A new Anda Circle, complete with a dancing color fountain that will be illuminated at night, will be the latest addition to the growing list of “selfie” spots in Manila when it is inaugurated on the first week of October.
The monument, also known as “Rotonda Anda,” serves as a roundabout on Bonifacio Drive for vehicles going to and from the Port Area, Navotas, Malabon and Roxas Boulevard.
Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Domagoso visited the site over the weekend and had the multimillion-peso color dancing fountain tested, assisted by City Engineer Armand Andres, City Electrician Randy Sadac, and Department of Public Service chief Kenneth Amurao.
Just like many historical and heritage sites that the current city government refurbished, Anda Circle also used to be smelly, dirty and totally neglected by previous administrations before the rehabilitation works were done.
The fountain, the Standard learned, cost over P30 million to refurbish.
The mayor lauded Amurao for having cleaned up the entire area, which was filled with trash and feces courtesy of vagrants when he assumed mayorship last year, even as the circle also bore ugly signs of vandalism.
Aside from it now being totally clean, Domagoso also commended the efforts of Andres in making the site look almost unrecognizable after undergoing much-needed rehabilitation works.
Andres said that through the efforts of the mayor, the Asian Terminals Inc. funded the fountain, which will be the main attraction and new feature in the said rotunda.
Apart from major landscaping, Andres said the obelisk was restored and repainted with the same color as the original. Lights were also installed to illuminate the area for the benefit of motorists passing by during the night.
The Anda Circle was not gated and its size was retained, keeping its 360-degrees view unobstructed.
The roundabout, located at the boundary of Intramuros and Port Area districts, is an interchange system at the junction of Bonifacio Drive, Mel Lopez Boulevard, Andres Soriano Avenue (formerly Calle Aduana) and Roberto Oca Street.
In it is a monument erected in honor of Simón de Anda y Salazar and his initiative in the resistance against the British occupation of Manila that started in 1762. Anda was the Governor-General of the Philippines for Spain from 1770 to October 30, 1776.
His original monument was erected in 1871 near the Pasig River, under the order of then-Governor General Carlos Maria de la Torre. It was heavily damaged during World War II when the Japanese occupied Manila.
It was moved to its present location along Bonifacio Drive and had been transformed into a monument circle after the war.
Bonifacio Drive now serves as the main thoroughfare for trucks going to and from the Port of Manila.