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Baclaran (Redemptorist) Church
Considered to be the most attended church in Asia wherein The Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help is sheltered, the Baclaran Church, which is run by the Redemptorist Fathers, has become a mecca for Christian pilgrims from all over the world. It is believed that novena devotion at the shrine rarely fails to result in the granting of the devotees' petitions. The first novena in Baclaran was celebrated on June 23, 1948. There were only 70 people present then and the capacity of the church at the time was only 300. The increasing attendance forced the Redemporists to construct a more spacious church which was officially declared as the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help on January 1958. On December of the same year, the completed church was solemnly consecrated, and since the day it was opened, it has never been closed. Each week, i.e. on Wednesdays, hundreds of Petitions and Thanksgiving letters come in. The church now has a capacity of 2,000 persons seated, and for another 9,000 standing.

Baclaran Dry Goods Market
Baclaran is also known as a bargain center throughout the world due to the amazing discounts shoppers enjoy at its dry goods markets. Notable among the sold items are ready to wear clothes; for instance, one would find printed t-shirts for as low as P50 (US$1.25), long pants for P150 (US$3.25), dresses for P200 (US$5.00), among other goodies. Rest assured, the tailoring of these products do justice to the Filipinos' reputation as counting among the best tailors of the world. Bargain hunters would have a heyday every Wednesday, which is novena day for Baclaran Church (see above), as long as they're willing to face the crowding hordes of fellow shoppers!

Baclaran Nightlife
There is always a solution for lonely nights in Parañaque, and for fine gentlemen they may visit Baclaran's Airport Road, a glittering night club strip known throughout the country. Watch performances by world-class music bands while being entertained by the most beautiful ladies from all over the islands and imbibing in a nonstop supply of San Miguel Beer. Go bar-hopping until sunrise. No need to worry about the bill, for the joints in Baclaran offer the lowest prices.

Bakahan at Manukan
If San Franciscans have their Fisherman's Wharf, Paraqueños have their Bakahan at Manukan or Beef and Chicken Center, a misnomer since the specialty of this line of restaurants are the fresh sea catches of the Bulungan (see below). Located along the coast of Manila Bay, one may enjoy the best marine dishes cooked fresh from the sea. The cuisine ranges from local delights to foreign menus that may be prided as on par with their original versions and, in some cases, even better. The best time to dine at the Bakahan is during the late afternoons when one may witness the world-famous Manila Bay sunset while enjoying an early supper. Watching the fishermen go about their business is a treat too!

Bulungan sa La Huerta
The Philippines is known the world over for the country's succulent fish catch, and among Filipino ports, the Bulungan in the coastal township of Barangay La Huerta enjoys some prominence. Here, one will witness the freshest deliveries of sea foods from all over the islands straight from the fishermen's net! Catches are brought to port during the early mornings and the afternoons, the time when market retailers south of Manila converge to haggle for wholesale purchases. At the Bulungan sa La Huerta, you can be assured that the fish (and other marine products) are fresh, clean, and very cheap!

Fiesta Shopping Mall (Duty-Free Philippines)
The center for duty-free shopping in the Philippines, the Fiesta Shopping Mall, is also located in Parañaque. It has been judged as among the finest duty-free shopping concerns in the world while its item prices are usually lower than those in its counterparts as an adjustment to the lower cost of living in the Philippines. The newly-built building and its interior make shopping not just a pleasure but a complete aesthetic experience. It also has its own food court that is often visited even by non-shoppers.

Fresh Foods Market and Ihaw-Ihaw
If you find it difficult to source out the early morning fresh fish catch, you could always go to the Parañaque Fresh Foods Market at Dr. A. Santos Ave. (DASA), Barangay San Dionisio, where the seafood products are always fresh. And if you couldn't wait to get home to take advantage of your pick's freshness, you could simply bring your purchase to the ihaw-ihaw or barbecure restaurants just next door where you could have it cooked in whatever way you want for as low as P40 (US$1) per dish. Better yet, you could go straight to those restaurants and ask them to do the marketing for you! NOT for the diet-conscious, definitely.

South Superhighway Industrial Line
You would be surprised that such a humble city as Parañaque is home to the most esteemed international companies throughout the world. Among these companies are such giants as Toyota Motors, Honda, Motorola, Columbia Motors, Johnson and Johnson's, Astra Pharmaceuticals, Jardine-Davis, Koppel, etc. You would find most of these establishments along Parañaque's portion of the metropolis' South Superhighway which is the main link of Manila to the southern regions. The location of these companies has further highlighted the City in the world maps of international trade and industry. To find out why Parañaque has been honored to be the home of these companies, take a peek at the Business page and find out why even you should count among the fortunate investors in the city.

Sucat (DASA) Motor Shops
The entire stretch of Dr. A. Santos Avenue (DASA), which is more popularly known as Sucat (its previous name), is famous for its hundreds of motor shops that provides the best service in the metropolis with the most reasonable prices. Here, even the most dilapidated jalopies are commissioned to later on be converted into a motor vehicle with modern conveniences. Or if you have the cash, you could go straight to any of the shops and enter into the best contract to have yourself a new hotrod to drive around. If you just don't know what to do with that alien engine trouble, let the experts at Sucat find a way to solve it, or as they say, gawan ng paraan.

Resources courtesy of the City Information Office, City Hall, Parañaque.

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