This week marks 124 years since Manila quietly altered the course of its future. In late July 1901, it became the first chartered city in the Philippines under Philippine Commission Act No. 183. A week later, on August 7, the charter took effect—replacing the Spanish-era cabildo with an American-style municipal board and setting the capital […]

Hong Kong’s century-old tram system remains a beloved, affordable way to traverse the city, while Manila’s once-thriving tranvía exists only in history books.  More than 160 double-decker trams operate along a 13-kilometer (8-mile) track on Hong Kong Island, stretching from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan. Rides cost just HK$3 (P22.15) for adults, with six […]