Trip To The Mehan Garden And Liwasang Bonifacio

I was a bit hesitant to take the new assignment that was given to me as a part-time writer which was about featuring the landmarks around LRT and MRT. It was because I didn’t know much about Manila, especially going around the capital city. However, I thought I liked the challenge of trying something outside my comfort zone. So I took the challenge and found myself restless on my seat on a bus going to LRT Station.

I was thinking that I would be getting off at the first station of LRT since that the placard on the bus only said LRT. To my surprise, I got off at the Central Station which I was totally clueless of where it was exactly in Manila. I tried asking people, sending text messages to some of my friends, and even saying little prayers while looking around. I was not panicking, though. I liked the adventure of it.

There were many friendly people around who really tried helping me to provide the information I needed that time. I thought I was starting to have headache after receiving different directions and suggestions from people I met along the way. Until I got some solid information from a friendly old man.

He mentioned the Mehan Garden and the Liwasang Bonifacio. I was so excited with the information I got from him which after saying my thank-you, I started walking to its direction. It was easy to find these locations which were near the Manila City Hall and City College of Manila.

My first stop was the Mehan Garden. I was thinking of a beautiful park where flowers and green shrubs were abundant. There might be children along with their guardians playing around it. If my imagination would permit, there must be a fountain or two which would add to the beauty of the place. Should I say I was excited?

Since I didn’t know where exactly it was, I approached an old lady who seemed to be staying a lot in that part of the city where there were many trees and concrete benches around it, which most of it were occupied by sleeping homeless people. Some of them actually seemed to have comfortably found a permanent home and comfort room in it. I didn’t mean to sound awful about the place but the smell was undeniably strong.

The old lady was nice and was a bit shy to tell me that I had actually found the Mehan Garden! I was actually standing on it. I didn’t know what to say but one thing was sure, I was so disappointed. Perhaps I expected too much. The sad part here was that the local government of the city was not doing a good job in keeping their place inviting to first-timer like me or a tourist who was going around Manila. Because of this, I didn’t take out my camera for some snap shots. I was thinking it was kind of offensive to the settlers’ privacy.

So I moved on to my next stop which was the Liwasang Bonifacio which was located just a few steps away on the opposite side of Mehan Garden. This time I was not expecting too much. Just fine. Until I was welcomed by a massive bronze and solid structure of Liwasang Bonifacio which was obviously established to honor and remember Andres Bonifacio and his greatest deeds as one of our greatest heroes.
Bits of information could be found on the Bonifacio statue itself. Like the dates, people, and other important information about it. There were scenes depicted on it which were like telling stories about our history. There were several flagpoles flying the transformation of all the flags from the Revolutionary era to the present, and the KKK’s constitution inscribed in metal.

It was really impressive despite of the heat of the afternoon sun. There were few people who were actually taking pictures before the huge historical structure. It was fun watching them teasing each other like kids. I wondered if they had appreciated it like a proud Filipino should.

It was my turn to take pictures of it after they easily left the place. Whoever did this beautiful statue, he sure was a good artist. Emotions were clear on each face displayed in it. It was beautiful. The hardships and the dedication of Andres Bonifacio and his colleagues had evidently been showcased in great details. It was like looking at a great painting on a wall in a museum.

It was something we all should be very proud of. I decided to get an up-close look on it by getting near it and touching its rough and amazing curves. I was enjoying it until I noticed something, or smelled something that should not be there. I tried thinking of beautiful things to deny another disappointment. The area around the statue was full of – you know what it was. How could they do this? I am so sorry to say this but those people who didn’t have sense of hygiene and respect should be punished in any way possible. Was that how they give tribute to a hero? What was going on?

I wanted to protest and make an appeal to the local government of Manila to do something about it. It was a beautiful place and should be considered sacred. I wish that the next time I would visit the Liwasang Bonifacio, it would be clean and fresh to the nose. #