MALABON

Malabon’s on-the-edges location gives it a sense of seclusion — those who live in Quezon City or Las Pinas will agree that it feels so far away. Adding to the air of Malabon’s insularity are the gracefully-worn heritage houses, which are easily among the favorite attractions of tourists who visit the area. The highlight of the city’s cultural sites is the 400-year-old San Bartolome Church, which has surprisedly stayed intact in spite of natural calamities which struck Malabon. Despite its far-away residential feel, Malabon offers various forms of entertainment. Children on a school field trip often visit the Malabon zoo to discover more about wildlife creatures. From time to time, zookeepers allow guests to hold and pet the zoo’s huge snake. This attraction often gets flak for being too cramped for the animals, but its something that keeps kids entertained. Malabon has managed to cultivate its own little food culture, with lots of focus on Filipino specialties such as the pancit Malabon (noodles),puto and kakanin (rice cakes). There’s a restaurant famous for crispy pata (deep fried pork front leg) topped with pickles. And there is another one famous for bangus. Also called “The Venice of the Philippines,” Malabon is notorious for getting flooded with the slightest drizzle because of its low-lying location. Residents of the area have learned to just live with the problem. When there’s a flood in the area, kids turn the streets into their own swimming pool and adults just roll up their pants to brave the water.