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Manila American Cemetery and Memorial

I frequent the city of Fort Bonifacio as it is a refreshing alternative to Makati and Ortigas.Indeed one of the bright areas of development in the Metro where you can find a variety of pubs, fine dining and shops. Whatever it is that you are looking for, you can find it here. And the planned city is not even halfway on it's master plan yet. The Fort is something that keeps us optimistic about the future. And it's not just modernity that you can find here, just beside those high rising condos and offices is a historic site known as Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.

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I Went there on two separate occasions last July, first with my friend Alex and second with some members of Young Photographers Philippines (YOPHO). On both cases, it was unfortunately gloomy so I was a bit disappointed.

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I am not sure weather to feel cheerful seeing those buildings in the background. 
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what's with the pose in the middle of those crosses?

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Despite the clouds looming on the horizon, you still see lots of people , both locals and foreigners gracing it's grass and taking pictures. We even saw people doing jump shots in the middle of those crosses, much to the  shock of my friends from yopho. Of all places!!!lol

By the way, the American War Memorial covers152 acres (0.62 km2) or 615,000 square metres in the Southern edge of the business district.To get here, you can take the bus near MRT-Ayala station. Any line will do. Just notify the driver to drop you to the nearest bus stop where you can hike for a few yards. The guards are very accommodating. They are not very strict. They just ask you to sign your name in the logbook, leave an id and remind you of the simple rules inside. Cameras are allowed, even tripod so that's really cool.


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There is a total of 17,206 graves in the site making it the largest cemetery in the Pacific for U.S. personnel killed during World War II. It also holds war dead from the Philippines and other allied nations.Many of the personnel whose remains are interred or represented were killed in New Guinea, or during the Battle of the Philippines (1941-42) or the Allied recapture of the islands.

 At the center is the war memorial. In here, you can see on the walls the way the war progressed and how the Allied forces were able to regain one by one the colonies occupied by Japan. Engraved on the marble piers  are the names of 36,282 of the Missing who gave their lives in the service of America and who rest in unknown graves. many of them are Filipinos.
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marble halls

There is also a shrine where you can solemnly say your prayers. A guest book allows visitors to write their name, country of origin and  message. I was moved by one the comments there from an American tourist saying something like----""you didn't even know us but you fought for us, thank you for the gift of freedom""
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I  feel proud that many Filipinos fought and died side by side with our American friends. It is for me a reassurance that our forefathers also shed blood so as we could feel deserving of the liberty we are enjoying now. I have always been pro-American for I am for democracy and Christianity. I am still glad that despite the many wrong decisions it has made, America is still the sole superpower in the world and not the likes of China, Russia or Iran. I can't imagine the world under the watch of any of these countries......

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taken on the steps of the memorial. --thanks Mel for the photo.

The cemetery is open daily to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except December 25 and January 1. If you live in the Metro or nearby areas, I hope you make and effort to visit this place.


""A nation which makes the final sacrifice for life and freedom does not get beaten. ""

               ----Kemal Atatuk

Comments

  1. my family & I visited this place during my grade school. Nkakarelax noh? Not the typical cemetery we have in mind, di nkakatakot. Btw,may entrance fee ba or free? Nice photos as usual! ;)

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  2. Kahit ako magpopose din for a picture. Ang ganda naman kasi hehehe...Makagala nga jan minsan hehehe...nice shots parekoy!

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  3. @ mishi--- I have to agree on that. not the typical and it really is peaceful here. sarap muni-muni. entrance is free.

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  4. Jag--- e kasi me jump shot pa ang iba. so parang nabababuy yung place....

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  5. Dhon---IT IS. and it's just near. be sure to drop by.......

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  6. a nice place for photoshooting :) so many white crosses :) awesome

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  7. is actually one of the photographer's favorite spot for short distance travel photoshoot.

    i like the second photo the most.

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  8. gusto ko rin bumisita dito one time ;)

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  9. dong ho---naku Dom---di yang processed e gloomy that time. nahihiya ako sayo tuloy.hahaha

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  10. ang linis, obviously maintained.
    photogenic pa.

    love your final shot..
    humuhusay magcompose! wagi! Ü

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  11. @ Chyng---love ko rin yan. di nga lang ako ang nag-compose. di pa ko marunong mag PP. shame****

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  12. It's best kung walang PP =)
    Travel Photography na ba ang tatahakin mong landas? heheh

    =)

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  13. Pichur pichur sa sementeryo, scary!!!

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  14. KUMAGCOW---you are not a fan of PP din? okay lang siguro---I can never tell, kasi di ako marunong so I shy away from it. pero ayoko talaga ng subrang PP na halatang halata na....napapangitan ako..... hmmm. diko pa alam. travel, portraiture, kung saan mag-eenjoy. I am after the fun. secondary nalang ang financial rewards

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  15. glentot---never saw and never been to a cemetery this homey. promise

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  16. wow, ang linis ah.. awesome.. i love to do a photoshoot dun sa site na yan.. ang mga model momo na gumagala dyan.. hehehehe.. anyway, i thank you sa palagi mong dalaw sa bahay ko.. I am sorry i forgot to include you sa award.. sorry talaga.. Copy and paste it.. salamat ha..

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  17. tim---psst---anu ka ba . okay lang kahit walang award award. appreciate it. thanks

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  18. ang ganda ng shots mo. anong gamit mong camera at lens?

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  19. Hindi naman sa hindi ako fan, pero that's why we are called photographers in the first place and not Computer Graphic Artists... but if you are just using it to enhance and hide flaws damaging to both you and your models, PP is okay... =)

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  20. galing mo sa photography astig ka!

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  21. KUMAGCOW--naku--basta-we both share sentiments pagdating dyan.nod nod

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  22. shenanigans---salamat--learning palang. newbie

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  23. hey, thanks for visiting my blog! got a reply to your comment there.

    ...and thank you for posting that cemetery near serendra. the fort has been one of my favorite places but never been to manila american cemetery yet.

    i'll link your blog with mine. salamat!

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  24. parang ampangit magjumpshot sa mga crosses.
    1. nakakabastos
    2. pag tumama ka sa cross, lagot ka, nakasira ka pa.
    wala ba kayong nakuhang ghost pics or sumthin scary? hehe

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  25. Docangelo....since you frequent the fort I think it would be best if you visit the AMW one time. really is a nice place to reconnect with history.....

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  26. Oliver--- wala naman. tanghaling tapat. at saka---dika naman kikilabutan dito. homey nga ang feeling eh. uo----mas scary mag-jump shot---parang walang respect sa mga war dead

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  27. ang saya naman (no pun intended kasi sementeryo) hope to check the place sometime :)

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  28. lawstude--meaning---di ka pa nakapunta dito?

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  29. isa ito s gusto kong puntahan. sa apat na taon kong pagta-trabaho sa the Fort date, ewan ko ba kung baket d ko xa madaanan! :D

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  30. what a thoughtful post! nadadaanan ko yan paminsan. i didn't know it was so purrrty inside.

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  31. gusto ko talaga yung mga wide angle shot at yung second photo ganda ng angle mo.

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  32. thepinaysolobackpacker--yun, kasi puro ka out of town. hehehe

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  33. ʎonqʎʇıɔ---magandang mag-emo dyan and get inspiration sa pagsususlat. I'm sure~~

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  34. dong ho--ah--okay. yan ang nagagawa ng kit lens.lol

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  35. Nice shot!

    Ganyan na pala ka modern ang itsura ng Fort Bonifacio. ^_^

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  36. fiel-kun---grabe yang area na yan. ang bilis ng development.

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