Ermita, Manila
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Ermita is a district in central
Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
,
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
. It is a significant center of finance, education, culture, and commerce. Ermita serves as the
civic center A civic center or civic centre is a prominent land area within a community that is constructed to be its focal point or center. It usually contains of one or more dominant public buildings, which may also include a government building. Recently, ...
of Manila, 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 universities thrive in Ermita. It is also home to several tourist attractions and landmarks, including
Rizal Park Rizal Park (), also known as Luneta Park or simply Luneta, is a historic urban park located in Ermita, Manila. It is considered one of the largest urban parks in the Philippines, covering an area of . The site on where the park is situated was ...
. Ermita and its neighboring district
Malate Malic acid is an organic compound with the molecular formula . It is a dicarboxylic acid that is made by all living organisms, contributes to the sour taste of fruits, and is used as a food additive. Malic acid has two stereoisomeric forms ( ...
were originally posh neighborhoods for Manila's
high society High society, sometimes simply Society, is the behavior and lifestyle of people with the highest levels of wealth, power, fame and social status. It includes their related affiliations, social events and practices. Upscale social clubs were open ...
during the early 20th century, where large, grandiose mansions once stood. Ermita and its surroundings were heavily bombed and flattened during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
after it became a battleground during the
Manila massacre The Manila massacre ( or ''Masaker sa Maynila''), also called the Rape of Manila (), involved atrocities committed against Filipino people, Filipino civilians in the Manila, City of Manila, the capital of the Philippines, by Empire of Japan ...
. After the war, Ermita and its twin district, Malate, had undergone commercialization, shifting from a sprawling upscale suburb to a commercial district.


History


Kingdom of Luzon

The town of Ermita was originally called ''Lagyo'' in Tagalog. It was close to Manila.


Spanish rule (1570–1898)

During Spanish rule, the town was recorded by Miguel de Loarca in 1582: Lagyo was re-christened in the 17th century as ''La Hermita'' ( Spanish for "the hermitage") after the fact that a Mexican hermit resided in the area and on this site was built a hermitage housing an image of the
Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
known as the ''Nuestra Señora de Guia'' (Our Lady of Guidance). The hermit-priest's name was Juan Fernandez de Leon, who was a hermit in Mexico before relocating to Manila. The hermitage has since evolved into Ermita Church, rebuilt several times since the early 17th century. During the Spanish evacuation of Ternate in present-day Indonesia, the 200 families of mixed Mexican-Filipino-Spanish and Papuan-Indonesian-Portuguese descent who had ruled over the Christianized
Sultanate of Ternate The Sultanate of Ternate ( Jawi: ), previously also known as the Kingdom of Gapi, is one of the oldest Muslim kingdoms in Indonesia besides the sultanates of Tidore, Jailolo, and Bacan. The Ternate kingdom was established by Momole Cico, ...
and included their sultan who converted, were relocated to Ternate, Cavite, and Ermita, Manila. By the 19th century, although still considered as an "''arrabal''", which refers to a ''rural area'', urban expansion had slowly reached the northern portion of the district mainly due to the development of the ''Luneta'', also called ''Bagumbayan'', as a promenade at the coast of Manila Bay. The district also saw the construction of the Manila Observatory by Father Federico Faura during the early 1890s. It was once located on a
street A street is a public thoroughfare in a city, town or village, typically lined with Building, buildings on one or both sides. Streets often include pavements (sidewalks), pedestrian crossings, and sometimes amenities like Street light, streetligh ...
now named after Fr. Faura himself. Ermita then developed a creole language based on Spanish called Ermiteño, which eventually became extinct after the devastation of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. However, it still has a surviving cousin language spoken in nearby
Cavite Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite (; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region. On the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest of Manila, i ...
.


American and Commonwealth era (1900–1944)

Ermita gained renewed prominence during the American and Commonwealth era. As part of Daniel Burnham's plans for Manila, influenced by the City Beautiful movement during the early 1900s, Ermita, alongside
Intramuros Intramuros () is the historic walled area within the city of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. It is administered by the Intramuros Administration with the help of the city government of Manila. Intramuros comprises a centuries-old hist ...
' surrounding areas, had undergone a drastic redevelopment from being the ''outskirts'' to urban districts. In 1901, with the chartering of Manila, Ermita would be absorbed by the city of Manila when its area was expanded outside the walled
Intramuros Intramuros () is the historic walled area within the city of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. It is administered by the Intramuros Administration with the help of the city government of Manila. Intramuros comprises a centuries-old hist ...
. Burnham envisioned the district, especially in the northern portion, to be the center of the Philippine government, redeveloping Luneta into a grand park patterned after that of the
National Mall The National Mall is a Landscape architecture, landscaped park near the Downtown, Washington, D.C., downtown area of Washington, D.C., the capital city of the United States. It contains and borders a number of museums of the Smithsonian Institu ...
in
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
Government buildings housing the legislative, executive and judicial branches were planned to be located in the area. A proposed Philippine capitol was also planned to be built at the eastern tip of Luneta Park but never materialized. It also became known as the university district, containing the campuses and dormitories of the
Philippine Normal University The Philippine Normal University (PNU; ) is a public university, public coeducational teacher education and research university in the Philippines. It was established in 1901 through Act No. 74 of the Philippine Commission ''"for the education ...
, the
University of the Philippines The University of the Philippines (UP; ) is a Higher education in the Philippines#State universities and colleges, state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by List of Philippine laws, Re ...
, the Ateneo de Manila, the 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. Aside from its universities and leisure clubs, Ermita district, as well as its adjacent district, Malate, which both happened to be facing Manila Bay, were once home to Manila's high society and were filled with large, gilded mansions. Manila's wealthiest families used to live in the twin suburbs. One notable structure built was the Insular Ice Plant, designed by consulting architect Edgar K. Bourne, who was also the head of the Bureau of Architecture in 1902 (under the
Philippine Commission The Philippine Commission was the name of two bodies, both appointed by the president of the United States, to assist with governing the Philippines. The First Philippine Commission, also known as the Schurman Commission, was appointed by Pre ...
).


Second World War (1942–1945)

In February 1945, during the 1945 Battle of Manila, Ermita was the scene of some of the most horrific massacres that occurred during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The wife and four children of future
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: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
Elpidio Quirino Elpidio Rivera Quirino (; November 16, 1890 – February 29, 1956) was a Philippine nationality law, Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the 6th President of the Philippines from 1948 to 1953. A lawyer by profession, Quirino entered p ...
were murdered in Ermita, as was Supreme Court Associate Justice Anacleto Diaz. Between 68% and 85% of Ermita was destroyed during the Battle of Manila, with an estimated total of 100,000 Filipino civilians killed within the city.


Post-war era (1946–present)

After the war, the district slowly transformed from a residential area into a commercial area as the upper classes moved to other cities such as Quezon City and Makati. Ermita was rebuilt after the devastation of the war. University life remained vibrant therein. However, as decades passed, Ermita started earning a reputation as the red-light district of Manila. During the first term of Mayor
Alfredo Lim Alfredo "Fred" Siojo Lim (; December 21, 1929 – August 8, 2020) was a Filipino politician, police officer and lawyer who served as a Senate of the Philippines, Senator of the Philippines from 2004 to 2007, He also served as the 20th Mayor of ...
, 1992–1998, efforts were made to "clean up" Ermita's image and reputation. However, a local city ordinance prohibiting the establishment of motels, lodging houses, and other similar establishments was later declared
unconstitutional In constitutional law, constitutionality is said to be the condition of acting in accordance with an applicable constitution; "Webster On Line" the status of a law, a procedure, or an act's accordance with the laws or set forth in the applic ...
by the
Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
.G.R. No. 118127. April 12, 2005
(archived fro

on 2008-02-24) Nightlife in the area dwindled, though it later picked up with the help of the emergence of the nearby
Malate Malic acid is an organic compound with the molecular formula . It is a dicarboxylic acid that is made by all living organisms, contributes to the sour taste of fruits, and is used as a food additive. Malic acid has two stereoisomeric forms ( ...
district and the Roxas Boulevard revitalization efforts along
Manila Bay Manila Bay (; ) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the Manila, capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Philippines and ...
.


Accessibility

The district can be directly accessed by the main roads such as Roxas Boulevard, Padre Burgos Street, Taft Avenue and
United Nations Avenue United Nations Avenue (also known as U.N. Avenue and formerly known as Isaac Peral Street) is a major thoroughfare in Manila, Philippines. A commercial, residential and industrial artery, it runs east–west near the city center, linking Ermita, ...
. Lawton Park N Ride, the city's main public transport hub, is located in the district along Padre Burgos Street, as well as the Manila Multimodal Terminal near the
Pasig River The Pasig River (; ) is a water body in the Philippines that connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. Stretching for , it bisects the Philippine capital of Manila and Metro Manila, its surrounding urban area into northern and southern halves. Its m ...
. The Manila Light Rail Transit System (LRT-1) follows Taft Avenue and stops at three stations in Ermita, namely Central Terminal station, United Nations station and
Pedro Gil station Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Galician name for ''Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic form is Peter. The counterpart patronymic surname of the name Pedro, meanin ...
.
Pasig River Ferry Service The Pasig River Ferry Service (PRFS) is a Public transport, public water bus service based in Metro Manila, the Philippines. It is currently the only water-based transportation service in Metro Manila that cruises the length of the Pasig River a ...
has a ferry station in the district named Lawton.


Facilities


Culture, Heritage, History and Recreation

Rizal Park Rizal Park (), also known as Luneta Park or simply Luneta, is a historic urban park located in Ermita, Manila. It is considered one of the largest urban parks in the Philippines, covering an area of . The site on where the park is situated was ...
, a prominent feature of Ermita, is one of the largest urban public parks in the country and the location of the monument to the national hero
José Rizal José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda (, ; June 19, 1861 – December 30, 1896) was a Filipino nationalist, writer and polymath active at the end of the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines. He is popularly considered a na ...
. It was the original site for Burnham's planned government center and the capitol building. Other sites of interest in Ermita include: * National Museum of Fine Arts * National Museum of Anthropology *
National Museum of Natural History The National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) is a natural history museum administered by the Smithsonian Institution, located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., United States. It has free admission and is open 364 days a year. With 4.4 ...
*
National Library of the Philippines The National Library of the Philippines ( or , abbreviated NLP, ) is the Philippines' official national library, repository of information on cultural heritage and other literary resources. It is located in the district of Ermita, Manila, Ermit ...
* National Archives of the Philippines * Museo Pambata * Quirino Grandstand * Manila Ocean Park * Liwasang Bonifacio * Arroceros Forest Park * Bonifacio Shrine * Mehan Garden * Metropolitan Theater *
Manila Hotel The Manila Hotel is a 550-room, historic five-star hotel located along Manila Bay in Manila, Philippines.
*The Masonic Temple of Ermita *
Philippine Independent Church The Philippine Independent Church (; ), officially referred to by its Philippine Spanish name (IFI) and colloquially called the Aglipayan Church, is an independent catholic Christian denomination, in the form of a nationalist church, in the ...
* San Vicente de Paul Church * Ermita Church


Institutions

*Insurance Commission * Manila Doctors Hospital *Medical Center Manila *
Department of Justice (Philippines) The Department of Justice (, abbreviated as DOJ) is under the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for upholding the rule of law in the Philippines. It is the government's principal law agency, serving as its legal co ...
* National Bureau of Investigation * Philippine General Hospital, the country's largest hospital *
Supreme Court of the Philippines The Supreme Court (; colloquially referred to as the ' (also used in formal writing), is the highest court in the Philippines. It was established by the Taft Commission on June 11, 1901, through the enactment of Act No. 136, which abolished th ...
* Court of Appeals of the Philippines *
World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...
Western Pacific Region Headquarters * Embassy of the United States


Education

A number of educational institutions are also found in Ermita, including: *
University of the Philippines Manila The University of the Philippines Manila (UPM; ) is a Higher education in the Philippines#State universities and colleges, public research university located in Ermita, Manila, Ermita, Manila, Philippines. It is the oldest of eight constituent ...
* Adamson University * Emilio Aguinaldo College * Santa Isabel College Manila *
Philippine Normal University The Philippine Normal University (PNU; ) is a public university, public coeducational teacher education and research university in the Philippines. It was established in 1901 through Act No. 74 of the Philippine Commission ''"for the education ...
* Technological University of the Philippines * Universidad de Manila (formerly the City College of Manila) * Manila Science High School * Araullo High School


Barangays

Ermita comprises 13
barangay The barangay (; abbreviated as Brgy. or Bgy.), historically referred to as ''barrio'', is the smallest Administrative divisions of the Philippines, administrative division in the Philippines. Named after the Precolonial barangay, precolonial po ...
s numbered 659, 659-A, 660, 660-A, 661, 663, 663-A, 664, 666, 667, 668, 669, and 670. Barangays 659 to 664 are part of Zone 71 of the City of Manila, while barangays 666 to 670 are part of Zone 72.


Notable people

* Abbyluis Campos, congressman of
Makati Makati ( ; ), officially the City of Makati (), is a highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines, known for being one of the leading financial centers in the country. As of 2013, the city has the highest concent ...
and son-in-law of Jejomar Binay * José W. Diokno, Filipino nationalist, statesman, accountant, activist, journalist, and lawyer * León María Guerrero, Filipino congressman and botanist * León Ma. Guerrero III, Filipino translator of Noli Me Tangere into English, grandson of Leon Maria Guerrero Sr., and diplomat * Monique Lagdameo, vice-mayor of Makati * Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo,
President of the Philippines The president of the Philippines (, sometimes referred to as ) is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-ch ...
(2001-2010) * Raul Manglapus, Filipino nationalist senator


In popular culture

* Ermita was referenced in pop/rock band Eraserheads's song '' Ang Huling El Bimbo'' from their 1995 studio album ''
Cutterpillow ''Cutterpillow'' is the third studio album by the Philippine alternative rock band Eraserheads, released on December 8, 1995 through BMG Records (Pilipinas), Inc. It became the band’s most commercially successful album in the Philippines. T ...
''.


References

* {{Coord, 14.583, N, 120.983, E, type:city_region:PH_source:GNS-enwiki, display=title Districts of Manila