Manila among world’s best cities – website

MANILA, Philippines — Manila was hailed as one of the best cities in the world based on a survey by foreign lifestyle website Time Out.

The country’s capital placed 34th out of 53 “best cities in the world for 2022” that the “global media and hospitality brand” included.

Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland in the United Kingdom, is at the top of the list.

Survey respondents voted Manila as the “third most resilient,” the website revealed, adding that “not a single respondent described the city as rude – instead, it was admired by many for the welcoming and infectious smiles of its people.”

While earning a reputation for “overpopulation to traffic jams,” Time Out wrote: “The legacy of Chinese, Spanish and American influences makes Manila an underrated hub for art and culture, with unique customs and cuisine to boot.”

It also acknowledged that Manila stayed afloat amid the lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic – wherein measures like  “cruel liquor bans and the demand for spacewear-like face shields” were enforced – after vaccination was introduced.

Time Out encouraged its clients to visit Manila because it “really is thriving again” with the presence of “high-end shopping malls, eclectic contemporary art galleries and the edgy music venues of the south.”

Manila could refer to the city of Manila or the National Capital Region, also called Metro Manila.

With this development, the Manila city government recognized former mayor Isko Moreno for his leadership that led to the city’s inclusion in the Time Out list of best cities.

In a resolution authored by Manila Councilors Joel Villanueva and Ernesto Isip Jr., the city council declared that Moreno “exemplified the brand of political will and commitment to solve the seemingly insurmountable problems and challenges long neglected by previous administrations.”

“This never-before-seen political dedication, steadfastness and staunchness has resulted to meaningful changes in the City of Manila in terms of poverty alleviation, delivery of social services, people-centered infrastructure projects, education and health care,” it said.

Moreno, elected in 2019, had just started his stint as mayor when the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country in 2020.

Programs and projects were enforced under his term like the construction of the Bagong Ospital ng Maynila, Tondominium and Binondominium and Basecommunity socialized housing projects; renovation of Manila Zoo; the Manila COVID-19 Field Hospital and the digitalization of transactions in the city government.

In a Facebook post, Moreno thanked the city government – led by his allies, Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan and Vice Mayor Yul Servo-Nieto – for the accolade.