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The Estero de Vitas is one of the

rivulet A stream is a continuous body of surface water flowing within the bed and banks of a channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to by a variety of local or regional names. Long large streams ar ...

s, known as ''esteros'', which delineated the small islands which historically constituted the city of

Manila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...

and its predecessors, the Tagalog polities (called ''bayan'') of

Maynila Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...

and Tondo. These esteros, along with the larger rivers of

Manila Bay Manila Bay ( fil, Look ng Maynila) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Phi ...

and the

Pasig River The Pasig River ( fil, Ilog Pasig) is a water body in the Philippines that connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. Stretching for , it bisects the Philippine capital of Manila and its surrounding urban area into northern and southern halves. Its ...

delta, originally formed an important connecting network which allowed the precolonial polities of that Tagalog and Kapampangan peoples. The Estero de Vitas drains water from Manila as far as Tayuman Street, and then dumps water directly to Manila Bay. It is connected to the Navotas River, as well as to Canal de la Reina and Estero de Sunog Apog.

References

Rivers of Metro Manila {{Philippines-geo-stub