Yes, Manila Baywalk is now clean. The only remaining evidence that there was once commercial activities happening here is the still standing huge Cafe Puro cup. There is a debate going on in Carlos blog about pros and cons of closing Manila Baywalk. The blogosphere started to get emotional about it. These are the type of news that you won’t ever see in Manila’s newspapers.
IN MEMORIAM… and WTF… by Carlos Celdran
Why Baywalk Deserve to Close by Annalyn
F*CK. I knew this would happen: Mayor Lim shuts down BAYWALK!!! by Manila Boy
Ever since Manila Baywalk was commercialized the entire place became dirty (with trash all around) and non-family friendly entertainment. I’m not sure if I’m going to thank Alfredo Lim just yet because we don’t want the baywalk to be dark and unsafe again.
Just to be clear, I’m happy that the establishments are gone to keep the area clean from trash. I do hope that it remains clean and safe where families can go to and enjoy the manila sunset.
I’m also happy that they cleared out all those establishments. Those stages and “beerhouses” were really eyesores and weren’t contributing much to the scenery. We spent my birthday at the Diamond Hotel and from our window we could see the baywalk in all its ugliness. Buti din ito. But I read on Carlos Celdran’s site that even the fountain at Rajah Sulayman was going to be removed. Wag naman sana. We love that fountain.
well give him 6 months from now. if the income of the city is not as good as last year then say something again until then let his ‘enviromental-beautification programs’
start like the planned public garden park-family water pools-look outs and non alcoholic business establishments-non sleazy entertainments….i believe he can do better just wait and see for yourself….past old businesses from the baywalk who will behave-follow lawful-decency rules can always join in.
descrimination is agaisnt the law.
Guys!
I agree that Baywalk was “beautified” in bad taste. What do you think of a collaboration between the Manila government and the Ayalas?
I hope they remove that awful Cafe Puro cup, and yes, those lamps!!! (Can’t any of our award-winning artists design a more appropriate, Filipino-themed one?) The fountain – while it’s good to have one in that area) is just as tacky and should go. Again, calling our great artists/designers. And please those lamps by peewee in pasay too.
socky: you’re funny but true and it is the biggest problem in philippines politics they have NO FAITH in their own talents so you always hear the word ‘imported’ more likely they’re made also in philippines but filipinos ‘can be stupid’ that buying goods from foreign country by paying prices 4 times higher or more is a smart-great imported buy-idea even if products says made in the philippines why? because of ‘yabang’culture{locals complex behaviour developed from colonization mentalities}reason why foreigners enjoys ‘victimizing’ these kind of cultures because GOOD NATURED but naive filipinos are willing victims because of ‘mayabang’ stupid but a reality culture the reason so rich in natural resources yet 3rd world country for decades-doesnt make sense but for stupid people it does!
I hope you guys do not forget what the ‘Baywalk’ was like during the previous Mayor Lim administration — dirty, dark, filled with crime, not many people. Sure, Atienza’s Baywalk was tacky and baduy but it sure provided clean fun and income for many people, especially for middle class bakasyonistas — NOT THE AYALA CENTER, FORT BONI, ROCKWELL CROWD you all seem to prefer.
Now, I fear that without the establishments the Baywalk would become what it once was: empty and lifeless. It will probably feel like our great Filipino museums, like the world-class Ayala Museum and National Museum — beautiful but empty. What’s the point of that?
I hope Henry Sy and those other guys at SM Mall of Asia re-start the party further south in Pasay! At least, di na yon abot ni Mayor Lim!
who says baywalk was safe even when the establishments were there? Worst is they don’t have building permit. I bet the money to pay for the permit went to some entourage’s pockets. We should aim somebody like SM or Ayala to put up an establishment there, not just anybody who’s primary concern is to get more udner the table.
hey guys,
written a note to ayala foundation (suntok sa buwan, but hey, it’s free) if they’d be interested to embark on such a project. an ayala-quality mall COEXISTING with nature but this not just for the elite but for the common tao… hence, ayala foundation, hopefully it won’t be primarily business driven. hope i get a response, will keep you guys posted.
i do not prefer-favor per se my thoughts is always about safety-common sense-long terms-multi or thousand uses……
miggy: i am happy feeling secured that there are people like you who are not just a HUMAN LIVING BACKGROUND ‘ BUT HAS PURPOSES IN LIFE your nature theme project hopefully also desribes huge gazebos outdoor umbrellas playgrounds and water fountains made out of beautiful assortments of climbing trees plants flowers and trellises-floors made of philippine bermuda grasses-fences made of sturdy interesting sculptured mini trees planted so close together huge potted trees-tall lamp posts covered with floral leaf ivy’s etc besides other woods bricks-stainless-glass materials etc. where huge birds giant butterfly cages made of sturdy twigs like not far from visitors to love at besides the smell of filipinos newly baked ‘macapuno pandesal’ french buttered croissants and those hard ‘german’ bread not to forget the jewishs christians muslims mormons and all other legitimate religious ethnic food varieties served as not to offend any law abiding guests…a touch of mini artistic boats sailing-water memoirs as public art displays is not bad….. good luck
miggy: this nature theme descriptions is part of my dreams about my childhood ‘junior high’ sweetheart we were 13-14 years old at that time he is the REASON why i dream a lot about nature in general…..it started after my trip to la mesa eco park{forest}more than 3 decades ago…… dreams never stop since then i have no explanations on that one i can only tell
I agree with Rogelio.
Don’t make it high end again. We got already Greenbelt, Glorietta, Serendra, Gateway Mall, etc. There should be affordable entertainment for everybody.
I have no doubt that from the Diamond Hotel the baywalk looked very ugly.
But maybe it was just nice and fun for many people to have a drink with their families or have some good time with their barkadas. Not everybody can afford the Diamond Hotel.
In any case I enjoyed the place. It was a bit of a mess and it could have been organized in a better way. There was room for improvement but to shut down all the establishments is an error.
Classical music is nice but please allow other people to enjoy hard rock if they wish.
i heard they will be opening an oceanarium or something like the underwater world site along the baywalk area. this is set to open by dec 2007. 🙂
I hope they won’t close it down—I used to love that place, but a couple of years ago, I was a bit distressed that open-air comedy bars were using way off-color jokes in such a family-oriented area.
I hope if they ever redecorate the place, they’d do away with the colored orb lamps…too “beerhouse-y” for me.
hey rogelio, nice point you made there.
how many of the people who are giving pros and cons about the baywalk that disappeared actually went there more than once?!?!?!
as a lifelong resident of manila, mahal na mahal ko yung ginawa ni mayor atienza, imperfect as it may have been.
before my brother migrated to canada back in august of 2003, dito kami nag-iinuman at bonding, kahit mahal ang beer. since then,
lahat ng balikbayan at turista na linabas ko over the past 4 years since 2003, dinala ko sa baywalk. NOT ONCE did we experience anything negative.
i sympathize with carlos though, am sure talagang di siya nakatulog for the past 4 years,
what with baywalk practically at syquia’s doorstep.
even with all the bars, families felt safe here, whatever casual passers-by just driving through might have thought.
granted, medyo jologs siya. but that was part of its charms, doubtful as it may have been.
baywalk brought people back to manila bay. and if only for that, i’ll miss it terribly.
I agree with gmmahoney (11.06am). To say that the baywalk was not family-friendly isn’t exactly accurate. Maybe it wasn’t to the kind of family that preferred Serendra or Powerplant. Sure, the establishments and activities could have been better-planned, but the baywalk was a ready venue for families with simpler means to have a nice time out. And have you been there in the afternoon? I loved having coffee at Figaro to watch the sun set.
I’ve heard folks from Syquia complain about the noise from the baywalk area, and know they have good reason. But to shut the whole thing down is throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
And Anton.. ‘”dirty” elements’? The spirit behind your choice of words is disappointing.
Horrray for Mayor Lim for cleaning the city.
Rogelio is only one of the millions of Filipinos who want to take their country back.
All places and establishments should be open to the masses – meaning – should be affordable by most people.
At sa ating mga kababayan na pwede sa classy at expensive places, don’t look down on the poor people. You should help them by giving them respect.
This is what the country needs. Respect for ourselves, respect for our people, respect for our culture and heritage; most of all, respect for our country.
doroy: if you dont mind i would like to defend the word ‘respect’nothing personnal….respect is for anyone-anything that earns it SIMPLY asking for respect to all things-certain kinds of people is abusive-opportunists in nature how-why? well think about it say a community uses one same road in-out the main streets but your wife-children are always absent from schools-works-sick in hospitals and it drains your entire income you worked hard for 10 hours a day-7 days a week JUST BECAUSE MOST OF YOUR ENTIRE NEIGHBORS DUMPED ALL THEIR GARBAGE-THRASH-WASTES
WHENEVER-WHEREVER ALL OVER THE AREAS-SAME STREET YOU LIVE-CAVED IN AND HAD TO PUT UP WITH ALL THE VIOLENCES-THREATS{IF YOU DONT PUT UP WITH IT}IF THEY’RE DRUNK DURING NEIGHBOR’S HAPPY HOURS……
if RESPECT is what these kinds expected to recieve then that is what criminals-corrupt law enforcements-deceitful businesses-self serving politicians-violent organized crimes-manipulative
religious cults-uncaring friends deserves from you and expected to have recieved-be treated with-acknowledge with from you from all of us WHO are factual contributors to dumping garbages-wastes all over? the unsanitary poor residents…who are factual in numbers of creating public violence-crimes-disturbances at anytime? poor ignorant communities….even if wealthy-rich committed crimes…who needed factual public monetary assistance-financial aids in their daily lives & disaster events from taxpayers money? the poor communities{that means including me..i come from poor community myself}the rich-wealthy they do but minimal they have the means to be independent-fix their own problems-deficits-sense of maintenances and they dont need thrashy-wasteful around them….rich people in general has no time to put down on poor people they are not so trusting-friendly because that is how they make money they are busy working-making money to become self sufficient self reliant because they have the dignity to make things works on their own they have self respect that are deserving because they earned it not asked for it that’s the difference
i do believe that philippines-filipinos will do better ahead of them all they have to do is work diligently-focus on their enviromental projects{cleanliness}and most important is to prevent all kinds of public-street protests use town halls-schools as main meeting venues or thru media writings….tourists-investors are tired of all kinds of unnecessary disobedience-chaos-civil disturbances-crimes-messy scandals please keep that beautiful filipino smiles-happy lifestyles……make your local governments stick to at least 5 or 3 ‘focus projects’ and NAIL them hard if they could not deliver the expected ‘focus’ projects….law abiding citizens{poor-rich etc} must be in charge of their own country not criminals i am personally puzzled why so many crimes going on there it ONLY shows how so ‘divided’ your country in the past YOUR solutions is TRANSPARENCY {activities}befriended your best non self serving professionals let them help politicians ‘control-finished’ all focus projects….no need to corrupt if you can put your own investments after finish products are produced-delivered but not before to ensure fair competitions in public investments…. to prevent intrigues-issues all you need to do is build-create more focus projects until you satisfy all the complainers how-where do you get the money-capital to more focus projects? well from loans-grants or sell some of your local government properties and replaced them later with new properties or buy buck from the net profits your focus projects will deliver if there’s no profits-extra income means it was not a good people-government investments-projects
this is a long post.. im not the usual reader who comments so..
at first, i was actually glad that the establishments in baywalk were gone. with all the trash scattered, those not-so-family-oriented acts of some of the performers, and some of the crowd of con-artists and girls who come with their supposedly local/foreign partners for the night that it attracts to.
but my mom was actually devastated that it was gone. she’s a frequent visitor of the place unwinding to some good old 60’s music in one of the restos there. we live in cavite and since she’s 60+ something already, going out there late at night worries me (yes, our roles here as who’s-the-worrying-mom is kinda switched). at first i thought that mayor lim would only ban the liquor there (which is a good thing), but i was actually surprised as well when i heard that they all took it out.
and frankly, after giving it some thought, he should not have taken it all down. baywalk, if given the proper discipline is a great place to go to. due to my mom’s fondness of the place, our family was given a fair chance of visiting it on several occasions. and it’s quite true, it left us great memories, whether it be of me with my family or me going there after work to meet my mom .
the thing is, the complaints of pollution, the crowd it attracts to, the drinking in a public place and so forth, they can be resolved, with proper and strict compliance if he just gave one. people know he’s not someone to mess around nor to ignore his warnings. he already established the fact that he is a man of “power” in his position. surely, telling and warning off the owners to get a permit, to ensure all-around cleanliness, and banning the liquor if they don’t want their stalls to be closed would not be that hard.
but i guess, he just cannot see the fact that many decent people lost their jobs, that a lot of lower to middle class people enjoy the place. that the place itself is a source of temporary relief for those who cannot even afford to step inside a mall. for those who were able to go to the place, you can see a lot of people standing at the sides of the restos, and yes, though i am perfectly aware that not all the people there have no nasty intentions, many onlookers there are just there for the sake of hearing some music and some entertainment.
i wont be shocked if you tell me that they are annoying, most of you are annoyed, but looking at thre crowd of people there, most of them just came there to forget their stressed lives for a while. people who calls for passengers for a jeepney for a living, people who sell items on the road. sidewalk vendors. people who cannot even afford to just take a seat and order a can of coke to enjoy the show. have you even thought for a while that not all of them have bad intentions just because they are not of the same level with you?
a lot of you criticize the place, bad ambiance, bad food, bad crowd, bad music. some even think it’s pathetic, since those with discerning tastes have not met their so-called standards here. but may i remind you that the food you crticize as mediocre is already something significant for those who barely have the money to spend something for the food you’ve just rejected. i admit, i criticize even some of the bands who play there, but who am i to be such a primadonna if the crowd cheers them on? they may not be the elite crowd (and yes, though im defending them here, im aware not all of them are worthy of defending), but they sure are real.
for once, im disappointed with the mayor’s decision. he can easily change the style of entertainment in that place if he wanted to. he has to admit the fact that atienza’s idea of the place is somewhat great, but lacks the control. and now he’s telling people to go to malate instead? honestly, can you bring 8-yr old kids there? can you now walk there without fear of being hold-upped or being caught in the middle of a ruckus? he could have enforced standards for the resto owners to follow, put people there to monitor any trash-offending violators or whatever that may happen in a crowd-gathering place, but noo, he just took it all off. how can he be so personally biased just because the idea of baywalk came from his rival?
oh and one more thing, to the people who complain that too many people are crowding the area and they cannot see the great sea from their view at some hotel, i am sooo sorry to hear that. i guess you wouldnt mind seeing out of the window especially in the morning now several homeless people who will be taking shelter again on the cold pavements of roxas blvd, while joggers from the hotels passes them by. i mean, why bother looking at them when you have a great view of the ocean, eh?
i see your point-you do make SENSE to counter this kind of disagreement AGAIN you should run-vote for politicians who shares the same interests-views with YOU this is the reason i write send-voice out my opinions-dreams-beliefs-fantasies-concerns etc is to share my thoughts which if not 100% accurate always is because more likely it is from my dreams-daydreams
‘still’ hoping they can find some good-logical use to everything-comments-remarks-statements i MADE anywhere it MAYBE every politician is entitled to different styles-interests we like it or not hopefully in 6 months mothers-fathers-friends are back to baywalk again with lots of surprises-fun-affordable evening except better organized-useful-sensible-respectable 24 hrs a day 7 days a week hopefully street beggars-child labors-troublemakers not included in future new baywalks….
in my other blogs comments on special moments in sm MOA regarding my best kept secret menu ‘ my first love ‘ the knorr-swiss powder i meant is AROMAT …….all citizens of the world should try it as i describe in preparations and it should come with plain rice….hopefully mothers-fathers-friends-families will enjoy every drop of the menu….
bro, pwede ko ba magrab yung pictures mo ng baywalk? gagamitin ko sana for a site that I am constructing. Of course i’ll give you credit for it. email me na lang if ayos lang. Thanks.
i agree and disagree with some of the things i’ve read but MALLS again don’t we have enough malls there. be more creative and innovative and make it a user friendly place for every one and i agree with some establishments in the span of baywalk so there can be places to eat or snack in while one is enjoying the view. it is a beautiful place it’s just a shame that it is being used politically. and yes those lights. what is with all these lights along bridges and streets? they are unnecessary and costly to the taxpayers in a country that suffers blackouts from lack of electricity. it does not make sense. maybe it’s like i hear often when i vesit the philippines, “pag wala kang proyekto wala kang makukurakot” license to steal. hoorayy for philippine politicians!!!! people that’s where your problem lies, IN YOUR CORRUPT POLITICIANS AND YOUR SELLING OUT YOUR VOTES. TALK ABOUT STUPID? THERE IT IS. PEOPLE WHO SELL THERE VOTES TO CORRUPT POLITICIANS ARE HAND IN HAND IN THIS PROBLEM THERE. FILIPINOS WAKE UP!!!! YOU ARE BEING HAD, NILOLOKO LANG KAYO!
Anong claseng lamp yan? Nakasira sa mata. Dapat simple lang pero elegante. Ok naman ang lamp dati.