That’s how Manila proudly calls itself — probably not too loudly these days with all the garbage, pollution, and dinginess.  Just the same, Manila’s official seal bears a pearl, reminder of when Manila was a pearl of great price.

The great cities of the world are marvelous with long vistas, lush greenery, impressive architecture.  Think Paris (Champs Elysees), New York (Central Park), Washington, D.C. (the wide Mall linking the Capitol and Lincoln Memorial), London (the Mall and the Royal Parks).

Many have an iconic symbol.  Big Ben, Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, St. Peter’s Dome of London, Paris, New York, and Rome, respectively.

Manila of yore would have been a finalist in any international city beauty contest.  She had Dewey Boulevard along the bay and its glorious sunsets, and a civic center that proclaimed, “pride of place.”

South from the Post Office and above the greenery were the art deco Metropolitan Theater, ancient Intramuros fortifications, Manila City Hall and Legislative Building.  The Finance and Commerce and Agriculture buildings were at the head of the Luneta greensward and beyond was Taft Avenue lined with more beautiful buildings (Normal School, Jai Alai, Casino Español, Philippine General Hospital).

The city’s symbols were the Intramuros wall with a garita (sentry box) at the tip and City Hall Tower (whose cupola, I seem to remember, was once gilded).

Today, the magnificent vista is blocked by overpasses.  Liwasang Bonifacio (the pre-war Plaza Lawton) is a combination of park, junk yard and informal settlers’ business station.  Metropolitan Theater is still dark.  The trees of Arroceros Park and Mehan Garden have given way for the monster eyesore of a parking building and other bright ideas. 

For some reason, the elegant neo-classic buildings have been painted mustard yellow, accompanied by Corinthian capitals of gray.  City Hall has lost its proportions with the addition (plunk on top) of two more floors.  As for the Legislative Building (now National Gallery of Art), there is something that looks like a shanty dead center at roof line.

The ground level of the Sunken Garden (a golf course) has been raised, in effect truncating the Intramuros walls.  A fence better suited for a rose garden surrounds the grim military fortifications.

Rizal Park is smaller with hamburger joints, recruiters and underground economy types.

As final touch, multi-styled street lamps of many colors populate the entire area, including the bridges across the Pasig.

We all want to be proud of our country.  We want Manila to hold its own alongside the world’s great cities.  We could begin by recovering the beauty of Manila’s pre-war civic center.  This would call for appropriate re-landscaping (nothing flashy) and careful maintenance, restoring the elegance of the old buildings, replacing gaudy street lamps, replanting Roxas Boulevard with something better than sad looking coconut trees, and (no harm dreaming), knocking down those overpasses on Liwasang Bonifacio. 

San Francisco did more when she cleaned up Market Street and demolished an entire multi-level freeway to once again reveal the Ferry Building’s Tower, icon of the incomparable City-by-the-Bay.

Comments are cordially invited, addressed to walalang@mb.com.ph.