Sta. Cruz is one of the older districts in Manila, its main landmark is the centuries old Sta. Cruz Church. The church like other old Spanish churches in Manila have a spacious plaza right in front of the church where activities are held. However, a lot of time has passed since then and Sta. Cruz now forms part of the heart of modern day Manila’s downtown in what has turned out to be sprawling city.
The old plaza has also gone through a lot of changes in the recent years. Most of the time, it served as the local governments guinea pig in trying to solve the city’s maddening traffic. There used to be an elevated park that also serves as a roundabout to vehicles. It also used to be a parking area for visitors of the church. Now, not much is left of the park and what remains is just a simple water fountain which may or may not work. Most of the time, especially at night, it serves as a place for vagrants to rest and get some sleep. Since the roundabout has shrunk a lot, the vagrants have moved to the neighboring buildings doorways to pass the night. Although it makes the area a bit seedy, it is still safe here at night.
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