Pasay can be viewed through several cultural lenses: sacred architecture, a religious performance tradition, artworks with national recognition, and the history of an international convention center. It also has a dessert museum with eight themed rooms and a clearly located seaside terminal. If you are considering Pasay as a place to stay, you can choose based on the interests that will shape your visit: architecture, art, religious traditions, or finding your way around the Mall of Asia complex.
Architecture and a range of themes
Sta. Clara De Montefalco Parish is a church from the Spanish colonial period in Pasay. It has a bell tower and expressive statues. These features give the church a different architectural profile from the city's other cultural sites and make it especially interesting to travelers interested in sacred architecture.
The Dessert Museum in Pasay has eight themed rooms devoted to donuts, marshmallows, ice cream, candy canes, bubble gum, gummy bears, cotton candy, and cake. The variety of themes ranges from individual sweets to different dessert motifs. This is a distinctly different focus from church architecture: here, a themed world organized around sweets sits alongside Pasay's religious and institutional cultural histories.
Convention history, art, and film
The Philippine International Convention Center is considered Asia's first international convention center and was the setting for major national gatherings for nearly five decades. Its cultural focus is therefore on institutional history, setting it apart from sacred traditions and individual architectural features.
On June 27, 2019, the National Museum of the Philippines recognized the PICC Complex and four integrated artworks as National Cultural Treasures: “Pagdiriwang” by Jose Joya, “Anito” and “Grid” by Arturo Luz, and carved wooden furniture by Napoleon V. Abueva. The recognition includes both works of fine art and furniture, adding a specific art and cultural heritage dimension to the complex's convention history.
The Manila Film Center was originally designed by architect Froilan Hong for international film festivals and to house significant film archives. Its original purpose brings together festival and archive themes, adding a connection to film culture to the picture of Pasay.
Religious traditions and dates
The Malibay Cenaculo is considered, following recognition by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the oldest continuously performed play of its kind in the Philippines. In the play, local performers portray Mary, Joseph, Roman soldiers, the twelve Apostles, and Jesus Christ. The performance tradition is thus characterized by its distinction and its specifically named roles.
The Feast of Santa Clara is celebrated in Pasay every year on February 13 in honor of Saint Clare of Montefalco. The date provides a specific annual point of reference if religious traditions are among your travel interests.
Finding your way around the Mall of Asia complex
The Esplanade Seaside Terminal is located at the far end of the Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City and offers connections to nearby attractions. Its precise location helps orient visitors within the complex; the connections add a general transportation perspective to this sense of place. This makes the terminal a different kind of point of reference when exploring Pasay: a named landmark within the complex.
Discover more destinations: Carmen, Sorsogon, Island Garden City Of Samal, Mandaluyong City, Lapu-Lapu City, Manila, Cebu, Malay
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