The short version
Sampaloc is a working university district, not a quiet student village. Boarding houses, colleges, churches, cheap meals and traffic fill the streets around España, Legarda and the University Belt. It suits students and central workers who value price and location over polish. Older buildings need a serious inspection.
The University Belt at street level
National University gives a useful picture of the area’s practical geography. Its Sampaloc campus is reached through local roads and by LRT-2 Legarda, with students also arriving from Marikina, Pasig and surrounding communities. That connection explains the daytime flow, but not the noise, congestion and school-time pressure immediately outside a building.
Legarda is a station for several nearby institutions, including San Sebastian College, San Beda, Centro Escolar University, Arellano University and National Teachers College. The concentration is an advantage if your life is local. It is less appealing if you want a residential address that empties after office hours.
Would I live here?
Yes, for study or a central job, in a carefully chosen side street. I would ask about boarding-house turnover, ventilation, water and noise, then walk the route to Legarda after dark. Sampaloc is affordable in spirit and demanding in practice. Its usefulness comes from being lived in, not from being easy.