When all travel vloggers have gone to Cebu or some other southern island or city, Mergim decides to remain and vlog in the metro. I love it!

I didn't even know there was a powerplant there (hence the name). Mergim's contents always include some fun facts. Watching his videos takes me places where I've never been to in PH. We dont really get to explore our own country that much and foreign vloggers do fill this gap and makes us experience things we miss and missed while we were back home. I know a lot of OFWs watch this site coz its fun and entertaining too. I'm surprised how much Manila has changed over the years. Travellers used to skip this city and go straight to island hopping. Foreign vloggers like Mergim do open up a lot of doors to discover and explore.

Hi Guys ! Thanks so much for doing all these vlogs otherwise l don’t know a lot of them places cause l have live more than 2 decades there and live more than 4 decades in Sydney and never l explore Manila when l was attending University there , my Grandmother never let us out on those area specially Tondo anyway thanks again for an informative content, take care and stay safe always ( Morning Maya ) 👍👍👍🇦🇺👍👍👍🇮🇸👍👍👍🇵🇭🙏🙏🙏

For anyone interested..... The 1950s saw the Philippines recovering from the ravages of the war a decade prior. With the recovery came the growth of the metropolis that we know today as new developments were rising outside the boundaries of the City of Manila and prewar posh neighborhoods at what is now south Quezon City, (which by then had been proclaimed the country’s capital) San Juan, Pasay, and Mandaluyong. The most notable of these developments is Makati, a former hacienda farmland being developed by its Zobel de Ayala landowners to become this modern city. Businesses were being enticed to set up office around the former Nielsen Airfield and families were encouraged to move into the different residential development that began to prop up at the time, villages like Forbes Park, Dasmariñas, and Bel Air to name a few. With this changing and growing demographic, the energy consumption of this burgeoning metropolis was growing swiftly. To meet this growing demand, the Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) proceeded to build a thermal plant, to be built on the northern portion of Makati near the Pasig River. Yes, at that time MERALCO was not just distributing power, it was generating power as well. (i.e. building power plants) before National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR) took over the generation part in the 1970s The power plant would be named Rockwell, in honor of MERALCO’s first president, James Chapman Rockwell. It was completed by 1961 and its completion helped usher the growth of Makati into the premier business and commercial district that we know today. It was also a turning point for MERALCO as well as it would be the last major project completed under the company’s American ownership before Eugenio Lopez Sr. took over the company the following year. For the next 10+ years, the Rockwell Thermal Plant served not only as a landmark at this part of the metropolis, but also a symbol of progress. However, it was a flawed symbol at that. Looking at the map. Rockwell Power Plant was sandwiched between residences on the left (Poblacion Makati), right (Guadalupe Viejo), and south (Bel-Air). Given the dangers a power plant can pose, Rockwell was a ticking timebomb in danger of going off. And sadly, it did in 1973. On December 14. 1973 a huge fire engulfed the Rockwell Thermal Plant. It was one of the worst fires the metropolis witnessed as it involved huge chemical-induced flames that required special firefighting equipment which had to be sourced from the then-US military base in Clark Field. Fiery debris reached some residences damaging at least the roofs. The fire would only be extinguished 23 hours later, at the cost of 3 lives, all firefighters. The event left a deep scar that MERALCO (which had a management change a year prior in the wake of Martial Law) closed down Rockwell completely and was left dormant for 20+ years. Meanwhile, no new power plants would be built within the metropolis as power plants were built far away from the metropolis this time around. In the wake of the People Power Revolution in 1986, the heirs of Eugenio Lopez Sr. managed to take control of MERALCO again, including the dormant Rockwell site. There were initial plans to reopen the plant but the residents surrounding the plant, still traumatized by the fire, vehemently opposed to this. So in 1995, the Lopezes decided to bring new life into the area. Under the family’s newly-formed development firm Rockwell Land, plans were unveiled to redevelop the site into a commercial and business hub, the first that would arise to challenge the near-monopoly of the Ayalas in Makati. And the old thermal plant structure would serve as the commercial hub of this new development which was to be called Rockwell Center. The mall, aptly named the Power Plant Mall, would be opened on December 28, 2000 and was immediately a hit among the community that used to live in fear of the old plant and beyond.

Mr. Mergim, thanks again for sharing what's like now in the Philippines. It's look like the country have really changed a lot for the past 36 years since i left the country. I've been watching your vlog since you went to the Philippines. God bless.

Just continue doing what inspires you. Don't be distracted by the numbers because it's always a long winding road ahead. You are uniquely and genuinely a very good vlogger. Always remember how you have reached 42k in a short period of time. Thats an achievement already ... Keep it up !!!

8:00 Your 2 part series turned out really great. I love how you just not explore the city but also try to learn the history about it. Yours is really an awesone vlog. It is not about glamour or show off video. It is down to earth, entertaining and very informative. I never fail to like your videos. I will be coming back home to Manila this September and I can't wait to walk around the streets of Manila again. Toronto is so boring!!! 😁

this guy deserves millions subscribers no BS

Hi sir there is no problem in ur video i love ur vlogs it may be kind of challenging now bcoz there's a lot of KZfaqrs now in the Philippines just keep it up ur subscribers will be going up soon 🙌stay healthy and safe po 🤗

Rockwell mall has very cozy feel, I love it. You guys should take it easy, doing vlogs and editing all night can take its toll. Stay safe, take care and much love! 👍❤💯🇵🇭

You now know more of the Philippines and mostly Metro Manila compared to normal Filipinos! Very impressive! Take care!

You marked Manila as your own territory . You owned it. Thank you for showing us the other narrative.

Another awesome vlog. I always like it when you provide background info of the places you visit. Keep it up.❤️💪

This is more like it nice upload thx👍

I love the way you vlog you really do research about the place history

Thank you for showing power plant mall. First time seeing power plant mall and I am not from Manila. This is what I like your videos showing us what's there in the Metro for those who are not from Metro Manila and for tourists visitors who wished to visit Manila. Going to Manila in two months.

Great video!!!! Thanks for appreciating our country!❤️❤️❤️

Keep exploring Manila👍 I hope you can visit Baguio City later in the Cordillera region my hometown. That is 3hrs from Manila. Pine trees, golf course, picking fresh strawberries and Cordillera culture❤️👍🇵🇭

Thanks for touring Metro Manila, it keeps us updated for overseas Filipinos living abroad around the world. I can't wait your trip to Palawan's Coron Island, El NIdo and it's island hopping tour. Keep on vlogging. Cheers.

You put alot of effort on every video that you put out and it shows, Your intro, execution and style of music sets a vibe, that makes other like myself wait in anticipation for your videos. Hence, why many viewers enjoy watching your creation. You have touched and visited parts of Manila and other regions, that i have not seen from other foreign vloggers that has set foot. It will be sad to see you both leave the Philippines to pursue other adventures that awaits. You and your girlfriend has set a mark in the Philippines and would love to see you both return. Cant wait for your next installment...👍

Hello Mergim, Good day! I hope you take some time to rest. Health is wealth. And always bring umbrella everytime you go out. The weather in PH is unpredictable. Take care both of you. And enjoy! God bless!

Yey! This is sooo good! I think your vids really suit the urban lifestyle of Manila Actually there are more food and coffee options outside in the alfresco area of Power Plant. They close the road and then provide outside seating just like in Forbes Town

8:28 Dont worry Mergim , your filipino viewers arent hasty about you uploading slowly , were patient , you can take your time , its not as if were gonna leave , once you upload , your videos are instantly reccomended to us , i think its best if you dont upload too frequently , savor the moment and enjoy , take rests etc... , or youll be faced with stress , anxiety and other negative emotions be constantly tired , and also too much videos can overwhelm both you and your viewers with too many videos , you should put gaps in your upload dates , like you upload only 1 after a week or 3 days kinda like that.

yes warm calamansi and ginger..good for throat..

Wow that is my favorite mall in Makati, and we have a place in Hulo...that is just a walking distance away....Currently in Canada ...Enjoy Philippines....

So cool. Enjoy!!!

What I love watching your vlog is the contents. Very informative 😍❤️👍

We can see that You have been working hard to make these blogs really very informative as if it is a documentary .. the historical aspect is truly so informative because even if we are Filipinos we have not done researching the history of public monuments, bridges, buildings .. thank you for your hard work but please do take a good rest also as it would be toxic to your health if you have few hours rest and sleep, which is not good for our immune system certainly..

Hi.. Merg.. lookin tired at all !!! I think you need to have to take your time..On your work..Don't compromise your health from work. OTHERWISE what's the green grass for if the cow's dies...Just relax there's plenty of time for you here in the Philippines..Don't forget Health is Wealth..Takecare..stay safe..

I love the laid-back feel of your vlogs. Which is surprising considering the evident amount of work put in to making one of them. Keep going, man. 👌

Hello thanks for sharing nice mall and boat .god bless I'm waching from Riyadh Saudi

Your gf is really patient and I love both of you guys. Keep on the vibe and don't stop your happiness. Take good care of your gf Lodi she's one precious gem ❤️

You've done a great job of documenting the route one must take to get to the Power Plant Mall. I had spent part of my youth in the area before the power plant was demolished and before the Makati-Mandaluyong bridge was built. Very interesting!

i just love this series of mall raids. hope to see u around.

Nice video😊👍informative. Keep it up

Wow 😲 the mall is beautiful

The Powerplant mall is very stylish 🤗 Rockwell is the developer who has the lighting as a feature 🟢 best to see the outside of the mall at night

imformative vlogs always

Mergim you can visit Marikina Street Market Mall which is the largest street market mall in the Philippines with roof. Marikina is a city located east side of Metro Manila and often referred to as Metroeast. There are interesting restaurants there too and leather shoes for it was known as the Shoe Capital of the Philippines. There's a Shoe Museum there too with lots of shoes of Imelda Marcos. You can also visit Antipolo which is just a few minutes away from Marikina for there is a Starbucks in Antipolo that has an awesome view/360 degrees view of the entire NCR. It's high enough to see the skyline of NCR and it's beautiful there most especially during sunset and try to catch the city as it begins to light up. Just take the metro which is the LRTA line 2 Recto Station and it will take you to the eastern side of Mega Manila.

I watched your vids since you first arrived in the philippines. And I did notice that you are quite different when you are in Manila. You feel more relaxed, which is kinda ironic for most of people. However, as an avid viewer of foreign vloggers in the Philippines I enjoyed the beach/touristy video if it is more organized/planned. I mean i think that should be the case especially if you are going to a place you want to chill and enjoy. Having said that, I do love your videos more when you are in Manila. But if you want to go outside of Manila, I suggest you organize your travel especially the transportation and accommodation. I love spontaneous vlog but unprepared travel would only translate to more chaos and problems

check out Araneta city and the Eastwood… both developed by Megaworld

Many people are not aware of the ferry services. Good that you featured them.

Wow

Very informative and fun contents. Amazing videos as if i'm in the area vlogging myself. Excellent choice of contents & editing skill. that's why i follow Mergim's vlog everyday. Quite a refreshing feeling.

Definetly my new favourite vlogger

Fun fact: There's a Rockwell project outside Metro Manila and the only one outside it and it's in Angeles City, Pampanga. By the way, when December comes and you're still here in the Philippines, you should definitely come to Baguio City. Philippines' coldest city (tropical island standards).. Love your videos 🤟🤙

It's nice Mergim enjoy ❤️❤️❤️

I learned a lot from your previous vlog tbh. I had no idea that Arroceros forest park existed 😂

There is a row of restaurants lining the side of Powerplant that serves awesome food. Omotesando Koffee is right there. Also lots of other cafes and restaurants within the Rockwell area outside of the main mall.

Beautiful mall 😲😉🤙❤️

Hello, there my vlog! Don’t forget to visit the Rizal province for your guy! 👍👍👍

Oh man! I love all these tidbits you incorporate in your videos.

Rockwell Mall is the best mall. Nice decor. Plenty of choices. Not too crowded.

Happy monthsary...belated...

I’m there almost every weekend and have never really noticed those little details. That’s my favorite place to watch a movie. There are good movies out now. There’s also a second area of the mall on the other side where you’re from but mostly food. And there’s a great food hall you shouldn’t miss called The Grid there.

Filipino let’s spread the word and help Mergim get more viewers.

Nice

Love your vlogs as always .!!! Keep it up!

It's been almost a decade since I last visited Manila, and this is not the first time I've ever heard of that place. Unfortunately I never had a chance to visit Power plant mall .

I also used to go there to the Power Plant Mall when I was still working in Metro Manila.

Hi! I am one of your subscribers and i also wait everyday for your vlogs. I may say that your content is so good.

Hello shout out friend 🤙👍🤙

Your a good historian im learning from you thank you

Ciao...buongiorno! An Italian vibe mall ❤️ I miss Italy 🇮🇹 Thanks for the history lesson. I feel like a broken record 🤣 I didn’t know about Meralco until I saw your video. I have an excuse though I grew up in Canada and the States now residing here in the 🇵🇭. Learning plentiful from you 🙏 Take care always.

In all the years I’ve lived in Manila, I have never taken the ferry. Thank you for showing me this side.

Will be going to these places you mentioned when I come home for a 6 weeks holiday this July after a three years hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nice u try to experience ferry ride from escolta to power plant Enjoy drinking kalamansi juice,nxt time try to buy kalamansi in divisoria its more cheaper than on the mall😂

Get well,

Thanks for the bloggers, it’s been a while since the last time I visited Philippines.

I'm from Canada, a Filipino and have been away from pi since ages and viewing every blog you upload make me crave for home. I love the way you deliver the excitment to every place you visit very entertaining and educational. Thank you so much. If you're interested, I would suggest for the national museum in manila.

Loved PowerPlant Mall. My Dad used to own a condo ( which he rented out) down there at Rockwell and always loved visiting that place.

*_go to eastwood mall mergim. the vibes there is also good! located at libis quezon city._*

Keep goin’ Mergim. Im one of your avid fan . Nothing wrong the way you vlog. Its just normal to any vlogger around the world. You don’t need to be stressed about viewers nor new subscribers. Just keep goin what you do . Everyday is a learning process. We love you Mergim God bless.❤️🙏

Very nice shop, In Binan Laguna all we have here are one produce and essensials shop and another one for junkfood and cleaning shop.

Hats off to you trying a ferry!

i live in Philippines but i never heard this powe plant mall. thanks mergim for this video. ☺️☺️

Here I am... lol...

Good morning Slr ,.Hope you can do a video Re: opening of the Dolomite Beach along Roxas Blvd, on June 12, Philippine Independece Day. Take care always, :)

There are lots of foods at the malls in the food court.

Rockwell has the best restrooms of any mall in the Philippines.

I always watched your vlog mergim autoclick everytime i see a new post, you're my favorite

I had been to Rockwell and to Power Plant Mall but I didn't know its history. Thanks for sharing your research on it. You have been to different malls and neighborhoods where you are currently staying and maybe it is time travel and visit somewhere north or south of Metro Manila. In the north, you may visit the La Mesa Ecopark, Quezon City Memorial Circle, University of the Philippines-Diliman Campus, Marikina Riverbanks, Eastwood City, Trinoma Mall, SM North EDSA, Kapitolyo/Capitol Commons, Shangri-la Plaza and SM Megamall. Some are accessible by MRT Train but some are not. In the south, you may visit Fort Bonifacio Tenement, Dessert Museum, Bamboo Organ in Las Pinas Church, Alabang Town Center, Filinvest City (Festival Supermall and River Park, Westgate Center, and Northgate Cyberzone), Jamboree Lake and Evia Lifestyle Center. These are accessible via Cavitex or SLEX by Grab or you may commute via PITX. Hoping you are enjoying the city living in Metro Manila.

You're starting to look very at home and relaxed

May i suggest you visit 1. Poblacion makati for their streetfoods Usually opens by 5pm. Its a street well known for its foodstalls, like the ones you visited in tondo but more organized 2. The University of Santo Tomas or also known as UST. The oldest catholic university in asia. Its a community on its own with its own church, hospital, museum and lots of old buildings and open fields its located in espana manila very near where your staying in binondo. Also youll be surprised on the restaurants they have inside the campus that youll only find in UST! 3. The CCP Complex. Built in a reclaimed land by the late Presideny Marcos. Lots of inyresting buildings like the Cultural Cenyer of the Philippines, the Folk Arts Theatre, the Coconut Palace, the Philippine Inyernational Convention Center, the Star City (an amusement cenyer) and the Manila Film Center. Theres also food areas and also a boat port where you can ride a boat and see the sunset in manila bay . A differeny perspective coz your at sea and watching yhe manila skyline. Also the grocery where you went to was Rustans, one of the high end groceries of the metro.

Visit La Mesa Ecopark in Quezon City. Ocean Park in Manila. Star city in Pasay. There's also Avilon Zoo, largest zoo here in Rodriguez Rizal

Power Plant Mall is an upscale indoor shopping mall in Makati, Metro Manila. It is in former site of the 130-megawatt Rockwell Thermal Plant owned by the Lopez-led Manila Electric Railroad and Light Company Meralco). It is the anchor establishment of Rockwell Center, named after American James Rockwell, former President of Manila Electric Railroad and Light Company (Meralco).

Sm north edsa next, 2nd biggest mall to sm mall of Asia mall. They have sky garden mall, that place is getting develop because of the common station of mrt, lrt and subway.... You can take bus or mrt free of charge, almost 1 year free ride in edsa...

Now I know why it’s called PowerPlant Mall! Thanks Mergim! Very interesting!

Learning so much about my country through you.Thanks

Go to PAGSANJAN LAGUNA for waterfalls and nature trekking...

I love rockwell mall

I miss going to NCR especially Makati which is my second home. It is just hard for me now especially our provincial buses cannot pass EDSA. Cut trip commute is expensive. Thank you for touring us around.

Visit the SEASCAPE in Manila Bay. You can find many restaurants here. You can dine while viewing for the lovely Sunset, the best place in Manila to view the Sunset.

You look knackered Mergim. Ease up a bit. Well keep watching. Big up to my British brother 👍

Please also visit ortigas area, wherin Shangrila mall is situated, also megamall and podium mall. Thanks.

Hi Power Plant Mall is a favorite of mine simply because my condo is just about 10 minutes walk. Yes there’s a ferry station there Hulo which I never tried nor any other blogger except you. You passed by the Church which is turning left once you left the ferry. On the right is Acqua Private Residences that has 4 towers of condominiums and at the entrance is the newly opened Novotel Hotel. This is where my condo is in one of the towers which names are derived from names of waterfalls from around the world like Niagara. Enjoy the pianist. The mall has a variety of restaurants which serve good food. I like Ooma for a quick Japanese. Hope you liked the place.

u look exhausted handsome boy, take all the rest u need, don't be pressured ok, its alright!!

Salamats to your history of Rockwell bro! Take your time in your content don't rush things if you cant, remember go with the flow... The Rustan Supermarket has always complete if your finding international stuff 🙏🤙🇵🇭

Illy is a great coffee place, better than Starbucks. On the 2nd floor

Hello, just a recommendation, if you're ever planning to go to a theme park, I suggest you should go to Enchanted Kingdom.