The urge to slim down has became a need. Well, its all fine to be chubby (and cute, I must say) but…read moresome medical condition somewhere at the lower back needed me to slim down. My rehab doctor said that one of the ways to safely get those muscles working and burning unwanted fat is to swim. At first, I didn't know where to swim. I mean, I'm not comfortable taking off clothes in a public space, really. I looked and asked people on where to go swimming in a public pool with a few people going there. A friend suggested to head on to the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Commissioned Officers' Club Swimming Pool (AFP COC Swim Pool). When I went to the swimming pool place, I was giddily happy because no one was there except for Sam, the caretaker. He told me the rates and what time the pool opens and closes. A few days of swimming and Sam and I were comfortable with sharing our lower back problems, and eventually, fellow swimmers would also share why they were swimming. It was a community of people in AFP COC where you feel you belong right away because they cheer you when you finish a handful of laps without stopping, invite you to triathlon events, and hang out for a quick and healthy dinner.

I've been going here almost every week to surf the wave pool if I can't go out of town to chase…read moreocean waves which is often. Well, if not for the Philippine Surfing Academy holding Club Manila East as its main venue for its surf programs, I don't think I'd give this place a second thought. But weirdly enough, my toddler daughter loves it here because of their kiddie pool which has an equally fun kiddie slide and baby fountains for extreme toddler enjoyment. Although I always have someone with my kid to make sure she doesn't drown or get kidnapped. Their lifeguards can be negligent. Anyway, on full weekends, the bathrooms are overused and disgusting but do go for the surfing. It's super worth the workout and the price. You'll definitely get hooked. Another review for Philippine Surfing Academy later on but for CME, the place isn't exactly the cleanest or most sosyal hang out spot. There's lots to do but keep your expectations low if you won't be surfing the wave pool.

Located in Taytay, Rizal, Club Manila East, or CME as it is most commonly referred to, is quite…read moreaccessible to anyone who lives in the metro. I've actually been here a couple of times, sometimes with friends and sometimes with family. Without a doubt, I can say that CME is actually a pretty fun place. There are many pools for different experiences, such as the lap pool, diving pool, kayaking pool, and the wave pool, where you can get lessons from a certified surf instructor from the Philippine Surfing Academy. I personally enjoyed the kayaking around, which was really relaxing. If none of those are your things, you can play beach volleyball at their court, or ride the zip line for just P150. The overnight settings are adequate, but nothing special. The place has many function halls and the like, which are great for company seminars, orientations for team-buildings, and conferences.

My brother-in-law invited me to join him in one of his regular swimming sessions at the Makati Aqua…read moreSports Arena (MASA). It was an impromptu invitation so I was not prepared. In fact, I just brought basketball shorts with me. I was thinking that since it's a public pool, the regulations would be flexible. I was wrong. The regulations here are strictly observed. One must wear proper swimming attire when using the facilities. I could understand the puritanical rules because the swimming pool is well-maintained and everyone present that day appeared to be serious swimmers. MASA looks very much like the big swimming pool at ULTRA. But a smaller pool for children is also available. Makati residents need to pay PHP 50.00, while non-residents are charged PHP 150.00 for the use of the facilities. MASA is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 8:00am to 12:00 noon and then from 1:00pm to 8:00pm. They have clean changing rooms and lockers you can use for a fee. It was a cloudy day when we went for a swim. At first, my brother-in-law was allowed into the pool. But when lightning started to appear in the skies, everyone was instructed by the lifeguards to get out of the water. I was impressed that the guys at MASA were not only strict with the swimming attire, but with the safety of the swimmers, too.

I've been here twice already and I keep going back. The water spa is amazing in a way that the…read morewater is luke-warm, the place smells like rose-scented flowers, and the water pressure on each massage area is just enough - not too light nor too strong. My favorite area is the hotspring with different essential oils. It makes my skin glow and fairer. It relaxes not only my body but also my mind. Definitely a must try.

Going to this place is such a treat. The facilities are great and well-maintained. I used to go…read morehere quite a bit when I was in my "triathlon" phase. Yeah, I never really did that triathlon *shrugs* but I still keep coming back to Ace to swim, enjoy their spa and relax my stress away. This place has a real sense of class to it. When you enter the locker room, they remove your shoes and give you a locker to store all your things. You can choose to swim laps in their lap pool, soak in one of their hot/cold baths, or even try out a sauna or steam room. But the main attraction here is the "hydrotherapy massage". As their website claims, it is the first in the Philippines to offer such a service. It's really a trip if you've never experienced it before. Imagine getting a massage but instead of hands, it's water. RIGHT? Little tip, bring a towel with you since it's probably the only thing they don't provide free of charge. Pros -Awesome facilities. Cons -Can get really crowded on the weekends. -A bit pricey. Especially if you forget to bring something.

First time here for the Manila Live 2026. Nice venue. Clean environment. Comfort Rooms are clean…read more No toilet tissue or hand soap - will need bring your own. For a huge arena I would have thought the score board would be bigger. Overall it was a great experience. I did not walk around to see if there were concessions.

The Rizal Memorial Sports Complex may mean different things to different people: football stadium…read moreto the Azkals fans, martial arts dojo for the taekwondo and wushu practitioners, or badminton/tennis court for the avid players, etc. But for me, it will always be my most memorable playground, a.k.a. the place where I learned to swim, only two years ago. The sports complex may be known for its Olympic size pool, once the hallowed training ground of the members of the Philippine Team. What most don't know is that there are actually three pools side by side in the pool area: a small diving pool, 16-feet deep, if I remember correctly, where our Olympics contenders have tested their mettle; and a regular pool, half of the Olympic-size, four-feet deep, where swimming classes for kids and students are often held. It was in the latter pool were I was taught to swim. We were already working then, but my friend (the one who cajoled a.k.a. coerced me into taking lessons with her) and I persevered through learning how to kick, using a kickboard, mastering the freestyle breath, and enduring humiliation from the kids in the water with us. We used to just pay Php 60 to get in and use the pool for the whole day. (We paid a different rate to the instructor. The guards and staff at the sports complex recommend contacts for those who want to learn.) Sadly, the pools were declared closed to the public a few years back. One can still swim with their accedited instructors' supervision, though, or with a special permit from management (which may be requested).

Just a reminder for everyone who swims in this pool or wants to swim here, you cannot wear board…read moreshorts in this pool. Now that that's out of the way, if you're a resident of Merville, you get to swim in this pool for a small fee. If you're not a resident of Merville, look for a friend or a relative who is and bug the person to accompany you to the pools. It's summer now and the pools are full of children. They're there all day long and I can't blame them. It's too hot not to get yourself into a pool. Oh, you know how from afar you can sometimes smell the chlorine coming from the pool? Well, you can't smell the chlorine of the pools. It doesn't mean that they don't put chlorine. It just means that it isn't that strong. There are always lifeguards watching the place and reminding everyone to be on their best behavior. It's safe here and really clean. So jump in and cool off at the pools.

great pool for lapping though water 70% of the time really blurry. HOWEVER, staff should be…read moreeducated on the MATERIAL (modern athletic shorts (and shirts) today are polyester tricot (dazzle) or microfiber polyester double-knit or twill and are fine for pool chemistry and filters) rather than the FIT of the swimwear. Not everything TIGHT is for swimming.... likewise not everything LOOSE is NOT for swimming. I've seen swimmers in tees, sandos, cycling shorts and leggings made of cotton but were allowed cause it's TIGHT fitting .... and swimmers not allowed for LOOSE shorts EVEN if MATERIAL is for SWIMMING. Don't get stuck in the past!!

Ito na yata ang pinakamaruming swimming pool na naliguan ko, dalawang beses isang linggo sa loob ng…read moreisang semestre para sa PE. Masaya naman yung klase at nag-eenjoy kami kaya hindi na namin pinansin ng mga kaklase ko yung mga lumot na nakadikit sa sira-sirang tiles ng pool at mga insekto at dahon na palutang-lutang minsan sa tubig. Buti na lang, libre ang PE sa UP. May mga araw at oras na bukas ito para sa mga UP students kahit hindi sila bahagi ng PE Swimming o ng Swimming Team at nagbubukas naman yata ito sa publiko pag lang may mga inooffer na swimming lessons, kadalasan pag summer. Mas ginagamit ito bilang training pool dahil sa haba at lalim nito, na hanggang 8ft. ang lalim. Para sa mga maliligo dito, siguraduhin na may nagbabantay kung hindi kayo marunong lumangoy.

I've been swimming in these pools since I was a young girl and the only reason I haven't been as of…read morelate is that I much prefer to walk/hike outdoors as a workout. Nevertheless, I recall swimming here with much fondness and excitement. There are three pools to choose from here. The first is the kiddie pool which I do not recommend to anyone over the age of 11 or 12. You'll barely get wet. The second is the 12-feet deep pool which is for those who want to feel the challenge of diving deep and just getting lost in the water. Finally, there's the Olympic-sized swimming pool that's meant for swimming laps and going the distance. Swimming lessons and training for swimming competitions are held here.

My friend Kim has a membership here and it makes me wish I lived in Makati (wish lang a) and had a…read moremembership as well, because this club just puts me in a state of bliss when we beg her to bring us here for a swim. From outside the place looks a little like a cold block of cement, but when you see the pools it just fills you with positive vibrations. Their lap pool is quite big and can fit five people doing laps, but what I really adore about it is that it's deep, reaching about maybe nine feet at the end. I'm an okay swimmer, but what I really like doing is diving deep into the water and just enjoying the moment of calm I feel surrounded by it, before I have to come up for air. And the Metro Club pool allows me this weirdo luxury. They also have a smaller pool for kids, which they can actually do laps in, as well as a tennis court, a gym, and bowling alley, which I've never experienced but don't really care for anyway. The bathrooms for the pool are astoundingly small with only two showers and one toilet in the men's room--I can't complain though, the pool is enough to cover that. I'd have to give a special mention for their food too, though, which is amazing and affordable too. After an exhausting three and a half laps we're usually too lazy to look for another place to eat and we just end up doing it here. It's a great, fattening ending to a taxing afternoon.