Fort Santiago, Intramuros

I had some time to kill in between chores at COMELEC and the Supreme Court in the morning. It's been ages since I visited Fort Santiago, just across Palacio del Gobernador and the Manila Cathedral, so I took a quick peek. Entrance was 50 pesos.





There was a Noli Me Tangere-themed exhibit in one of the halls of the Rizal Shrine.

This is where I encountered Trip Spoiler # 1. It was late morning, but it was already very hot. There were many aircon vents on the ceiling but either they were just there for decoration or the Intramuros Administration which managed the site didn't want to rack up huge electricity bills. The humidity would surely affect the exposed and unprotected paintings.

Trip Spoiler # 2: Just as one finishes viewing the displays, at the exit itself, someone hawks buko juice and cold drinks. Why do they allow this? It totally ruins the solemnity, the entire historical experience.

Trip Spoiler # 3: There's a separate room that displays old Rizal family furniture, and you need to pay an additional 10 pesos to go inside. They didn't even bother printing nice letterings for the price notice. Ten pesos isn't much, but why the need to pay extra on top of the 50 peso entrance fee at the Fort gate?


Spoiler # 4: This is the view just outside the shrine, at the back of the Fort.



Depressing really. The whole place reeks of mediocrity, neglect and disrespect for the memory of our national hero. The people who manage and maintain Fort Santiago don't care at all about the place. Fort Santiago doesn't make you proud to be Filipino. So sad.