88. 6 ISLANDS THAT YOU NEVER THOUGHT EXISTED IN MANILA

 For many city people, it is inconceivable to think Greater Manila has islands in its midst—pieces of and surrounded by water.  Manila sits on a low, flat land that is deltaic in nature. Before the Pasig River reaches the bay, it tears into many tributaries (esteros) and creates little islands enclosed by waterways. Along the coast of Manila, one can find such natural, man-made, and tiny islands or eyots, but others have disappeared through land-filling as the city became more urbanized.

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 ISLA DE CONVALECENCIA. The only island dividing the Pasig River in  Manila is located in the San Miguel district. Here is found the Hospicio de San Jose, the first social welfare institution in the country, accessible only via the Ayala Bridge, and relocated from Echague in 1810.  “Isla de Convalecencia” means island of convalescence,  a name that dates back to the 1830s when the Hospicio  was erected   the island was used as a place of healing for patients of the Hospital of San Juan de Dios. It used to be called Isla de an Andres, in honor of the original owner, Don Andres Blanco Bermudez.

ISLA DE PROVISOR. This small island in northwesth Paco district is bounded  by the Estero de Provisor, Estero del Tanque and the Pasig River. It is across the Isla de Convalecencia on the Taft side of the river. The Manila Thermal Power Plant once operated here in the mid 1960s, until decommissioned in 2000.

ISLA DE BALUT. Balut Island is an artificial island in the Manila North Harbor in Tondo bounded by Estero de Sunog Apog (on the north), by Estero de Vitas (south and east), and the Manila Bay (west), close by to the city of Caloocan. “Balot” means “wrap”, as the island is wrapped around with water.

ENGINEERING ISLAND. Found in the South Harbor of Manila. Engineer’s Island was so called because it was the site of government facilities that repaired ships and retooled many heavy and light machinery. Of course, this artificial island which covers about 30 hectares is now home to the Baseco urban poor community.

PULONG BATO. Pulong Bato or “island of stone” was an island formed by the accretion of sand and silt against the breakwater off Pier 2 in the North Harbor. It was known earlieras”Pulong Diablo” (Devil Island) as it was said o have been a pirates’ lair at one time. The isolated island, still extant and relatively new in 1961, has disappeared from Manila maps.

DAMPALIT. There are at least 6 islands included in Malabon, and Dampalit is one of them an island barangay named after a species of coastal plant that used to grow profusely in the area. The island is separated from the mainland by the Muzon River and the Batasan River. Dampalit River separates it from Navotas.

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN FOR ESQUIRE.PH AND POSTED UNDER THE TITLE "6 ISLANDS THAT YOU NEVER THOUGHT EXISTED IN MANILA", on 31 July 2019.

SOURCES:

Photos of Isla de Convalecencia and Dampalit: Wikimedia commons

The Islands of Manila, The Sunday Times Magazine, 5 March 1961, pp. 32-35. Photos by Dominador Suba and Conrado Capuno.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_islands_in_the_Greater_Manila_Area