When in Manila

When in Manila is an online metro guide and digital publication focused on Manila and the Philippines. Created by Vince Golangco on September 1, 2009, the brand publishes accessible, informal coverage across news and features, food and restaurants, nightlife and events, travel and adventure, lifestyle and places, and fashion and beauty. Its editorial approach is broadly positive and service-oriented, presenting places to visit, things to do, restaurants, cultural activities, and lifestyle experiences for readers interested in exploring the country. The project began as a video blog after Golangco, who had studied and worked in the United States, traveled internationally and eventually settled in the Philippines. The original team consisted of Golangco as writer, two videographers, and a webmaster. In its early phase, the group invested heavily in video production, including renting professional camera equipment. The team subsequently observed that written articles were attracting more attention than the professionally produced videos and shifted its emphasis toward text-based editorial content. That transition helped define When in Manila as a written guide and online publication rather than primarily a video channel. The brand's subject matter combines local discovery with promotional and recommendation-style editorial. Its sections span dining, entertainment, travel, fashion, culture, and general lifestyle, giving it a broad remit within the Philippine digital media and city-guide space. The publication uses an informal voice and a positive tone, characteristics intended to make its recommendations conversational and easy to share through social media. When in Manila received recognition from several Philippine organizations and media awards programs. It was named the number-one Emerging Influential Blog by Digital Filipino in 2010. In 2012, Mae Ilagan received the Ultimate Food Blogger award from Unilever and Sooo Pinoy, while Vince Golangco received a Tourism Award from the Rotary Club of Manila. On July 5, 2013, When in Manila won Best Photo Blog/Microblog at the Tatt Awards. The award generated substantial activity around the #wheninmanila hashtag on Philippine Twitter; the reference material notes that this activity had been deliberately organized by the brand's digital media consultant. By August 2013, published reporting described the site as attracting more than 350,000 visitors per month and having over one million social-media followers. The Philippine Daily Inquirer also reported that Alexa ranked it as the third-most-popular metro guide in the Philippines at that time. Those historical audience figures and rankings should not be treated as current measurements. The available reference material does not establish the brand's present ownership structure, corporate registration, financial performance, executive roster, or current traffic. Its documented identity remains that of a Manila-centered Philippine online guide and lifestyle media brand.

When in Manila was established by Vince Golangco on September 1, 2009, as a digital publication centered on Manila and the Philippines. Golangco had studied and worked in the United States and later traveled internationally before settling in the Philippines. His interest in the country became the basis for a guide intended to help readers discover local food, places, activities, and cultural experiences. The publication initially operated as a video blog. Its founding staff consisted of Golangco as writer, two videographers, and a webmaster. The production model required substantial effort and expense, including the rental of a large camera at a reported daily cost of ₱10,000 during the early period. The team found, however, that its written articles were generally receiving more attention than its professionally produced videos. A further indication came when a simple video recorded by Golangco at a restaurant, without the usual crew or equipment, attracted more views than the team's formal productions. In response, When in Manila shifted its operating focus toward written editorial material. The resulting publication developed into a broad online metro guide. Its content categories included news and features, food and restaurants, nightlife and events, travel and adventure, lifestyle and places, and fashion and beauty. The writing style was informal, and the editorial tone was described as positive. Rather than limiting itself to one specialist category, the brand combined city-guide recommendations with lifestyle journalism, restaurant coverage, entertainment information, travel features, and local-interest stories. Recognition followed as the site established a social-media presence. Digital Filipino named it the number-one Emerging Influential Blog in 2010. In 2012, Mae Ilagan received the Ultimate Food Blogger award from Unilever and Sooo Pinoy, and Golangco received a Tourism Award from the Rotary Club of Manila. On July 5, 2013, When in Manila received the Tatt Award for Best Photo Blog/Microblog. The award prompted extensive use of the #wheninmanila hashtag on Twitter Philippines. According to the reference account, the hashtag activity was not entirely spontaneous; it had been planned by the publication's digital media consultant. Contemporary reporting cited substantial reach. In August 2013, the publication was reported to receive more than 350,000 visitors per month and to have more than one million social-media followers. The Philippine Daily Inquirer also reported that Alexa ranked it third among metro guides in the Philippines. These figures describe the brand's documented position at that time and are not verified current statistics. The available material does not identify a parent company, public listing, current owner, current senior management, or detailed business model. Accordingly, the brand is best characterized from the available evidence as a Philippine online metro-guide and lifestyle media publication whose core value proposition is informal, positive, and shareable information about Manila and the wider Philippines.

• 2013

  Tatt Awards recognition and reported audience growth

  [1]When in Manilaen.wikipedia.org

  When in Manila wins Best Photo Blog/Microblog at the Tatt Awards. August reporting also cites more than 350,000 monthly visitors and over one million social-media followers.

• 2012

  Food-blogging and tourism awards

  [1]When in Manilaen.wikipedia.org

  Mae Ilagan receives the Ultimate Food Blogger award, while Vince Golangco receives a Rotary Club of Manila Tourism Award.

• 2010

  Digital Filipino Emerging Influential Blog recognition

  [1]When in Manilaen.wikipedia.org

  The brand is named the number-one Emerging Influential Blog by Digital Filipino.

• 2009

  When in Manila is created

  [1]When in Manilaen.wikipedia.org

  Vince Golangco launches When in Manila on September 1 as a video-blog project focused on the Philippines.

An informal, positive, discovery-oriented digital guide to Manila and the Philippines, combining local recommendations with news, entertainment, food, travel, and lifestyle coverage.

• Digital publishing · 2009

  Editorial guide and feature articles

  The core offering is a stream of online articles about Manila and the Philippines. Coverage combines news and features with recommendations and explanatory material intended for readers looking for places to go, things to do, and local experiences. The publication uses an informal, positive editorial voice.

• Food media · 2009

  Food and restaurant coverage

  The food section covers restaurants and dining experiences and became one of the identifiable areas of the publication's editorial scope. The brand's documented awards activity included recognition for food blogging, reflecting the prominence of restaurant and food-related content within its guide format.

• Travel media · 2009

  Travel and adventure guides

  Travel and adventure features extend the brand beyond central Manila to destinations and activities in the Philippines. This content presents the country through a local-discovery and leisure-oriented lens, complementing the publication's city-guide and tourism focus.

• Lifestyle media · 2009

  Lifestyle, events, fashion, and beauty coverage

  The publication also covers nightlife, events, lifestyle destinations, fashion, and beauty. These sections give the brand a broad entertainment and culture remit, allowing it to function as both a metro guide and a general Philippine lifestyle publication.

• 2013#wheninmanila Tatt Awards hashtag activity

  Philippines

  Following When in Manila's Best Photo Blog/Microblog win at the Tatt Awards, the #wheninmanila hashtag circulated widely on Twitter Philippines. The available account says the activity had been planned by the brand's digital media consultant.

  Outcome. The hashtag trended in the Philippines into the following morning and increased attention around the award.

  Source

• 2009

  Shift from video blogging toward written publishingStrategy

  Background

  The original team spent much of its time producing videos, but the available account says written articles were attracting more views and attention than the formal video productions.

  Action taken

  When in Manila reduced its emphasis on crew-based video production and focused more heavily on written articles and online guide content.

  Aftermath

  The brand developed into a broad online metro guide covering food, culture, music, fashion, travel, lifestyle, news, and events.

  Source

1. 1When in Manilaen.wikipedia.org