The Tale of Two Streets

The chaotic but flamboyant history of colonization in the Philippines can be accounted
for the present-day diverse culture of the country.
Manila as the countrys capital is the frontage of what has been the upshots and fallouts
of the different eras of colonization. It is also the place where the lifestyle of different
nations meet and perpetuates harmoniously as the frenzied metropolis blooms as an Asian
megacity.
Even before Spaniards set their settlement in the Philippines, Chinese were already
trading with the pre-hispanic Filipinos. Binondo, a district on Manila referred to as the
citys Chinatown has been the hub of Chinese commerce even before the Spanish era.
Spanish Governor Luis Perez Dasmarinas officially established Binondo as Chinatown in
1594 as a permanent village for the sangleys or the Chinese immigrants who converted to
Catholicism. Binondos name was derived from the archaic spelling of the Tagalog term
"binondoc" or mountainous, referring to Binondo's originally hilly terrain.
In the present day, the district of Binondo is already not an all-Chinese site. Sure, there
are streets still occupied mostly by Chinese folks but as the rich culture of different
conquerors flourished, so do Binondo ensued into an intermingling site of diversified
culture.
From Quezon City, there are several options on the mode of
transportation going to Binondo
- take a jeepney to LRT Katipunan and from Katipunan
station, alight to LRT Recto Station
- ride a bus or FX with the signage Quiapo, and from
there is just a 7-10 min. walk
From Pasay or adjacent districts:
- take LRT 1 and drop off Carriedo Station
The Asian Street
Ongpin Street, which serves as the enclave of the authentic Chinese, can be the place to
tour on as it introduces you to the Chinese community of Binondo. The street was named
after Don Roman Ongpin, a Chinese businessman who gained fame for his financial
support of the Katipuneros during the uprising of 1896 against Spain. It is the present-day
Chinatown of Manila as it was the only place, among others, that was able to maintain the
Chinese culture flourishing.
Here are some places to explore along Ongpin Street.
Binondo Church. If you are an architecture and history fan, Binondo Church may be on
the top of your must-see place in Binondo. Binondo church, which was built in 1596, is
the minor basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz. The church was built for baptized Chinese, a
community of which Lorenzo Ruiz, with a Chinese father, was part. However, as to
restoration, the church was slightly being taken away from its previous oriental look. The
original faade was similar to Italian High Renaissance churches that takes you back to
the medieval times of big, hemispherical domes, symmetrical pillars, elaborate arches and
entablature.
Buddhist Temples. There are also several Buddhist temples in the town. One of which is
the Philippine Chinese Buddhist Temple, which is dedicated to General Guan Yu, the
Chinese General who lived during the Three Kingdoms period, 220 280 CE. Aside
from the known incense burning, another fancy way of consulting to General Guan Yun
is through two convex-shaped stone. According to the temple caretaker, one can ask
objective yes-no questions, throw the stones and receive an answer. If the stones landed
on the same face, the answer is no. Otherwise, yes. The temple caretaker pointed up that
it will happen only in faith.
Chinese shops. What more to expect than the Chinese herbal shop and Feng Shui and
charm shops. Along the stretch of Ongpin Street, countless shops sell goods ranging from
organic herbal medicines, stones and charms for different purposes such as healing, luck
in business, love, family and finances, to Feng Shui decorations and displays. Theres a
wide array of shops to choose from depending on the novelty one is looking for.
Estero. Equally enticing are the food stalls and restaurants. Aside from being the
commerce center, Ongpin Street is also famous for their Chinese delicacies. Few blocks
away from the Manila Friendship Arch does a bridge span a creek. Estero is a Spanish
word for creek, which was adopted by Filipinos in their language. But Estero in Ongpin
Street is not the mere body of water but the restaurant in the side of the body of water.
Seemingly, its name suggest an unpleasant place but Estero, owned by a Chinese
entrepreneur but all staff including the chefs are Ilonggos, is a well-sanitized restaurant
that serves Chinese delicacies warped to suit the universal taste that everyone, regardless
of race can enjoy. The must-tries in their menu are the different delicacies of frogs, the
oyster cake and their specialtychicken cuisines.
The Western Street
On the other side of the road, across the Sta. Cruz Street is the historic east-west street
calle de la Escolata, or simply Escolta Street. Escolata Street is one of the oldest
boulevard in Manila as it was created in 1594. The term was coined from Spanish word
escolatar meaning to escort, as it was concentrated with immigrant merchants, mainly
from Fujian, China, who came to make their fortune during the Manila-Acapulco Galleon
trade. The street was lined with establishments selling imported goods from China,
Europe and elsewhere in Latin America that arrived in the nearby port of San Nicolas.
As one of the oldest street in Manila, it survived the heterogeneity of culture brought by
the different invaders. Spanish era, being longest in the history of the Philippines has left
a huge mark in the street. The inanimate eyewitnesses of the parts of history of the
country is up to this day, stands proudly along Escoltathe architectural imprints.
From historic Spanish-styled architectural buildings to neo-classical and renaissance
structures, Escolta Street is a street of high stature. Among them were the Crystal Arcade,
the Roman Santos Building, the Perez-Samanillo/First United Building, Calvo Building
and the Regina Building. Majority of Escolta was destroyed during the Second World
War but several infrastructures are still standing as of this moment.
Aside from the buildings, bazaars are all around the corner. One of the bazaar is the
Escolta Saturday Market where entrepreneurs and local artists gather and set up shops to
interact with the community and sell artist-made merchandise, crafts and quirky vintage
items. The concept of Escolta Saturday Market supports local ingenuity, while devising
a subtle response to commercialism at the same time. (Contreras, 2014).
The bazaar is held at the ground floor of the First United Building, the former site of the
20th century popular retail upscale establishment where one could buy clothes and
household goods.
The city of Manila had undergone drastic changes as years go by. In the present-day, the
historic, architectural structures are being destroyed to pave way for new infrastructures.
Furthermore, as the city progresses economically, the physical state of the city is being
dragged down.
Advancement in the present can be done without rescinding the past.