![Mendiola](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Mendiola.jpg)
Mendiola Street (simply known as "Mendiola") is a short thoroughfare in
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. The street is named after Enrique Mendiola, an educator, textbook author, and member of the first Board of Regents of the
University of the Philippines
The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 200 ...
. As a street close to
Malacañang Palace
Malacañang Palace ( fil, Palasyo ng Malakanyang, ; es, Palacio de Malacañán), officially known as Malacañan Palace, is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the Philippines. It is located in the Manila distric ...
, the President of the Philippines'
official residence
An official residence is the House, residence of a head of state, head of government, governor, Clergy, religious leader, leaders of international organizations, or other senior figure. It may be the same place where they conduct their work-relate ...
, it has been the site of numerous and sometimes bloody demonstrations.
On the north end of the street is the Don Chino Roces Bridge,
named in honor of
Chino Roces
Joaquin "Chino" Roces (June 29, 1913 – September 30, 1988) was the founder of Associated Broadcasting Corporation (now known as TV5) and a former owner of ''The Manila Times''.
Early life
Roces was born on June 29, 1913, to Alejandro "Moy" ...
, a well-known figure during the Philippines'
Martial Law
Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory.
Use
Marti ...
years. (An illuminated street sign above the intersection of Recto and Mendiola erroneously refers to the latter street as Chino Roces Avenue).
Mendiola Street starts at the intersection of
Legarda Street
Legarda Street is a short street located in Sampaloc district in Manila, Philippines. It crosses through the eastern section of the University Belt area in a generally east–west orientation between the Nagtahan Interchange and the intersect ...
and
Claro M. Recto Avenue and ends at
Jose Laurel Street
Jose Laurel Street, historically known as ''Calle conde de Avilés'', is a tree-lined street in the district of San Miguel, Manila, San Miguel in north-central Manila, Philippines. It runs parallel to the Pasig River from the Nagtahan Intercha ...
, just outside
Malacañang Palace
Malacañang Palace ( fil, Palasyo ng Malakanyang, ; es, Palacio de Malacañán), officially known as Malacañan Palace, is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the Philippines. It is located in the Manila distric ...
. Four colleges and universities which form a part of the
University Belt
The University Belt is the name of a de facto subdistrict in Manila, Philippines. It refers to the area where there is a high concentration of colleges and universities in the city. The districts of Quiapo, Sampaloc, and San Miguel are tradit ...
are on Mendiola Street.
To protect Malacañang Palace, the part of Mendiola Street that starts at the sentinel gate in front of the
College of the Holy Spirit
The College of the Holy Spirit Manila, or simply CHSM, was a private, Catholic education institution founded and ran by the Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit in Manila, Philippines.
Founded in 1913, College of the Holy Spirit Manil ...
and
La Consolacion College Manila
La Consolación College Manila is a private Catholic basic and higher education institution run by the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation (ASOLC) in the City of Manila, Philippines. It was founded by the Augustinian Sisters in 1902 ...
is closed to vehicles. Vehicles are diverted to Concepcion Aguila Street, a narrow side street that passes through residential areas of San Miguel district.
Protests
![WTMP Oh, Shoot! IMG 4693](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/WTMP_Oh%2C_Shoot%21_IMG_4693.JPG)
Mendiola Street has frequently been the site of often violent confrontations between protesters and government troops protecting Malacañang Palace:
1970
During the administration of
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. ( , , ; September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino politician, lawyer, dictator, and kleptocrat who was the 10th president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled under martial ...
, Mendiola Street was the site of the "Battle of Malacañang" or "The Battle of Mendiola Bridge", a confrontation between student demonstrators and police forces that occurred on January 30, 1970. The confrontation resulted in the deaths of four student demonstrators.
1987
On January 22, 1987, crowd control troops opened fire on a protest rally of about 10,000 peasant farmers demanding "genuine"
land reform
Land reform is a form of agrarian reform involving the changing of laws, regulations, or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution, generally of agricultural ...
from then-President
Corazon Aquino. Thirteen of the protesters were killed and hundreds were injured in the incident now known as the
Mendiola massacre.
2001
On May 1, 2001, supporters of former
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Joseph Estrada
Joseph Ejercito Estrada, (; born Jose Marcelo Ejercito; April 19, 1937), also known by the nickname Erap, is a Filipino politician and former actor. He served as the 13th president of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, the 9th vice presi ...
, angered by his arrest following his
ouster from power earlier that year, marched to Mendiola Street after staging demonstrations outside the
EDSA Shrine
The Shrine of Mary, Queen of Peace, Our Lady of EDSA, or more popularly, the EDSA Shrine is a small church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila located at the intersection of Ortigas Avenue and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) in Bara ...
. They demanded the release and reinstate of Estrada. A violent confrontation ensued between Estrada's supporters and members of the
Philippine National Police and the
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The ...
, who were then tasked by the then-President,
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...
, to secure
Malacañang Palace
Malacañang Palace ( fil, Palasyo ng Malakanyang, ; es, Palacio de Malacañán), officially known as Malacañan Palace, is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the Philippines. It is located in the Manila distric ...
and the areas surrounding it. Mendiola Street and the vicinity around Malacañang Palace became a front line after the protesters tried to storm the Palace. Casualties were high on both the Estrada supporters' and government troops' end. As a result of the looting of stores and shops and the burning of several government and private vehicles by the protesters, damage to and loss of property along Mendiola Street and areas within the vicinity of Malacañang Palace was estimated to in millions of pesos. President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...
declared a state of rebellion to stifle the rioting; it was lifted after two days.
References
External links
GMANews.TV, Protest marks 21st anniversary of Mendiola Massacre- January 21, 2008
gmanews.tv/video, Saksi: Mendiola Massacre anniversary march comes off peaceful January 23, 2008 (in
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
)
{{Road infrastructure in Manila
Streets in Manila
San Miguel, Manila