This little chain can be considered as the poor man's Jollibee or McDonald's. Very poor, actually…read more But it manages to survive because its burgers and hotdogs are dirt cheap, so when you're really, really hungry and don't have a whole lot of cash in your wallet, Angel's will have to do. This branch is directly across the street from the entrance of Paranaque Doctors' Hospital along Dona Soledad Avenue in Paranaque City. Angel's has long had a buy-one, take-one marketing gimmick. It works because this and another branch in the jeep and tricycle terminal area behind SM Bicutan is always full of customers. The two for the price of one hamburger is actually one hamburger patty split into two and placed in two buns. So it is pretty filling. You can get a bottle of soda to go with the pair for P40. There's nothing else that goes with the burger or foot long hotdog. No fries, no salad. I'm pretty sure the burger has some beef in it, but there's also a lot of fillers. That being said, Angel's remains the mother of all bargains. The burger is fried as soon as you order, so it comes hot. An additional slice of cheese is the only luxury available for a few extra bucks. I've had their burgers at both branches and there is a measure of quality control that guarantees that the taste is consistent. So it's fast, it's cheap, and it eases all hunger pangs.

I love having grown up with a father that loves a good discount. My dad always taught me the value…read moreof money and so I wasn't surprised at all when one day, he started coming home with the most random of things. From a microwave to a toaster oven to a kitchen stove and energy drinks and earphones, all of these imported gems were from a store called HMR Philippines. Apparently, they specialize in acquiring goods that have been "rejected" from the U.S. for the most minor of reasons. Their loss, our gain. I've scoured this place by myself and have found a beach chair for my room, a throw pillow to accent my bed with, and a yoga mat. Great place to go to if you're looking to purchase quality, imported products on the cheap. Warning: it can get dusty so dress appropriately.

When a warehouse of surplus goods opened up in Cubao, I of course had to make a pilgrimage there,…read moreand wow were they not kidding about their goods. They have a lot of staggering amount of stuff in HMR. Though I knew and was always curious about this surplus goods store in Pioneer, I didn't know they were under the same "brand" and kind of makes me want to visit the Mandaluyong warehouse too, since HMR in Cubao always has something purposeful and of use in their store, even if I'm always just visiting for the curiosities and oddities there. They have things that people would find quite useful: furniture, appliances, electronics--you could probably build a whole house with what you can find here. But I usually just go here to look through their clothes, and toys, and small doodads. You will chance upon something worth getting, like a pair of cute heart-patterned socks for P10 each. Coming into the store you might be a little turned-off by their stringent bag deposit and the general clutter of the place, but get past that and there might be something here for you.

If you love bargain hunting, this is definitely the place to be. I thought Greenhills was…read moreimpressive, but this place takes shopping to another level. I always considered Divisoria top-notch for deals and variety, and this shopping center did not disappoint. The mall has about six floors packed with countless aisles and shops to explore. The lower floor is not air-conditioned, but as you go higher, the atmosphere becomes more comfortable and boutique-style. Unlike Greenhills, the vendors here don't constantly hound or pressure you while shopping, which made the experience much more enjoyable. The prices are already relatively cheap, so there's not much need to bargain aggressively. I didn't even make it to the top floors because there was just so much to see. I'm already looking forward to coming back and exploring more.

168 Shopping Mall (MANILA Philippines)…read more There are 7 malls in Divisoria and this is the shopping mall we spent the most time. This is an indoor mall with three levels and over 300 stalls/stores. It is air-conditioned inside for shoppers' comfort. When you hear Divisoria it is synonymous to cheap bargains and you can haggle the price and get it more cheap. They have everything here, especially off-the-rack clothing, purses and shoes, novelty items, gadgets... well, almost, everything. I tried to look for a Sacramento Kings jersey but they didn't have it LoL! They also have food stalls. Mom was able to buy a Filipiniana (aka 'Maria Clara'). It was a fun shopping experience here. Cash is king so have some handy before coming to Divisoria. I guarantee you'll find something and you won't be able to leave empty handed, that's for sure. Review #3293

Situated near the Marikina Sports Complex and in the direct vicinity of the Marquinton Residences,…read morethe Blue Wave is the go-to mall for those who live near the surrounding area. As such, "mall" may be a bit of an overstatement, but it is a relatively large shopping center that has quite a number of specialty stores and even houses a movie theater for those who want to catch the latest blockbuster. Various fast-food chains also find their place here, but there are also quite a few restaurants, including those which can get a bit pricey, if you want to pay for something a bit more special. Blue Wave may not be large, but one learns not to judge things by their size; indeed, the smallest things can surprise you the most when you look around the corner and find, say, a ballet studio, or a tattoo parlor where you wouldn't expect it (and yes, you can find both of these in Blue Wave, too).

Formerly called Meisic Mall, this is the place we go to if we find the streets of Divisoria or 168…read moreMall too crowded. And since they're not in a prime spot like the stalls in 168, the stuff here are relatively cheaper. It was my tita (the Divisoria queen) who introduced us to this mall. She said she shops here more often than in 168 because of the reasons I mentioned above. We took after her advice and we are now "suki" in several stalls. My mom loves the stall at the ground floor selling different home and bath items such as towels, blankets, handkerchief and some undershirts. Ms. Mel, the owner knows us and lets us leave our shopping bags at her store and we pick it up when we're ready to head home. On the second floor, there's a stall selling baby clothes and items like Busha socks and cloth diapers. And on the third floor is a small stall selling the cheapest party favors and decors. Those are my prized finds.

Being the owner of my own small business has thought me to be extremely thrifty and it all started…read morewith the search for a simple packaging need: a pack of brown paper bags. In any high-end shopping mall in Makati City, the cost for a pack would be triple in comparison to the same pack sold in wholesale shopping mecca, Divisoria. Since a penny saved is a penny earned, I would rather choose the item that costs less. To make my trip to Divisoria in Manila worth it, I would buy what I need in bulk. Because Divisoria is a crazy maze, finding a particular thing might prove quite daunting. So, I am going to let you in on a little secret. For all your packaging needs, your one-stop shop is Meisic Mall, which was formerly called 11/88 Mall. If you are in need of simple supplies such as brown paper bags of various sizes, different shapes of clear cellophane bags with sticky seals, plastic ziplock bags, ecobags of every shape and color (which you can even order made-to-measure and silk-screened with a logo of your choice), one-colored or patterned paper gift bags, all sorts of adhesives, and so much more - Meisic Mall is your wholesale packaging paradise. Now, hurry and shop now! You can thank me later.

Silahis is the best store I've found to buy souvenirs and handicrafts from all regions of the…read morePhilippines. It's set in a spacious old-Spanish-style house with 4 floors, so you can stay there during a whole day and you won't be able to see everything! Just amazing! There you can find solid wood furniture, colorful textiles, typical baskets, ceramics, collections of antiques...and of course the beautiful jewelry! Prepare yourself to get crazy with the mother of pearl items. They are my favourite ones and really represent the Philippines! In my opinion, a mother of pearl necklace or earring is a very nice gift :) Actually, all the items there at Silahis are great gift options. It's just hard to choose! What I like about this place is that it's organized in a way that customers can know exactly the origin of the products. There's always a tag explaining, for example, that the traditional textile you loved is from Zamboanga. I like this kind of information. It's nice to see how diverse the country is! if you need an interesting souvenir that really represents the Philippines, I wouldn't think twice. Silahis is THE place. Just make yourself sure you have plenty of time to spend there. You won't regret it.

This store is a jewel to me not because of the antiques, Philippine souvenirs, and the likes. To be…read morehonest, the prices of these are kinda steep knowing that you could get them at a cheaper cost at some nearby stores. What makes me go back here every time I get the chance to pass by Intramuros is their collection of vintage, and old books at the 2nd floor. Being a book lover and a researcher of anything that speaks of the glory past of the Philippines, the book collection in Silahis is a haven for me. Some books can go as low as P100 for three different titles. Some are rare-to-find books and though the price is rather steep, you would actually spend for it knowing the rarity of the book. When I Go here, I usually spend an hour or two here in this book store. You can actually open books, browse through it, decide if you're gonna buy or not. One thing you should have is PATIENCE. The books are rather stacked differently. The store usually arranges the books according to the author and/or by topic of interest. But don't fret, this hidden gem is really hidden. There's not much people that spend time here. So, I have unraveled one of my Manila's top secrets here. For book lovers, go here na.

I'm impressed. I may not be a fan of Manila Mayor Erap Estrada, but I am totally impressed at what…read morehis administration has done with the Lacson Underpass. There have been multiple attempts to upgrade this area over the last two to three decades. Once upon a time, it was not only scary but dangerous to pass here. Too many petty criminals and pickpockets. The first attempt was only mildly successful, although one bank did put up a branch there. Now, the place looks like a typical mall. Start with the entrances. They're all guarded with glass doors. Head down stairs and the first thing you will notice is the air-conditioning. Cool, huh? Then there are the various stores, most of which will be familiar to mall rats like me. Sure, it's the usual stalls and food kiosks. But to see them here in Quiapo is a most pleasant surprise. Oh, yes. There are the toilets. They're clean, too. Unlike before when you had to pay a few pesos to use the mostly dirty and smelly toilets, today's underpass toilets are not only clean, they're free as well. I have no idea why it's called the Victory Lacson Underpass, but it doesn't matter. I hope that the next administrations of the City of Manila can maintain this place. For now, my hats off to the local government of the capital city of the Philippines for the remarkable job they did in transforming this underpass.

I normally go to catch the last full show of the latest hit movie at SM Taytay, since it's the…read morenearest SM mall, as I live in Cainta. It's only 20 mins away without any traffic; 30-40 minutes would be the most it would take to get there. A typical SM mall, it's got a department store, a supermarket, an event hall, and a cinema. In terms of parking, you can almost always find a slot, as it is rarely completely full here. There's nothing special or out of the blue with this particular SM branch, what's convenient with this branch is its proximity to people living in Rizal. It's quite easy to commute to different places from SM Taytay; almost every jeep that passes through stops by there to pick up some passengers on their way to Cubao. It may not be much, but it's enough for your basic mall needs.