Taft Avenue

Taft Avenue

R-2
Taft Avenue in Ermita, Manila
Former name(s)	Calle Rizal Manila Road Ermita-Pasay Boulevard Daitoa Avenue Manila South Road / Mexico Road (extension only)
Part of	R-2 R-2 N170 from Padre Burgos Avenue to EDSA
Namesake	William Howard Taft
Maintained by	the Department of Public Works and Highways[1]
Length	7 km (4.3 mi)[2] Approximate length
North end	N150 (Padre Burgos Avenue) in Manila
Major junctions	N180 (Finance Road & Ayala Boulevard) in Manila N155 (Kalaw Avenue) in Manila N156 (United Nations Avenue) in Manila N140 (Quirino Avenue) in Manila N190 (Gil Puyat Avenue) in Pasay AH 26 (N1) (EDSA) in Pasay
South end	Redemptorist Road, Elpidio Quirino Avenue, and Harrison Street in Parañaque
Construction
Completion	1899

Taft Avenue (Filipino: Abenida Taft; Spanish: Avenida Taft) is a major road in southern Metro Manila. It passes through three cities in the metropolis: Manila, Pasay, and Parañaque. The road was named after the former Governor-General of the Philippines and U.S. President William Howard Taft; the Philippines was a former commonwealth territory of the United States in the first half of the 20th century. The avenue is a component of National Route 170 (N170), a secondary road in the Philippine highway network and Radial Road 2 (R-2) of the Manila arterial road network.^[3]

Route description

Taft Avenue in Pasay, with the N170 reassurance marker

From the north, Taft Avenue starts as an eight-lane avenue, with four lanes per direction, at the Lagusnilad vehicular underpass at its intersection with Padre Burgos Avenue in Ermita. It then crosses Ayala Boulevard and Finance Street and forms the eastern edge of Rizal Park up to Kalaw Avenue. It then crosses United Nations Avenue, Padre Faura Street, Pedro Gil Street (formerly known as Herran Street, where it also crosses the district boundary with Malate), San Andres Street, Quirino Avenue, and Pablo Ocampo Street (formerly known as Vito Cruz Street). Past Pablo Ocampo, it narrows to four lanes, with two lanes per direction, before entering the city of Pasay. In Pasay, it crosses Gil Puyat Avenue (formerly known as Buendia Avenue), Arnaiz Avenue (formerly known as Libertad Street), and Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), where the intersection is known as Pasay Rotonda and where National Route 170 (N170) terminates. The avenue then continues south towards Baclaran in Parañaque as Taft Avenue Extension up to its terminus at its intersection with Elpidio Quirino Avenue, Harrison Street, and Redemptorist Road.

History

De La Salle College on Taft Avenue, c. 1920

Construction of this avenue, originally called Calle Rizal, was completed in 1899, with Calle Padre Burgos as its northern terminus and Calle Herran (now Pedro Gil Street) as its southern terminus. Engineers Manny Aquino and Robin Santos led its extension in 1911, and the avenue was renamed Manila Road. However, a map of Manila produced in 1915 by the Office of Department Engineer, Philippine Department, indicates it was named Taft Avenue.^[4] At the height of World War II, during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines, it was renamed Daitoa Avenue in 1942.^[5] The avenue's portion from Padre Burgos to Herran was also one of the right-of-way alignments of tranvía that existed until 1945.^{[6][unreliable source?]}

Having previously ended at Calle San Andres in Malate, it was later extended towards Calle Vito Cruz (present-day Pablo Ocampo Street) in 1940.^[7] It was extended towards Pasay, then part of the province of Rizal, and was named Ermita-Pasay Boulevard or Highway 50. The route continued past Highway 54 (P. Lovina Street, now EDSA) as Cavite-Manila South Road or Manila South Road (later renamed Mexico Road in 1964).^[8][9] Afterwards, the avenue's section from EDSA to Baclaran became Taft Avenue Extension.

LRT Line 1, the first elevated rail track in the Philippines, was built over it and opened in 1984.

Proposed renaming to Senator Jose W. Diokno Avenue

In 1998, bills to rename Taft Avenue to Senator Jose W. Diokno Avenue, after the former senator and nationalist, were authored in the House of Representatives and Senate, respectively. Senator Franklin Drilon later filed Senate Bill No. 2011 in 2002;^[10] it was passed on the second reading in January 2004. Manila local officials, led by Mayor Lito Atienza, opposed the passage, arguing that William Howard Taft was a "key figure in the history" of the Philippines and of Manila for establishing a civil government in the country. Additionally, they contended that the move contradicted a Manila city ordinance passed in 1998 or 1999, which disallows the renaming of streets.^[11][12]

Later, on June 30, 2004, Senator Sergio Osmeña III authored Senate Bill No. 497, another Senate Bill seeking to rename Taft Avenue to Senator Jose W. Diokno Avenue. However, the bill is still pending in the Committee as of August 2004.^[13] Moreover, a road in Bay City in Pasay and Parañaque has already been named Jose W. Diokno Boulevard.

Attractions

Rizal Park

Rizal Park along Taft Avenue

One of Rizal Park's three entrances (the others being Maria Orosa Street and Roxas Boulevard), the Taft Avenue entrance is adjacent to the National Museum of Fine Arts (formerly the Old Legislative Building), the National Museum of Anthropology (formerly the Finance Building), and the Statue of the Sentinel of Freedom.

Government buildings

Taft Avenue is home (or adjacent) to some government buildings: the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Court of Appeals, Bureau of Plant Industry, Philippine General Hospital, National Bureau of Investigation and Times Plaza.

World Health Organization

The office of the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region is located on Taft Avenue corner United Nations Avenue, adjacent to the LRT Line 1 United Nations station.

University Belt

Taft Avenue forms a part of the University Belt. Universities such as the De La Salle University, De La Salle–College of Saint Benilde, University of the Philippines Manila, Philippine Christian University, Philippine Women's University and the Philippine Normal University are located on Taft Avenue. The Santa Isabel College Manila, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Araullo High School and the Manila Science High School face the road directly. Adamson University has direct walkway access from the road.

National Cathedral of the Philippine Independent Church

Main article: Philippine Independent Church § Cathedral of the Holy Child (National Cathedral)

The National Cathedral of the Holy Child (Holy Infant Jesus) of the Philippine Independent Church is located on Taft Avenue.

Intersections

Taft Avenue's intersection with EDSA, also known as Pasay Rotonda

Intersections are numbered by kilometer post, with Rizal Park in Manila designated as kilometer zero.^[2] 

Province	City/Municipality	km	mi	Destinations	Notes
Manila				N150 (Padre Burgos Avenue)	Northern terminus. No left turn from northbound.
				Antonio Villegas Street	Northbound entrance and exit only.
				N180 (Finance Road & Ayala Boulevard) C-1	Traffic light intersection.
				N155 (Kalaw Avenue)	Traffic light intersection.
				N156 (United Nations Avenue) / General Luna Street	Traffic light intersection. No left turn from both sides.
				Padre Faura Street	Traffic light intersection. One-way road.
				Apacible Street	Northbound entrance only.
				PGH Road	Traffic light intersection. Access to Philippine General Hospital
				Escoda Street	Northbound entrance only.
				Pedro Gil Street	Traffic light intersection.
				General Malvar Street	Traffic light intersection.
				Nakpil Street	Traffic light intersection.
		3	1.9	Remedios Street	Traffic light intersection.
				N140 (Quirino Avenue) / San Andres Street C-2	Traffic light intersection. No left turn on both sides.
				Castro Street	Unsignalized intersection.
				Dagonoy Street	Northbound access only.
		4	2.5	Estrada Street	Traffic light intersection. Entrance only.
				Ocampo Street	Traffic light intersection. No left turn from northbound.
Pasay				13 de Agosto Street	Northbound access only.
				Menlo Street	Unsignalized intersection.
				Inquimboy Street	Northbound access only.
				Leogardo Street	Northbound entry only.
				Lakas ng Bayan Street	Northbound entry only.
				San Juan Street	Unsignalized intersection.
				Samonte Street	Northbound access only.
				N190 (Gil Puyat Avenue) C-3	Opposite directions provided by U-turn slot.
				G. Villanueva Street	Unsignalized intersection.
				Cartimar Road	Traffic light intersection.
				Taylo Street	Unsignalized intersection.
				College Road	Unsignalized intersection.
				Villareal Street	Unsignalized intersection. Entrance only.
		5	3.1	Arnaiz Avenue	Traffic light intersection.
				Market Road	Southbound entry only.
				Primero de Mayo Street	Southbound access only.
				Escobal Street	Southbound access only.
				Raymundo Street	Southbound access only.
				Lions Road, Protacio Street	Traffic light intersection.
		7	4.3	F. Sanchez Street	Southbound entry only.
				Vergel Street, Pilapil Street	Unsignalized intersection.
				AH 26 (N1) (EDSA) C-4	Traffic light intersection (Pasay Rotonda). No left turn on both sides. Change from N170 to unnumbered highway.
				Cuneta Avenue	Unsignalized intersection.
				F. Angeles Street	Southbound only.
				Narra Street	Unsignalized intersection.
				Park Avenue	Southbound only.
Parañaque				E. Rodriguez Street	Unsignalized intersection.
				Elpidio Quirino Avenue R-2, Harrison Street	Southern terminus and southern end of R-2 segment. Continues southwards as Redemptorist Road.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access       Route transition

Transportation

Jeepneys serve as an alternative mode of transportation along Taft Avenue.

Taft Avenue can be accessed through jeepneys, taxis, buses, UV Express, the LRT Line 1, and the MRT Line 3. The avenue houses some LRT Line 1 stations: Baclaran on Taft Avenue Extension, EDSA (interchange to MRT Line 3 at Taft Avenue station), Libertad, Gil Puyat, Vito Cruz, Quirino, Pedro Gil, and United Nations.

References

1. "South Manila". Retrieved July 17, 2020.
2. "Road and Bridge Inventory". Department of Public Works and Highways. Archived from the original on June 30, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
3. "Latest alignment of all radial and circumferential roads in Metro Manila". Freedom of Information Philippines. Department of Public Works and Highways. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
4. Map of city of Manila and vicinity (Map). 1:10560. Office of Dept. Engineer, Phil. Dept. 1919.
5. Executive Order No. 41 (1942), Changing the name of Dewey Boulevard to Heiwa Boulevard; Taft Avenue to Daitoa Avenue; Harrison Boulevard to Koa Boulevard; Jones Bridge to Banzai Bridge; Harrison Park to Rizal Park; and Wallace Field and Burnham Green to Plaza Bagong Filipinas, retrieved April 26, 2021
6. "Malate – Ermita District: Part 1". Lou Gopal / Manila Nostalgia. June 27, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
7. Castro, Alex (October 4, 2017). "Take a Retro Trip Down Taft Avenue". Spot.ph. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
8. Manila, Philippines map (Map). American Red Cross Service Bureau. August 1945.
9. Presidential Proclamation No. 320, s. 1964 (October 2, 1964), Naming the Cavite-Manila South Road as Mexico Road, retrieved April 15, 2022
10. Vanzi, Sol Jose (March 1, 2002). "DRILON WANTS TAFT AVENUE RENAMED DIOKNO AVENUE". PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE. Manila. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
11. "Manila expresses outrage over renaming of Taft Avenue". The Philippine Star. January 25, 2004. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
12. Sison, Bebot Jr.; Felipe, Cecille Suerte (January 29, 2004). "Manila officials oppose renaming of Taft Avenue". The Philippine Star. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
13. "13th Congress - Senate Bill No. 497". Senate of the Philippines. June 30, 2004. Retrieved July 24, 2023.

14°33′51″N 120°59′39″E