Where have all the Esteros gone?

Thailand’s capital city, Bangkok is called the "Venice of Asia" because of its canals, so as China's Suzhou is often dubbed the "Venice of the East." In fact The City of Manila should be called "Venice of Asia" for the city has more canals or esteros than Bangkok and Suzhou. Perhaps the title Venice of Asia was not given to Manila because Intramuros, then was the Manila they knew, minus the districts that are now part of Metro Manila.

Old Manila had many inlet rivers, which during the Spanish time we called "esteros" which are the seaward end or extension of a river. They contain a mixture of fresh water from the river, salt water from the sea and their water levels rise and fall with the tide. Throughout Manila's history, some thirty-five esteros flowing into or have been associated with Pasig River, Manila Bay and Laguna be Bay.

Estero de Binondo is one of two estuaries bounding the island of Binondo, Manila's famous Chinese district. The Bridge of Spain was then called "Fuente Espana" (now Jones Bridge) was built in 1632 to allow easier access for the exclusive "peninsulares" living in Intramuros (Manila walled city) via it's Puerta de Isabel II, then driven to Binondo from the foot of the bridge of calle Escolta - (the Spanish word "escortar" to escort, where Escolta got it's name) to be escorted by carruajes, also to cross San Fernando Bridge to go shopping in San Nicolas district. Before 1570 "Ysla de Binondo" as Binondo was originally known during the Manila/Acapulco Galleon Trade, was the center of Chinese trade. In 1594 the Chinese "Parian" or market place on Mejan Garden was moved to Binondo on calle "Sacrista" now Ongpin street, it was given free to the Chinese, also tax free by the Spanish Cortes for as long they were willing to be baptized Catholic.

Binondo and San Nicolas has Estero de Binondo which extends to Estero de la Reina, Ongpin, Gandara,Estero de la Industria, crosses Soler street ends at Reina Regente. Estero de Binondo was the setting of Rizal's "Noli me Tangere," which was the back of the house of Capitan Tiago. Binondo's waterways as Rizal mentioned in his book had different roles of bath, sewer, laundry, fishery, transportation and drinking water.

Tondo has the wide Estero de Vitas, Ampioco, Patria, Estero Sunog Apog that drains water from Manila, dumps water to Manila Bay via Estero de Vitas, Herbosa, Moriones, Estero Teneria, Abukay, Molave, Bambang, Estero de San Lazaro and Estero de Magdalena. Estero near Tondo's "Pritil Bridge" in 1866 was called "Canal de la Reina" named after Queen Isabel II of Spain, drains water from Manila as far as Tayuman Street, Claro M. Recto Avenue and ends in Binondo, where there's a floodgate or pumping station in that end at Muelle de Binondo and dumps water into Pasig River at its southern tip. Dumps water into Manila Bay via Estero de Vitas in its northern tip, where "casqueros" or boatmen transported goods from northern provinces like Pampanga & Bulacan via Pasig River to Divisoria market.

Pandacan has Estero de Pandacan drains Paco and leads to Pasig River. It was immortalized by the poet Balagtas, "Ilog Beata" his tender lyrics "Kay Selya." That is why streets by Estero de Pandacan were named after characters of Balagtas; Florante, Laura, Aladin, Adolfo, Flerida, Antenor and of course "Selya" who was Maria Asuncion Rivera, the first love of Francisco "Balagtas" Baltazar.

Ermita and Malate has Estero San Antonio Abad and Estero Balete, while Quiapo has Estero de Quiapo and Estero de San Sebastian. Sampaloc's San Juan River and Estero de Valencia. San Miquel, where the Malacanang Palace is located is surrounded by the Pasig River. Paco has Estero de Paco, Estero Concordia, Estero Balete and Estero Provisor, while Santa Cruz has Estero de la Reina and Estero de San Lazaro.

Santa Ana the first and the oldest of the three kingdoms of "Namayan" (the now City of Manila), also called Kingdom of Sapa later be called "Maysapan" and Christianized into "Santa Ana de Sapa" now simply as Santa Ana, has Estero de Santa Clara and the longest Estero Tripa de Gallina. This long estero wasthe main reason why Maysapan or Santa Ana was easily reached by Chinese mechant's Junk boats bartering their Chinese goods with the locals. "Tripa de Gallina" (chicken intestine), drains water from Manila, Paco, San Andres, Makati as far as Forbes Park, Fort Bonifacio and then through Buendia Avenue in Makati and Pasay (including Bangkal and Don Bosco Makati) and then in Paranaque. Dumps water into Manila Bay via the Paranaque River at an intersection near western side of the NAIA runway.

These canals or esteros, I mentioned are located in the old City of Manila, not counting the rivers, esteros and canals of the now Metro Manila. Basically Manila is surrounded by water, which flows to the main artery of Pasig River, that meets Laguna de Bay and Manila Bay.

...so, where have all these esteros gone? They're gone to be a garbage dump by the Manilenos, some were claimed by illegal buildings, streets and barong-barong. But they reappear once again as "one wide estero" during monsoon season reclaiming almost the whole city of Manila. Where have all the esteros gone? have a "circular answer" like the Latin phrase... "Ubi sunt qui ante nos fuerunt?" meaning "Where are those who were before us?"
- - ka tony
the 29th of July, '13