Tag: metro manila

Walking through the gates of the Manila Chinese Cemetery, visitors are immediately drawn to Chong Hock Tong Temple, a site that has been a center of spirituality, community, and cultural memory for generations. Constructed in 1878, it was initially established by influential Chinese-Filipino families, including Gobernadorcillo Carlos Palanca Tan Quien Sien, whose legacy intertwined with the social and religious life of Manila’s Chinese community during the Spanish colonial period. More than a temple, it became a living emblem of resilience and cultural identity, standing through wars, colonial transitions, and urban transformation.