the end of the movie. Freezing if you sit right in front of the TV which has the AC above the TV and wondering because the journey is just a little over an hour and the movie take at least 1.5 hours. Which is what happened to us, the staff had to call our attention because we were too absorbed in the movie to notice that we were the only guests left in the ferry, everyone else had disembarked!

Inside the ferry

Although taking the bus would be cheaper (about Php300), taking the ferry would be faster, traffic free, and more comfortable. The ferry ticket costs Php450 (one way) when booked online, but way more expensive when booked at the terminal at Php799 (one way).

Daily Schedule
(As of August 6, 2018; Please check 1Bataan Integrated Transport System's website or facebook page for updates)
Manila to Orion 7AM
Orion to Manila 9AM

Clean and Comfy Airbnb in Taguig

This Airbnb is a 23-square-meter studio apartment in a condominium building in Taguig. It is very clean and in a secure building. Clear information regarding rules and check in is provided upon booking. The owner may be reached by mobile phone and is very responsive. Self check in process is quick and easy.

The apartment is exactly as advertised. It has an excellent airconditioner (very cold!), WiFi, TV, microwave, refrigerator, stove, water heater, plates and utensils. Towels, soap, shampoo, and toilet paper are provided.

The location is also excellent—just 5 kilometers from the airport, a 3-minute walk to Venice Grand Canal Mall, a short ride to Market! Market!, Bonifacio High Street, The Mind Museum, Manila American Cemetery and Memorial, and Libingan ng mga Bayani. And on the ground floor of the building next door is a small grocery store.

It is a bit pricey if only one person stays, but good value for 3 (about Php 2100 for up to 3 persons, including cleaning fee and service fee) to 4 persons (about Php 2400).

Learn Science at The Mind Museum

Science doesn't have to be boring. The Mind Museum agrees. The Mind Museum is an interactive science museum where guests, young and old alike, are encouraged to perform tasks in order to understand a particular concept.

The Mind Museum is the first (and only, that I am aware of) science museum in the Philippines. Visitors can either choose the 3-hour pass (Php600 for adults, Php450 for students) or the all-day pass (Php750). There are three time slots for the 3-hour pass: 9AM, 12NN, and 3PM.

For the love of science, I, the thrifty one, gave up my 600 pesos. The three-hour access pass, in my experience, gave me enough time to check out all 250 interactive exhibits in the museum.

Aedi (left) and a Mind Mover on a Segway (right)

Before we began our scientific journey, we were welcomed by Aedi the robot and by Mind Movers (the museum's resident scientists) on Segways. The kids were definitely awestruck with the talking robot.

The Mind Museum has five galleries, namely: Atom, Earth, Life, Universe, and Technology. I was hoping a Mind Mover would act as a guide and explain what each gallery is about, but that was not the case. We were to learn and experience on our own.

 

Exhibits from the Atom (left) and Earth (right) galleries.
I am not going to post too many photos so as not to spoil your visit.

 Earthquake simulator

When trying out the exhibits, do remember to be considerate of other visitors and not hog the exhibits. One must also have the patience to read and follow instructions. Do not just randomly press buttons and pull levers. One, the experiment wouldn't work. Two, you might break it.

Some of the galleries show short films or have experiment demonstrations. Spare some time to watch the shows, it will be interesting. If your level of interest is not the same as mine, at least you can nap on the couch in the Space Shell while the film runs.

 Science in the Park

Learning is not only limited within the walls of the museum. Kids will surely enjoy the park outside. There, they can learn science through play. To gain entry to the park, one just needs to present their museum pass.

The Mind Museum
JY Campos Park, 3rd Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
(02) 909 6463
inquiry@themindmuseum.org
Tuesdays to Sundays 9AM-6PM (Closes at 9PM on Saturdays)

Museum of the Filipino People

Boring. Nerdy. Ignorant. Call me any or all of these and I will agree with you. Boring because I'd rather go to museums than malls. Nerdy because I like learning (but have no patience to read the lengthy descriptions in an exhibit). Ignorant because I didn't know until early this year that we have the Museum of the Filipino People.

The Museum of the Filipino People is part of the National Museum. It is in the old Finance building located behind the National Art Gallery.

The National Museum

P Burgos Drive, Rizal Park, Manila

Tuesdays to Sundays 10AM-5PM

Entrance Fee:

Adults Php 150

Senior Citizens Php 120

Students Php 50

Free admission on Sundays

The entrance fee gives access to the following:

National Art Gallery

Museum of the Filipino People

National Planetarium

Note: Taking photos is allowed but no flash photography,

commercial photography, videography, and tripods.

The Museum of the Filipino People has the following on exhibit:

San Diego

The San Diego was a galleon built in Cebu in 1590 by Spanish, Chinese, and Filipino shipbuilders. It sunk near the province of Batangas in 1600. The wreck was discovered in the early 1990s with more than 30,000 artifacts recovered. The exhibit toured around the world before becoming a permanent exhibit in the Museum of the Filipino People.

Kaban ng Lahi (Archaeological Treasures)

This gallery contains a collection of burial jars and vessels unearthed from various caves around the Philippines. Here, you will see jars and pots of different designs (there were burial jars shaped like heads) and learn how our ancestors buried their dead.

Clockwise from top left: a diorama of the discovery of burial jars in a cave; Manunggul jar, a burial jar discovered in Tabon Cave in Palawan; and Masuso pots (look closely it's got breasts!)

Kinahinatnan (The Filipinos and their Rich Cultural Heritage)

An exhibit about the different ethnolinguistic groups in the Philippines. My favorite gallery!

Baybayin

This gallery was just opened in February 2013. It's a small exhibit about Baybayin, the ancient Philippine script. What caught my eye in this exhibit was the Laguna Copper plate, the earliest known written document in the Philippines. It was discovered in Laguna in 1986. (The Laguna Copper plate is not the only thing on exhibit in the gallery but it's the only thing I took a photo of. :-)

 The Laguna Copper plate and its translation (click to enlarge).

There is also a zoological collection where you will find preserved insects and animals (what else!). I was too mesmerized by the creepy stuffed birds that I forgot to take some photos of the gallery. And here are exhibits that I forgot which gallery they belonged to:

Clockwise from top: Butuan Boat (evidence of an ancient maritime culture in the Philippines, one of the Butuan boats have been dated 320AD); a diorama of how archaeologists conduct underwater research; and a diorama of Rakuh-a-idi, a pre-Hispanic settlement in Batan Island (Batanes)

I am truly glad we have the Museum of the Filipino People and the National Art Gallery (can't say anything about the National Planetarium because I have not been there). Great job curators!

When in Manila, I encourage you to spend a few hours at the Museum of the Filipino People and the National Art Gallery.

This article is now available as a mobile app. Go to GPSmyCity to download the app for GPS-assisted travel directions to the attractions featured in this article.

The National Museum:
National Art Gallery
Museum of the Filipino People (you're here!)

National Art Gallery at the National Museum

I am no art expert, I am just an art gawker. When in Manila, a visit to the National Art Gallery at the National Museum is a must for art lovers. 

The National Museum

P Burgos Drive, Rizal Park, Manila

Tuesdays to Sundays 10AM-5PM

Entrance Fee:

Adults Php 150

Senior Citizens Php 120

Students Php 50

Free admission on Sundays

The entrance fee gives access to the following:

National Art Gallery

Museum of the Filipino People

Planetarium

Taking photos is allowed but no flash photography, commercial photography, videography, and tripods.

 

The National Art Gallery is housed in a grand old building that was originally designed to be a public library, then transformed into the Legislative Building. It was only in 2003 that the building was renovated to become the National Art Gallery.

There are eleven galleries in the National Art Gallery exhibiting the works of Juan Luna, Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, Jose Rizal, and Fernando Amorsolo, among others. Regrettably, I only had time to see to see one gallery and I chose to spend my very limited time in the Hall of the Masters.

In awe of Spoliarium

Two works of art that have been declared as National Cultural Treasures can be found in the Hall of the Masters: Juan Luna's Spoliarium and Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo's La Tragedia de Gubernador Bustamante. Juan Luna's Spoliarium received a gold medal in the 1884 Madrid Exposition.

I know the Spoliarium is big, but I did not expect it to be that big. 4 meters by 7 meters! I just stood back, opened my eyes as wide as I could, and tried to take it all in. How I wish I had the whole day to spend at the National Art Gallery, but for the few minutes I had, I am glad to have spent it being dwarfed by Juan Luna's Spoliarium.

The National Museum:
National Art Gallery (you're here!)
Museum of the Filipino People

Manila American Cemetery and Memorial

I have always wanted to go to the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Taguig City to find my grandpa's grave... just kidding. There is not a drop of me that's American (though I found some Filipino names on the Hemicycle). I just wanted to take photos of the crosses, really.

According to the American Battle Monuments Commission website, the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial contains more than 17,000 graves, the largest number of graves of military dead of the Second World War. You can find more information by downloading the booklet here.

Quick info in numbers:

• 17,097 headstones consisting of 16,933 crosses and 164 Stars of David.
• 36,286 missing in action
• 29 medal of honor recipients

The graves

The Memorial

Wall of Missing

The Maps

There are 25 maps portraying important campaigns in the Pacific during WWII.

The Chapel

The sculpture represents St George with the ideals for which he fought

(liberty, justice, country) and a child symbolizing the future.

Manila American Cemetery and Memorial
McKinley Road,
Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila

Open daily 9AM to 5PM
Except January 1 and December 25

If you plan to visit, please come in decent clothes. No jogging/exercise attire. According to a friend, although not in the rules, better not wear slippers especially if you're coming in on foot.