Ermita is a district in Manila, Philippines. It is a significant center of finance, education, culture and commerce. Ermita serves as the civic center of the city, bearing the seat of city government and a large portion of the area's employment, business, and entertainment activities.

Private and government offices, museums, and university thrives in Ermita. It is also the home to famous tourist attractions and landmarks, among them is the Rizal Park, the premier national park of the Philippines.

History

Ermita was founded in the late 16th century. Its name was taken from La Hermita, the Spanish word for "hermitage", after the fact that on this site was built a hermitage housing an image of the Virgin Mary known as the Nuestra Señora de Guia (Our Lady of Guidance). The hermitage has since evolved into Ermita Church, which has been rebuilt several times since the early 17th century.

Ermita gained renewed prominence during the American colonial period. It became known as the university district, containing the campuses and dormitories of the Philippine Normal University,University of the Philippines, the Ateneo de Manila, Adamson University, the Assumption College and St. Paul College. The residential portion of Ermita was populated by American residents, who set up such establishments as the Army and Navy Club, and the University Club.

Manila (ⁱ/məˈnɪl.ə/) is the capital city of the Philippines. It is the home to extensive commerce and seats the executive and judicial branches of the Filipino government. It also contains vast amount of significant architectural and cultural landmarks in the country. Manila is one of the sixteen cities that makes up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region of the Philippines. In 2012, Globalization and World Cities Research Network listed Manila as a global city.

Manila is on the eastern shore of Manila Bay. According to the 2010 census, Manila is the second most populous city in the Philippines with a population of 1,652,171. Manila is the most densely populated city in the world with 42,857 people per square kilometer.

Manila has six representative districts for the lower house of the Philippine Congress. Furthermore, the city is composed of 16 districts, namely: Binondo, Ermita, Intramuros, Malate, Paco, Pandacan, Port Area, Quiapo, Sampaloc, San Andres, San Miguel, San Nicolas, Santa Ana, Santa Cruz, Santa Mesa and Tondo.

"Manila" is a song by Filipino band The Hotdogs. The song is written about love for the Philippine capital. It tells about a man who misses Manila while living in another country for years. The upbeat song was inspired by Tony Bennett's hit single, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco". It topped the radio charts in 1984.

Background

It centers on the story of the narrator who left Manila for a foreign country for to work and became homesick for Manila after living out for long. The narrator then tells of his many adventures outside the country.

Some lyrics reference the United States and Australia. "I walked the streets of San Francisco" references his love for visiting places and strolling around and SFO is one of them. "I've tried the rides in Disneyland" tells of him visiting many amusement and theme parks. His friendship with foreigners and different nationalities is referred in "dated a million girls in Sydney". The narrator then says that he didn't get much satisfaction and enjoyment from all his escapades through the part "somehow I feel that I don't belong". His realization that the Philippines can only give him the best satisfaction and enjoyment plus his desire to come back to the Philippines and its capital, Manila start in "Hinahanap-hanap kita Manila". The narrator then decided to stay in the Philippines for good in the lyrics "Take me back in your arms Manila", "Promise me you'll never let go", and "I'm coming home to stay".

Manila is an independently produced twinbill film that pays homage to Lino Brocka's Jaguar and Ishmael Bernal's Manila By Night. Piolo Pascual co-produced and starred in both episodes.

Cast

Production

Shot on 16mm black-and-white film before being transferred to 35mm, Manila is divided into a Day episode (which is loosely based on Bernal's 1980 film Manila By Night) and a Night episode (inspired by Brocka's 1979 film Jaguar). The script is co-written by Adolf Alix, Jr. and Ramon Sarmiento and co-directed by Raya Martin and Adolf Alix, Jr.

For the Day segment, Piolo Pascual portrays William, a drug addict who tries to rebuild his sense of self and reconnect with the people around him. Piolo's character is named William in honor of William Martinez who played the lead role in Manila By Night. The Day segment also stars Angelica Panganiban and Rosanna Roces.