The culture of the Philippines is characterized by cultural and ethnic diversity. Although the multiple ethnic groups of the Philippine archipelago have only recently established a shared Filipino national identity, their cultures were all shaped by the geography and history of the region, and by centuries of interaction with neighboring cultures, and colonial powers. In more recent times, Filipino culture has also been influenced through its participation in the global community.
LVN Pictures, Inc. was a Filipino film studio that was considered one of the biggest in the history of Philippine cinema and its foremost establishment in motion picture post-production until 2005. In its heyday of motion picture production, LVN Pictures has been compared to that of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (MGM) of Hollywood because it had, under contract, the biggest stars and film craftsmen of the period. Before its closure in 2005, LVN Pictures was known as one of the oldest living film studios in the country.
Amparo Robles Custodio-Moya, known professionally as Chicháy, was a Filipina comedian and actress. Her short and stocky stature, scratchy voice, and prematurely-aged appearance allowed her to portray grandmothers while only in her thirties.
Sampaguita Pictures was a Philippine film production company. It was named for the Philippine national flower, sampaguita. Though no longer functioning, the company's Sampaguita Compound remains in Quezon City.
Bayani Casimiro Sr. was a Filipino dancer who was among the leading stars of bodabil (vaudeville) in the 1930s and 1940s. He also appeared in musical films and later in life, in comedic roles. A tap dancer, he was frequently dubbed as the "Fred Astaire of the Philippines".
Rodolfo Joaquín Concepción, was a popular Filipino film actor during the 1930s. He was dubbed Ang Idolong Kayumanggi.
The Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Awards are the annual honors given by the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS), an organization composed of award-winning writers and movie columnists, for achievements in Philippine cinema for a calendar year. Members of the academy including avid movie viewers, fans or enthusiasts cast their votes on who should win the statuettes in the different categories they were nominated. Established in 1952, it is the oldest existing film industry award-giving body in the Philippines and one of the oldest in Asia. The FAMAS Award, from 1952 to 1982, was the highest Filipino film award a filmmaker or artisan could receive in the local movie industry.
Marlene Daudén is considered one of the greatest Filipina drama actresses of all time. She achieved her legendary status as a film thespian during her film career that spanned from the 1950s up to the 1970s. During the height of her fame, she was one of the most bankable stars of Sampaguita Pictures, which used to be one of the leading Philippine movie studios of the era.
Bernardo “Narding” Anzures (1928–1949) was a Filipino film actor and convicted murderer.
The Manila Metropolitan Theater, also known as the Metropolitan Theater, abbreviated as the MET, is a historic Philippine Art Deco building located in Plaza Lawton in Ermita, Manila. It is recognized as the forefront of the Art Deco architectural style in the Philippines.
Narcisa Buencamino-De León was a Filipino film producer and businesswoman.
The Manila City Hall is the official seat of government of the City of Manila, located in the historic center of Ermita, Manila. It is where the Mayor of Manila holds office and the chambers of the Manila City Council is located. It was originally intended to be a part of a national government center envisioned by Daniel Burnham in the 1900s. Although the dream plan was not fully implemented, some buildings for the proposed government center were constructed, including the Old Legislative Building, and the Agriculture and Finance Buildings.
The Cebu Provincial Capitol is the seat of the provincial government of Cebu in the Philippines. Located at the north end of Osmeña Boulevard in Cebu City, it was designed by Juan M. Arellano, a Filipino architect best known for the Manila Metropolitan Theater (1935), the Legislative Building, and the Manila Central Post Office (1926). An inscription on the central concave portion of its façade reads, "The authority of the government emanates from the people. Erected A.D. MCMXXXVII."
Quezon Bridge is a combined arch and prestressed concrete girder bridge crossing the Pasig River between Quezon Boulevard in Quiapo and Padre Burgos Avenue in Ermita in Manila, Philippines.
Tourism is an important industry in Metro Manila, Philippines. In 2012, the city and region welcomed 974,379 overnight visitors. As the main gateway to the Philippines' many destinations, the city is visited mainly by international tourists to the country, with a total of 3,139,756 tourists visiting in 2012. Global Blue is ranked in Manila as eleventh as its "Best Shopping Destinations" in Asia. The city is ranked tenth in MasterCard's global top 20 fastest growing cities for international visitors from 2009-2013.
Isetann Cinerama Recto is a shopping mall located at C.M. Recto Avenue corner Quezon Boulevard and Evangelista Street in Quiapo, Manila, Philippines. The mall sits in the portion of Estero de Quiapo which became Roman Super Cinerama in 1964 and burnt down in the late 1970s.
Bellevue Theater is a small theater located in Paco district, Manila, Philippines. The theater adopted Philippine Islamic imagery as its art deco theme, borrowing inspiration from the tradition of moro-moro theatrical scenography.
The Capitol Theater was an Art deco theater in Manila, Philippines. It was built during the 1930s along Escolta Street, part of the city's primary commercial district, together with the Lyric Theater. It was designed with a double-balcony by National Artist Juan Nakpil and that was considered a rare feat during that era.
Roberta is a 1951 Filipino drama film based on the Tagalog Klasiks character of the same name by Mars Ravelo. Directed by Olive La Torre, it stars child actress Tessie Agana as the titular character, alongside Van de Leon, Bella Flores, Maria Cristina, Rosa Mia, José de Villa, Aruray, Boy Alano and Tony Cayado. Produced by Sampaguita Pictures on a low budget after a fire destroyed the studio's film library, it was released in 1951, and was an unprecedented box office success. It won two Maria Clara Awards, for Best Supporting Actress (Mia) and Best Cinematography, and has since been credited with propelling the studio's revival in the early 1950s.
