The sun sets on the Nayong Pilipino

my goodness, i haven’t been to nayong pilipino for ages! i climbed the faux volcano, too.

Hi Bambit,

First time to comment here.  It is indeed sad that such a park is going to be a mere memory soon.  It’s another part of our heritage to be lost to future generations. 

I don’t know why we, as a people, can’t do a better job of preserving our heritage?  We seem to have a fascination and obsession for what is "new" and disrespect and contempt for the "old".  We see it in the way we treat historical sites, old buildings, street names, etc.  Awful. 

i pity the state of nayong pilipino… i don’t remember ever been to this place though.
i think the best way we can do to help preserve the place is to include it on the heritage conversation program of the philippines.
http://www.heritage.org.ph/

funny lagi ang bawal umakyat sa bulkan… =)

@ Mari - sis I think the only reason why I haven’t climbed the Mayon (then and now) is because I’m afraid of heights

@ Panaderos - I particularly don’t like the way streets have been renamed, from Herran to Pedro Gil, Buendia to Gil Puyat, Pasay Road to Arnaiz, Pasong Tamo to Don Chino Roces — it’s confusing as well because jeepneys that ply the J.P Rizal rounte all say Herran and dispatchers still shout "aaaahhhBwendya, Bwendya!"

@ daddynator - you’ve probably never been to the Nayong Pilipino — I would have remembered if you did, because I probably would have taken your there myself if I could have, sayang no? And I suppose it’s too late for the Nayong Pilipino now to be included in the Heritage Conservation List, there’s almost nothing left to conserve…

My first time here. 

I’ve never been inside the Nayong Pilipino, but I saw some of it when I looked out from the widow of the plane when in landed in Manila.   That was a decade ago and I don’t see it now in my recent trips to Manila.

I am sad to hear the unfortunate fate of Nayong Pilipino. When I was there in 1975 and took the photographs you have linked to, I was very impressed and thought it was a fascinating place. There may never be an adequate replacement for it. Most unfortunate. For those who might go searching on the Smugmug site for other photos of the Philippines, there are some, but I have changed to putting my photos on Flickr. Smugmug has its good points, but the site seems to discourage interaction between members. I like Flickr much better, and I have even more Philippines photos on Flickr than I do on Smugmug. There are also photos of Japan. The URL for my Flickr pages are http://www.flickr.com/photos/edgarjlaw
That will take you to a page marked edgarjlaw’s photos. Click on the small word "sets" below that and it will take you to the various groups I photos I have on flickr. Except for a set of Philippines postcards, most of the Philippines photo sets are toward the bottom, because they are the first ones I uploaded to Flickr.

may i ask open pa ba nayon pilipino? pwede pa ba mamasyal dun?

Hello Edgar,

Thank you very much for visiting my blog, and for leaving your comments. We who know the Nayong Pilipino as you did in the 70s value your photographs–they are what is left of a lot of childhood memories, not only of a unique place in our country but of the experiences we share of the Nayong Pilipino. Thank you for sharing the pictures.

Hello Lera,

Yes, the Nayong Pilipino is still open, madalas nga syang gamitin as exercise area ng mga joggers and runners. Meron din rent-a-bike/trike area, meron din badminton/volleyball area dun sa dating parking lot. We hope it stays this way because this is also the only place within the Pasay/Paranaque area where people can exercise without getting carbon monoxide poisoning from jogging on the sidewalks on the busy streets.

Thanks for the visit!

Hi Lazarus,

You’re right, when I last landed at the centennial airport I did not see the Nayong Pilipino, or what’s left of it. I did see the Philippine Village Hotel (now closed, of course), but since most of the features of the Nayon that were the landmarks—like the mosque and the chocolate hills—that could be seen even from afar are now gone.

One of the problems with my Nayong Pilipino photos was that the color in prints I scanned for Flickr was not as good as it was when the prints were new. The prints had become yellowed. Since the time when I created the Nayong Pilipino set, I have started using a photo processing program. After I commented here about my Flickr photos, I realized that I could use the photo processing program to improve the color on the Nayong Pilipino shots. I have done that and have replaced the old images with the processed images. Since the photos an negatives are more than 30 years old, I doubt that the color will ever be exactly correct. However, I think the new versions are a little better.

ive never been to nayong pilipino even some tym………..thats y, im here having reserch 2 have such ideas bwt this interesting place in pasay! bt i reli wanted to be here…. bt1 i guesss i dnt know wats the exact loca.? can u askkkkk hw ill be going to this place?
tnx a lot!
frm pasay edsa proper?
going to its loc? hw?

Hello Hazel,

You can get to the Nayong Pilipino by taking any bus southbound on EDSA that says MIA on the signboard. The nice thing about buses that go to the MIA/Nayong Pilipino is there are quite a few luxury buses, such as the Precious Grace, Gasat, Mayamy and Jayross Lucky 7. Take any of these and you will get to the Nayong Pilipino, which is just before the Centennial Airport. Just tell the conductor that you’re going to the Nayong Pilipino. The conductor will let you off at the right stop if you let him know it’s where you’re going.

Have fun!