The center of education since the colonial period , Manila — particularly Intramuros — is home to several Philippine universities and colleges as well as its oldest ones . It served as the home of the University of Santo Tomas ( 1611 ) , Colegio de San Juan de Letran ( 1620 ) , Ateneo de Manila University ( 1859 ) , Lyceum of the Philippines University and the Mapua Institute of Technology . Only Colegio de San Juan de Letran ( 1620 ) remains at Intramuros ; the University of Santo Tomas transferred to a new campus at Sampaloc in 1927 , and Ateneo left Intramuros for Loyola Heights , Quezon City ( while still retaining " de Manila " in its name ) in 1952 .