# Malate, Manila

Malate is a district of Manila, Philippines. Together with the district of Ermita, it serves as Manila's center for commerce and tourism.

## Etymology

The name Malate is derived from a corruption of the Tagalog word maalat ("salty"). The name likely referred to the brackish waters, where the river estuary (in today's Malate Estero) meets the bay.
Antonio de Morga, writing in his 1609 Sucesos de las Islas Filipinas: "Manila has two drives for recreation. One is by land, along the point called Nuestra Señora de Guia. It extends for about a legua along the shore and is very clean and level. Thence it passes through a native street and settlement, called Bagunbayan, to a chapel, much frequented by the devout, called Nuestra Señora de Guia, and continues for a goodly distance further to a monastery and mission-house of the Augustinians, called Mahalat."
José Rizal, who republished Morga's account, later annotated: "Better, Maalat. The Spaniards pronounced this later as "Malate". There lived the chief Tagáls after they were deprived of their houses in Manila, among whom were the families of Raja Matanda and Raja Soliman. San Augustín says that even in his day many of the ancient nobility dwelt there, and that they were very urbane and cultured. 'The Men hold various positions in Manila, and certain occupations in some of the local public functions. The women make excellent lace, in which they are so skilful that the Dutch women cannot surpass them.' This is still true of the women."

## History

Malate was thought of as the place where the kings or high chiefs of Manila settled after losing their fort "Maynila" (now Intramuros) to the Spanish in 1571. During most of the Spanish colonial period, Malate was an open space with a small fishing village. During the Spanish period, the center of activity was the Malate Church, dedicated to Our Lady of Remedies. It was bordered by Pasay to the south, San Andres Bukid to the east, shores of Manila Bay to the west, Paco to the northeast, Makati to the southeast, and Ermita to the north.
After the United States of America annexed the islands in 1898 as a consequence of the Spanish–American War, American urban planners envisioned the development of Malate as the newest and trendiest exclusive residential area for American families. American expatriates and some of the old Spanish mestizo families populated the district in modern high-rise apartments and bungalows. In 1901, with the chartering of the city of Manila, Malate would be absorbed by the city of Manila when its borders were extended outside Intramuros.
Despite extensive damage after the Second World War, many homes and buildings were still standing. The displaced wealthy families who evacuated their homes during the war returned and re-built their private villas and kept the whole district exclusively residential until the 1970s.
The once exclusive residential areas in western Malate began to transform into a commercial area with some large homes and residential apartments being converted into small hotels, specialty restaurants and cafes.
During the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos, visual and performing artists found a haven in Malate and it became a bohemian enclave.
The Malate was plot setting for the episode 'Mata' of the 2010 horror film Cinco. In 2011 was plot setting in the horror film Bulong.

## List of barangays

| Zones | Barangays |
| Zone 75 | Barangays 688, 689, 690, 691, 692, 693, 694, and 695 |
| Zone 76 | Barangays 696, 697, 698, and 699 |
| Zone 77 | Barangays 700, 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, and 706 |
| Zone 78 | Barangays 707, 708, 709, 710, 711, 712, 713, 714, 715, 716, 717, 718, 719, 720, and 721 |
| Zone 79 | Barangays 722, 723, 724, 725, 726, 727, 728, 729, and 730 |
| Zone 80 | Barangays 731, 732, 733, 734, 735, 736, 737, 738, 739, 740, 741, 742, 743, and 744 |
| Barangay | Land area (km²) | Population (2020 census) |
| Zone 75 |||
| Barangay 688 | 0.04690 km² | 1,212 |
| Barangay 689 | 0.02462 km² | 733 |
| Barangay 690 | 0.01288 km² | 496 |
| Barangay 691 | 0.01467 km² | 409 |
| Barangay 692 | 0.03993 km² | 1,329 |
| Barangay 693 | 0.02784 km² | 511 |
| Barangay 694 | 0.07146 km² | 1,281 |
| Barangay 695 | 0.04763 km² | 654 |
| Zone 76 |||
| Barangay 696 | 0.08344 km² | 2,420 |
| Barangay 697 | 0.08563 km² | 1,967 |
| Barangay 698 | 0.08458 km² | 1,736 |
| Barangay 699 | 0.1955 km² | 3,193 |
| Zone 77 |||
| Barangay 700 | 0.03950 km² | 138 |
| Barangay 701 | 0.1914 km² | 2,695 |
| Barangay 702 | 0.04345 km² | 3,342 |
| Barangay 703 | 0.05857 km² | 114 |
| Barangay 704 | 0.03584 km² | 5,299 |
| Barangay 705 | 0.02287 km² | 2,683 |
| Barangay 706 | 0.04013 km² | 296 |
| Zone 78 |||
| Barangay 707 | 0.004390 km² | 1,052 |
| Barangay 708 | 0.02016 km² | 753 |
| Barangay 709 | 0.04385 km² | 4,154 |
| Barangay 710 | 0.01038 km² | 559 |
| Barangay 711 | 0.008760 km² | 1,294 |
| Barangay 712 | 0.01313 km² | 1,068 |
| Barangay 713 | 0.005250 km² | 1,964 |
| Barangay 714 | 0.01546 km² | 1,371 |
| Barangay 715 | 0.005370 km² | 180 |
| Barangay 716 | 0.004890 km² | 920 |
| Barangay 717 | 0.002740 km² | 479 |
| Barangay 718 | 0.008380 km² | 1,155 |
| Barangay 719 | 0.4977 km² | 6,690 |
| Barangay 720 | 0.05317 km² | 1,238 |
| Barangay 721 | 0.1336 km² | 577 |
| Zone 79 |||
| Barangay 722 | 0.02605 km² | 641 |
| Barangay 723 | 0.02234 km² | 540 |
| Barangay 724 | 0.08319 km² | 2,388 |
| Barangay 725 | 0.05289 km² | 1,409 |
| Barangay 726 | 0.04322 km² | 595 |
| Barangay 727 | 0.05788 km² | 1,790 |
| Barangay 728 | 0.07134 km² | 840 |
| Barangay 729 | 0.03145 km² | 871 |
| Barangay 730 | 0.04507 km² | 1,539 |
| Zone 80 |||
| Barangay 731 | 0.03627 km² | 2,916 |
| Barangay 732 | 0.02318 km² | 1,974 |
| Barangay 733 | 0.04084 km² | 4,303 |
| Barangay 734 | 0.01504 km² | 902 |
| Barangay 735 | 0.02234 km² | 2,063 |
| Barangay 736 | 0.01458 km² | 3,806 |
| Barangay 737 | 0.01198 km² | 2,209 |
| Barangay 738 | 0.03285 km² | 3,047 |
| Barangay 739 | 0.02586 km² | 4,530 |
| Barangay 740 | 0.02993 km² | 4,138 |
| Barangay 741 | 0.01402 km² | 1,207 |
| Barangay 742 | 0.007560 km² | 807 |
| Barangay 743 | 0.03766 km² | 1,607 |
| Barangay 744 | 0.03347 km² | 1,223 |

## Accessibility

The district can be directly accessed by the main roads like the Roxas Boulevard, Quirino Avenue and Taft Avenue.
The Light Rail Transit Line 1 (LRT-1) follows Taft Avenue and has two stations located in Malate, namely Vito Cruz and Quirino stations.

## Economy
### Government offices

Agencies like the Department of Finance (DOF), the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and lending institution LandBank of the Philippines are headquartered in the district, whilst the National Naval Command Headquarters of the Philippine Navy is at the boundary limits of Manila and the city of Pasay along Roxas Boulevard. The Bureau of Plant Industry is also headquartered in the district.
The Apostolic Nunciature to the Philippines is located in the district along Taft Avenue near Quirino Avenue. This serves as the residence of the pope during visits in the country.

## Facilities

In the 1990s, Malate and the nearby district of Ermita had been "cleaned-up" and big businesses and resort hotels have sprouted in the district.
Harrison Plaza, Manila's first enclosed modern mall, was located in the Malate district.
There is one public hospital, the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center, located at the corner of Roxas Boulevard and Quirino Avenue. It serves the 5th legislative district of Manila.

### Recreation

The district is also home to the Philippine's first sports stadium, the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, and the country's premiere zoological park, the Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden. Promenades and parks by the Manila Bay have been made more convenient and safe with the opening of the Manila Baywalk area and the renovated Plaza Rajah Sulayman. A portion of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex also lies within the district.
The district contains a red-light district. A Koreatown could also be found in the district.

## Education and scholarly activity

Education in Malate is mostly provided by private schools. Several educational institutions which are part of the University Belt are located in Malate, these are the De La Salle University, De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde, Philippine Christian University, Philippine Women's University, St. Paul University Manila and St. Scholastica's College Manila. Prominent secondary schools in Malate are the Jesus Reigns Christian Academy, Jose Abad Santos Memorial School and the Malate Catholic School. Doña Aurora Quezon Elementary School is the only public school in the district.

## Notable residents

* Herminio A. Astorga
* Kim Atienza
* Beethoven Del Valle Bunagan a.k.a. Michael V.
* Eugene Domingo
* Tina Monzon-Palma
* Inigo Pascual
* Piolo Pascual
* Carlos Yulo

## Gallery

* Malate Church
* Rajah Sulayman Monument
* Remedios Circle
* Plaza Rajah Sulayman
* Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center
* Manila Zoo
* Manila Korea Town