West of Intramuros on the southern side of the river is the new Port district (El Puerto), built for the most part on made land, from which run the long Government piers and which is protected from the stormy waters of the bay by the new break water. Stretching south a short distance beyond the wall is Ermita (formerly the rendezvous of sailors from many countries). Beyond Ermita lies Malate, by way of which the attacks against Manila by the so-called Chinese pirate, Limahong, by the British under Draper and Cornish in 1762, and by the U.S. forces in 1898, were made. Both of these districts front the bay and have many fine residences. Eastward is the district of Paco, in which are several tobacco factories. Beyond lie Pandacan and Santa Ana, the latter stretching to the San Juan river, on the bridge of which occurred the first outbreak between the Filipino and U.S. forces shortly after the taking of the city by the latter on Aug. 13, 1898. Just beyond the western side of the wall and between it and the Port district runs the Bonifacio drive, ter minating northward on the river at the Anda monument and southward at the Luneta, a large park lying close outside the walls of Intramuros. West of the Luneta is Burnham Green, so named for the famous landscapist who laid out modern Manila and Bauio, and to the westward of the latter is the new Luneta, which is made and reclaimed land bordering the bay. East of the Luneta is Wallace field, which has been used for the carnival held each February. The new legislative building is there. Stretch ing south from the Luneta and Burnham Green runs the Dewey boulevard which extends to Pasay. Running south also from near the eastern face of the wall is Taft avenue, a broad thorough fare fronting which are the Government General hospital and several buildings belonging to the educational system. In San Miguel is the General Solano drive, with many fine residences.
Most of the white inhabitants live in Ermita, Malate, Santa Mesa, San Miguel and in the new suburbs of San Juan Heights beyond the San Juan river. Houses, when built in the old Spanish style, are usually of hardwood with the outer walls of sliding frames so that the interior can be thrown open to the air; the living quarters are usually in the second storey. Small squares of translucent shell form a substitute for glass. The walls are unplastered both because of the climate and of the frequency of earthquakes. Of late years the concrete apartment house has made its appearance. There are excellent sewage and water sys tems, the former emptying into the bay more than a mile from shore and the latter supplied from the Mariquina river at a dis tance from the city and impounded in a reservoir with a capacity of 2,000,000 gal. some 212 ft. above sea-level.
Manila has three warmer months (April–June), four colder months (November–February), and five of inter mediate temperature, (March, and July–October). For the period 1903-18, the average of mean monthly temperature was 26.4° C
F), the mean maximum being 28•2° C (May), and the mean minimum, 24.5° C (January). During the months of February to April, east-south-east and south-east winds prevail; July to September, west-south-west and south-west ; November to January, north-north-east and north-east; winds in October are variable and in May to June winds from south-west and west-south-west prevail almost as much as those from east-south east and south-east. Typhoons but seldom strike Manila directly.
The annual mean rainfall is 77-2 in., the highest monthly mean (July) being 21 in., and the lowest (February), .46 inch. Many minor earth tremors occur, and at times disastrous quakes.
In 1926 there were 75 public schools, of which 37 were primary, 31 intermediate and 7 secondary, with a total enrolment of 58,533, or 70.33% of the school population. In Manila are located most of the various colleges of the Govern ment University of the Philippines, which was founded in 1908. The total enrolment is over 5,000. There are also many private schools and colleges. Juan de Letran was founded as a Dominican institution in 1640, for the education of boys, and is a feeder of the University of Santo Tomas (1619). The Jesuits on their return to the islands in 1859 founded the Ateneo, a high school where excellent instruction is given. Non-secular institutions include the National university, with about 5,000 students, and Manila university, with about 3,000.
The Philippine library, occupying part of an old Spanish Government building, was founded in 1909. It includes in theory all the insular Govern ment owned books, but several collections are housed in their own buildings; e.g., that of the Bureau of Science (4o,000 vol.). The library, to which has lately been added the Philippine museum, has an admirable collection of well over a quarter million volumes. It houses the largest and best collection of Filipiniana in existence, and is especially rich in other Orientalia and in history and economics. Within the walled city are the churches and convents of the Augustinians, Dominicans, Franciscans and Augustinian Recollects. Of the convent of the Augustinians the oldest parts were built before 1600, it is said, by a nephew of Herrera, who built the Escorial. It was so well constructed that it has withstood the several destructive earthquakes of the last three centuries. The Dominican convent adjacent to the Dominican church is a well constructed, pleasing edifice. The Jesuit church, also within the walled city, is noted for its fine carvings. The Roman Cath olic cathedral, located on Plaza McKinley, is a spacious building with a fine dome. The convent of Santa Clara is also within the walled city. The Jesuits have a college and church in Ermita, and on the other side of the river are the churches of Santa Cruz and San Sebastian, the latter a steel Gothic structure made in Belgium. In Malate is the church of Nuestra Senora de los Remedios. There is also an Episcopalian cathedral in Ermita and across from the Jesuit college a brick Presbyterian church now known as the Union church. In Binondo is the cathedral of the schismatic Aglipayan Church. On Taft avenue is the Philippine General hospital (I 91 0). Other hospitals are that of the U.S. army, St. Paul's (Roman Catholic), St. Luke's (Episcopal), Mary J. Johnson Memorial hospital (Methodist), the Hospicio de San Juan de Dios, the San Lazar° hospital, the Mary Chiles Christian hospital and a Chinese hospital.