Forgotten QUIAPO

[tiano]

Have you ever tried passing by the old Quipo district? Besides the Quiapo church and Muslim mosque, most of us probably would synonymously affiliate the place to snatchers and pick pockets.

I suggest you guys take a second look. Try to observe the architectural design of the houses and establishements. You will then realize that we already forgotten that Quiapo was once the Ayala district during those times.

Sayang :( Totally forgotten.

[penoy]

Tiano,

So true! Beneath the dirt and grime, there's something eerily charming about Quiapo(and Old Manila in general)... the old bahay-na-batos, the churhces, the ethnic mix(Christian, Muslim, Chinese, Filipino)...all these certainly adds charm to the place.

Makati and Ortigas have the glitzy malls but what they lack is a sense of place and tradition w/c Quiapo(and Manila) certainly has. ;o)

[^Dm3nted^]

there's somthing surreal about Quiapo and i guess that's what makes it charming. it has almost everything that's filipino. it's also full of ironies...where in the world would u see abortifacients being sold beside a church?! and pickpockets rubbing elbows with the devout...

ah quiapo!...eddie vedder's dream world!

[SIOPAO MAN]

When I went to UST, after school, I used to walk down Espana to Quiapo and catch a bus there to get to Makati since buses were more numerous there.
But one day my friend who went to FEU told me about the time he was walking home from school one night, and he was crossing the bridge that would get him from FEU to the side where all the buses were.
Na-holdap siya dun sa bridge; tinutukan siya ng patalim at nakuha yung reloh at kwintas niyang ginto.
Ever since then, hinde na ako pumunta pa sa Quiapo to ride the bus. Intay na lang ako sa Espana in front of UST kahit madalang ang bus doon...

[DELISYUS]

quiapo = ma mun luk :)

[ChiQui]

I never had the guts and the patience to go through all that traffic and people to visit Quiapo. :( Maybe I will do just that one of these days...

[:Þ]

DELISYUS: Are you serious??????????? Is there still a mamunluk in Quiapo??? I miss ma mum luk like hell since the last one that I saw was on Cubao and that's like ten years ago. damn... they sell great friggin siopao too.

anyways, I don't think good ol Quiapo is forgotten. I think RAON is pretty much still alive ;)

[penoy]

Delisyus,

ehem...Ma Mon Luk => Benavides St., Binondo(Chinatown)

btw, there's an interesting house/museum called Bahay Nakpil Bautista in Quiapo w/c is open to the public, from there, you can have a walking tour of the district(for a smalle fee of course) courtesy of the curator. ;o)

Kaya yung mga nagaalangan diyan...HUWAG NG MAGATUBILI...PUNTA NA NG QUIAPO!!

of course if you're all 'quiapo-ed out', there's nearby Chinatown where you could regain your bearings over some yummy dimsum. ;o)

[DELISYUS]

binondo part na ba yung malapit sa may isetann recto?????????? eh sori.......quiapo pa rin tawag ko sa part na yun eh......yung katabi ng baker's fair sa may ilalim ng overpass....

yup belat boy.....ma mun luk still has the best siopao in the country.....still serves a hefty portion of it too.....and the tastiest mami/bami :yum: there's still one in cubao and one in pasay :)

and right about now............the place is soooo filled with flower vendors..........kaya sis Chiqui, wag ka ngayon pupunta dun......for sure masikip at maputik :)

[penoy]

Delisyus,

I stand corrected! ;o) Quiapo pa pala yon...

Im really surprised about Ma Mon Luk having a branch in Quiapo...all the while, in the whole of Manila, Binondo was the last remaining branch(besides those in Cubao, Q.C.)

oh well...;o)

[SIOPAO MAN]

Anong kaiibahan ng mami sa ma mon luk at mami sa Ling Nam?

[tiano]

Originally posted by penoy
Delisyus,

ehem...Ma Mon Luk => Benavides St., Binondo(Chinatown)

btw, there's an interesting house/museum called Bahay Nakpil Bautista in Quiapo w/c is open to the public, from there, you can have a walking tour of the district(for a smalle fee of course) courtesy of the curator. ;o)

Kaya yung mga nagaalangan diyan...HUWAG NG MAGATUBILI...PUNTA NA NG QUIAPO!!

of course if you're all 'quiapo-ed out', there's nearby Chinatown where you could regain your bearings over some yummy dimsum. ;o)


Actually the reason why I discovered the historical relevance of Quiapo in our society was because I visited and stayed for a night in the Bahay Nakpil. Maam Tess Ubusan is our curator there. Yeah, you guys should try visiting the place, she'll give you a tour of the entire heart of Quaipo;)

[pobre]

I went to Quiapo and checked it out. Plaza Miranda is close to vehicular traffic. There are vendors in the middle of Carriedo streets. A very busy and crowded place on a Friday afternoon.

[p.i.joe]

Not only Ma Mon Luk. The best hopia bakeries in Villalobos Street at sa kapaskuhan the best pata de hamon and keso de bola in Echague.

....I missed the good old days.

[penoy]

Tiano,

Interesting story you have there...;o)

Actually, Quiapo has a very strong tourism potential(the heritage kind) if the people could only get their acts together. It has all the trappings of heritage: quaint architecture, ethnic flavor and history.

And you'd be surprised how Manilenos have started to rediscover the old city of Manila thanks in part to the efforts of Professor Zialcita and Tess Obusan who promote this type of cultue-based activity in an (unfortunately) grimy surrounding. Still, despite this, there's a certain charm and surreal-ness in Quipao if you care to look beneath the dirt.

i just hope the Quiapo can be revitalised as what they did to Malate.

[kartoonista]

To tiano and penoy:

San dun yung bahay Nakpil Bautista? Nuon ko pa hinahanap yun ever since I heard about it 4 years ago. Yung directions e start lang muna from Quiapo Church malapit sa underpass and then to where?

Tnx in advance!!!

[penoy]

kartoonista,

Pag nasa Quezon Blvd ka, nasa likuran ito ng Times Theater.

Mula sa Plaza Miranda bumbaba ka sa underpass tapos tawid ka ng Quezon Blvd. Pag akyat mo sa underpass, diretso ka lang at yung unang kanto(Bautista o Barbosa St.) kaliwa ka.Makikita mo na roon.

Enjoy! ;o)

[theEnglishBeat]

delisyus, sarap talaga ng siopao sa Ma Mon Luk. tuwing kumakain ako nang siopao doon sumasakit ang batok ko eh.

yung sa cubao ay sarado na yata, yung papuntang Tropical hamburger?

meron ba sa Binondo? saan? sa Quezon Ave. meron din branch doon, lag pas ng Welcome.


bukod sa Ma Mon Luk ay may Excellente Ham !!!

yung SM ba doon, yung sa taas ay pabilog ay dati raw na disco, hmmm?

[simonesez]

Originally posted by :Þ
DELISYUS: Are you serious??????????? Is there still a mamunluk in Quiapo??? I miss ma mum luk like hell since the last one that I saw was on Cubao and that's like ten years ago. damn... they sell great friggin siopao too.

anyways, I don't think good ol Quiapo is forgotten. I think RAON is pretty much still alive ;)


:Þ
please visit also the Ma Mon Luk thread: http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php3?threadid=37342

[penoy]

the English beat,

Ma mon luk in Binondo is on Benavides street.Its now called Masuki but people still call it by the old name.

[hat_tr1ck]

I was saddened by the fact na somebody tore down this nice, old Art-Deco building that was right beside Quiapo Church. I would imagine na one day I'd buy that building, restore it to its former glory and live on the top floor.

:(

[penoy]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by hat_tr1ck
I was saddened by the fact na somebody tore down this nice, old Art-Deco building that was right beside Quiapo Church. I would imagine na one day I'd buy that building, restore it to its former glory and live on the top floor.

:(



What Art-Deco stucture? Can you please describe? ;o)

[DELISYUS]

Originally posted by theEnglishBeat
delisyus, sarap talaga ng siopao sa Ma Mon Luk. tuwing kumakain ako nang siopao doon sumasakit ang batok ko eh.

yung sa cubao ay sarado na yata, yung papuntang Tropical hamburger?

meron ba sa Binondo? saan? sa Quezon Ave. meron din branch doon, lag pas ng Welcome.


bukod sa Ma Mon Luk ay may Excellente Ham !!!

yung SM ba doon, yung sa taas ay pabilog ay dati raw na disco, hmmm?

ohmygosh..........close na rin yun??????? my officemate used to dine there with friends...kasi nga, sa araw eh resto lang sya....tas pag gabi nga daw, disco....i think, the only one of its kind ever to operate here in manila.....

awwwwwwww..............:(

nyway.....Excellente ham...to die for......as in!!!!!

delish = naglalaway

oo nga din......yung hopia dun............whew!!!

away nyo ko!!! :(

ay, dun sa nagtatanong kung anong diff ng mami sa ma mon luk at sa ling nam...mas orig yung sa ma mon luk, mas malasa...mas madami.....iba rin ang consistency ng noodles....at sobrang busog ka kasi one to sawa yung sabaw.......

at.....miss ko na si Mang Jun, yung fave waiter ko dun :)

[penoy]

Delisyus,

Meron pang Ma Mon Luk sa Chinatown, eto mula pang 1930 pero ngayon, pinalitan na yung pangalan ng MaSuKi, pero pareho pa rin ang pagkain.

re: Ma Mon Luk vs. LingNam

For one, Lingnam usues egg noodles(Canton) for noodles and comes in different flavors: beef, goto, chicken etc..

ma mom luk on the other hand uses flour noodles and comes only in one kind(in the Chinaown branch, its called 'original mami')

Still, the 2 are considered as institutions in their own right. ;o)

[sweet_7326]

why forgotten? with all the urban renewal/development program of the mayor, ang ganda ng quiapo :)

the vendors along carriedo st is now organized, mala night market na.

tapos ginagwa pang park yung rizal avenida.... with the lights and all...

sana mawala na yung mga pickpockets, etc...

i wish i develop din ang part ng may mga muslims (same side as bahay nakpil)....

[Cerberus]

One of the two schools I'm concurrently attending is located in Quiapo. So I happen to be there six days every week.

Though not without it's deplorable side, the place has kinda grown on me. It aint terra incognita any longer.

Aside from the staple landmarks, Quiapo is a whirlpool of Filipino culture---a potpourri of local sights and sounds.

[Dunedain]

Quiapo church is one of the many structures that's been around for more than 50 years and it's being ignored. The only thing that was really restored (best to my knowledge) was this small what used be airport just behind the PI Stock Exchange (forgot the name of the building). Did you know that the entire Makati used to be a swamp and Ayala used to be a runway? That explains why huge piles are still being driven into the ground, not to mention that majority of the mat foundations found on old structures are no less than 3 meters thick.

[razzp]

Sabi nga ni Atienza, Buhayin ang Maynila!!! . Give him 20 years and Manila will be as beautiful as Paris. I hope so. If people just change. How I wish...

[annielise]

Whenever I think of Quiapo, i remember two things: (1) the delicious Chinese ham my dad buys there (stocks disappear fast even months before Christmas, it's expensive but very good. Try it with onions, mayonnaise, tomatoes and bread), and (2) my friend who had his discman stolen there.

He said that while walking around he felt someone slash his bag, when he turned back, this guy was already holding the discman, and he turned to my friend, held up the discman smiling as if to say, "Come and get it!!!". My friend knew the thief had a lot of back-up friends with him, so he just waved his hand toward the guy as if to say, "Okay, okay, kunin mo na!".

Sheesh, what kind of thief would even taunt you like that? Only in Quiapo?

[__V_C__]

CD, CD, and more CDs

[SIOPAO MAN]

minsan, napapaginipan kong nasa Quiapo ako, naglalakad sa mga store store sa sidewalk; maraming pasikot sikot, at nawawala ako

[borsju]

Originally posted by razzp
Sabi nga ni Atienza, Buhayin ang Maynila!!! . Give him 20 years and Manila will be as beautiful as Paris. I hope so. If people just change. How I wish...

razzp, i hope u know what you r saying. Do u really believe that Atienza can transform manila into a city as beautiful as Paris? Not in a hundred years! Not even in a thousand years!
Anyway, manila has its own charms which paris does not have. When u r abroad, hahanap-hanapin mo ang traffic ng manila, ang fishballs, sorbetes, and many other things that are only found in manila. yon bang mapasabi ka ng "walang ganun sa states!"

[borsju]

Originally posted by razzp
Sabi nga ni Atienza, Buhayin ang Maynila!!! . Give him 20 years and Manila will be as beautiful as Paris. I hope so. If people just change. How I wish...

razzp, i even doubt if pasig river can be rehabilitated by atienza in 20 years and make it as romantic as the seine river in the heart of paris!

[jaegan]

my fondest memories of quiapo:

a) i remember may napuntahan ako dyang place sa quiapo (on the right side of the bridge coming from luneta) na mga stalls na all they sell was balut. it was extra large size and the quality was the best. is it still there?

b) ma mon luk this was the one on the back side of the church near the moviehouses.

c) had a halo halo on one of the carinderia there near the foot of the overpass. the plastic container was huge.

d) bought an army knife, backpack and canteen there.

e) watched girls dancing in gala. is it still there?

f) had a massage in tokyo massage. is it still there?

[razzp]

Originally posted by borsju
razzp, i hope u know what you r saying. Do u really believe that Atienza can transform manila into a city as beautiful as Paris? Not in a hundred years! Not even in a thousand years!
Anyway, manila has its own charms which paris does not have. When u r abroad, hahanap-hanapin mo ang traffic ng manila, ang fishballs, sorbetes, and many other things that are only found in manila. yon bang mapasabi ka ng "walang ganun sa states!"

They're just wishful thinking. I know it's not feasible considering our attitudes. But we never know. If that will happen we're all be happy, right?

About the Pasig River, I'm still optimistic that it will be rehabilitated.

The urban renewal movement in the country is still on its infancy. But we see some results. Some private enterprises are cooperating. And people are happy of the changes they see in Manila. If people are satisfied then urban renewal will gain momentum. Yes 20 years is too short. But let as remember that Filipinos are so tired of living in an ugly and rotting city . We couldn't wait for another 100 years to have a beautiful one. Some countries did it in one generation. Why can't we?

[razzp]

Originally posted by hat_tr1ck
I was saddened by the fact na somebody tore down this nice, old Art-Deco building that was right beside Quiapo Church. I would imagine na one day I'd buy that building, restore it to its former glory and live on the top floor.

:(

What builiding? What's the name? It's still there! I forgot the name but I'm sure we're talking of the same building. Probably. Maybe the one I'm talking about is not in an art deco style. I don't know what art deco means. But this building is one of the earliest modern structures in Quiapo. Technically one of the earliest skycrapers in the country. But it has no more than 10 floors.

It is neglected. Haha, we have the same hobby of dreaming of buying neglected buildings and restoring it. It's funny that I also want to buy that building and live on the top floor!!! Wow...

If I become rich, I'll buy vacant lots in Intramuros and rebuild the buildings that used to be there.

[razzp]

Originally posted by sweet_7326
why forgotten? with all the urban renewal/development program of the mayor, ang ganda ng quiapo :)

the vendors along carriedo st is now organized, mala night market na.

tapos ginagwa pang park yung rizal avenida.... with the lights and all...

sana mawala na yung mga pickpockets, etc...

i wish i develop din ang part ng may mga muslims (same side as bahay nakpil)....

It's sad to note that the pedestrianization of avenida is being questioned by the DPWH on it's legality. If they succeed in opening the that portion of avenida to traffic, we should protest. we should prevent and block any vehicle that will pass.

Yan lang ata ang feel kong klase ng activism.:D I will travel form QC just to do that!

[sweet_7326]

we can be a beautiful as paris if we have the will. syempre it starts by thinking positive.

ako i'm just thankful that the mayor is into urban renewal. not just with quiapo but all the other district in manila. :)

i've grown up seeing quiapo go down (daming pickpockets, madumi, magulo, etc etc)

pero now, i feel a little safer walking there in the morning... :)

[borsju]

Originally posted by sweet_7326
we can be a beautiful as paris if we have the will. syempre it starts by thinking positive.

ako i'm just thankful that the mayor is into urban renewal. not just with quiapo but all the other district in manila. :)

i've grown up seeing quiapo go down (daming pickpockets, madumi, magulo, etc etc)

pero now, i feel a little safer walking there in the morning... :)

Paris is beyond compare. We need all sorts of "revolutions" -- including cultural -- for us to start rebuilding!
It is even difficult to speculate that we can be as beautiful as our neighbor Kuala Lumpur, what with all the corruptions in our gov't, the mediocrity of our people, and the complacency of the majority!

[razzp]

Originally posted by borsju
Paris is beyond compare. We need all sorts of "revolutions" -- including cultural -- for us to start rebuilding!
It is even difficult to speculate that we can be as beautiful as our neighbor Kuala Lumpur, what with all the corruptions in our gov't, the mediocrity of our people, and the complacency of the majority!

I've heard and read this kind of premise so many times. To tell you the truth I have shared this sentiment ever since I became aware of the problems of our country. But it's time to shed this defeatist attitude just for us to move forward. That's the thing I like about Atienza. Yeah it's politics, but a good one.

If we just think of the end of the journey we'll get there. The problem is that our path is murky because of this chaos. Chaos caused by negative thinking.

We are not suggesting that Manila will be like Paris. Manila will be like Manila of the Burnham plan. Cities are not alike. But we want to see a Manila that will be appreciated by all nations just like Paris. We've squandered the chance to build a beautiful city. One of the most beautiful cities if not the most beautiful. That was according to the Burnham plan. But it's noot to late. We just need people with vision and action.

It's up to you if you don't buy this idea.

[borsju]

Originally posted by razzp
I've heard and read this kind of premise so many times. To tell you the truth I have shared this sentiment ever since I became aware of the problems of our country. But it's time to shed this defeatist attitude just for us to move forward. That's the thing I like about Atienza. Yeah it's politics, but a good one.

If we just think of the end of the journey we'll get there. The problem is that our path is murky because of this chaos. Chaos caused by negative thinking.

We are not suggesting that Manila will be like Paris. Manila will be like Manila of the Burnham plan. Cities are not alike. But we want to see a Manila that will be appreciated by all nations just like Paris. We've squandered the chance to build a beautiful city. One of the most beautiful cities if not the most beautiful. That was according to the Burnham plan. But it's noot to late. We just need people with vision and action.

It's up to you if you don't buy this idea.


If only the Manilenos taxpayers' money are being used wisely, wonders and miracles can happen in Manila! Yeah, we should strive for a Manila that is totally different in character from other cities -- one that is charismatic (full of charms!), mystical, magical, spirited, friendly, CLEAN! Personally, I find Manila enchanting! Just take away the garbage, cable and electrical wires dangling everywhere, beggars and street children endangering their lives on the streets! I like the trees the lined the islands, the colorful lights by the bay, the intramuros landscapes!

[razzp]

That's nice to hear that from you borsju . Manila definitely has charms that other cities in our country doesn't have. Remember Manila is older than Sydney . There's nothing much to find in Makati except for it's modern buildings and amenities. When you go to Manila, you can feel the history, the Old World charm, and the American vision for this city at the turn ofr the century. But all of these charms is marred by urban decay. We just have to stop this and start to bring back the life that this city once have.

Manila was called "The Pearl of the Pacific". Yes foreigners used that term not just Filipinos. If you just read the history of Manila you'll realize that they prefered this city more than Hong Kong.

That's why we should preserve Manila's heritage. We should not torn down buildings that reminds us of the city's former grandeur. Even if they are in a sorry state or doesn't produce a desirable income for its owners. Malls will not make Manila beautiful but the preservation of it's innate beauty and the improvement of its physical structures.

I'm happy Atienza is doing something for Manila. Though I suggest that he should be more tasteful in his choice of designs for his development. He should be lauded for his efforts. People are now flocking to the baywalk in Manila Bay. The pedestrianization of a part on Avenida Rizal aims to bring back the life that the LRT removed. Pedestrianization worked in other countries. It helps get rid of noise and pollution. The development of Muelle del Rio as part of the Pasig Rehabilitation reorients us that Pasig or any body of water should not be treated as a back of the house rather than the front. If people treat Pasig as the front of their establishment they wouldn't dare to pollute it. These two projects are under fire because of conflicting interest.

Yes Quiapo is improving.

These urban renewal movement of the city government was not done hastily. It is a plan thoroughy studied that should be implemented for a long period of time. There should be a time frame for its components.

I heard the city government is planning to reclaim its assets from the national government. One aim is to generate more revenue. The other is to have the power to direct development on these areas. Two of these are Luneta and Intramuros. The Intramuros Administration has not done that much in the Walled City. Same goes to Luneta that is under the jurisdiction of a national parks authority. We waited for **** Gordon to clean-up Intramuros. The fountains in Luneta is not working. I think Atienza wants to restore the fountains but he can't do that. Think of the fountains that he set-up in Liwasang Bonifacio and the Rajah Sulayman Park.

As I've said before in my previous post, people appreciate when they see positive changes. And they will crave for more of them. These developments in Manila created a domino effect. Sonny Belmonte aims to replicate the pedestrianization of Avenida in Tomas Morato. And it's working. Never mind if it's politically motivated, as long as it works for us.

If these developments continue for years, we will see a beautiful Manila in the near future. A Manila that we shall be truly proud of!

[razzp]

I forgot D-i-c-k is not permitted! :laugh:

[MiLeS24]

i always pass by in the streets of quiapo everyday as i work near escolta.... and i am really fascinated with the development in avenida, i always check out what part was already finished and so excited to see the outcome of it, and i'm happy of what i see, even the sta. cruz bridge looks fabulous at night time because of its blue and pink lightings, Atienza's work is really nice, i haven't seen this kind of changes with the past mayors who seated before

So keep up the good works Mayor LA *okay*

[XetraDAX]

Mayor LA is truly doins some wonders!!

I havents been to Avenida eh. Is it nice na ba?

The Baywalk is magnificent!

A lot of plazas and parks throughout the city are hugely renovated. (Plaza Miranda, Plaza Moriones, Plaza Dilao, Rajah Sulayman, etc.)

Have you guys seen the cool traffic lights in major Manila thoroughfares?

Malate is wonderful!

The streets are well-lit and paved.

Keep up the good work mayor!!

[razzp]

Sana gawin din sa Avenida yung ginagawa sa Singapore. Pag di na maintain ang mga buildings ng mga may-ari ang gobyerno na ang nagpapaayos. Tapos bibigay na lang yung bill sa may ari. Hehe.

Ang pinakamagandang proyekto para sakin ay yung pagsasaayos ng Lacson Underpass.

[moonshine]

lagi akong nasa quiapo area saka manila area... nakakaaliw ang improvements sa mga lugar duon. im talking about the manila area generally. hindi nalang malate ang maliwanag. i passed through the bridge sa may labas ng ongpin...may ilaw na rin iyong bridge duon, ang saya tingnan. tapos napadpad kami sa may cityhall and post office areas. well lit din. kahit na panlabas palang ito, it's still something and signifies pride in the city. i hope the manilenos re-elect atienza cos he seems to be good with managing this city.
sana isunod after beautification, iyong projects that will help the people in the streets of manila...sa quiapo palang dami nang natutulog sa kalye...maybe some type of livelihood program can be created for them.

[MiLeS24]

oo nga.... ito ang magiging eye sore pagnagkataon, dahil kasi sa mga street beggars, especially pag friday sa quiapo dami non.... magkaron sana sila ng pagkakalagyan, hirap kasi sa mga kababayan nating mahihirap, mahirap na nga sila anak pa ng anak, tas pababayaan naman tong mga batang to sa lansangan, hhhhaaayyyy buhay.... :shrug:

[Tifosi]

Some people I know say that Lito Atienza is a trapo, but I don't care, at least his brand of politics bodes well for the city of Manila. At least napapaganda niya yung city niya. My g/f and I often go to Quiapo, and I really like what he has done so far. I hope mamaintain nila yung place once the renovations are done.

I'm from Parañaque, and look at its sorry state. It's supposed to be the gateway to the country (at least for Luzon), since the airport's there. But what do we have? Santambak na basura na hindi kinokolekta, mga squatters na nagkalat, mga sidewalk vendors, traffic, etc, etc. Eto ba ang city na maipagmamalaki? Yan ba ang mayor na may ginagawa (hello Joey Marquez:bop: , la kang kwenta)??? :confused:

Just airing out my frustrations hehehe:D

[razzp]

Kahit trapo basta may nagagawa. Yung iba dyan sobrang pretentious, la namang magawa.

[littlegurl]

waah..ok nga sa quiapo eh, siguro yung snatching eh part of it so just be careful with your things db...

nakalakad narin me sa Raon from Quiapo church after the mass..ok naman, maraming tao...pero kailangan mo nalang makibagay diba...

and then we went sa Aranque, ok lang, dami makikita..enjoy naman mag-lakad yun nga makakakita ka ng mga old houses and buildings...

basta mag-iingat.. ;)

[vinosavic]

I think there are plans to rename quiapo to 'dvd kingdom' :evil:

[vinosavic]

Originally posted by Tifosi
Some people I know say that Lito Atienza is a trapo, but I don't care, at least his brand of politics bodes well for the city of Manila. At least napapaganda niya yung city niya. My g/f and I often go to Quiapo, and I really like what he has done so far. I hope mamaintain nila yung place once the renovations are done.

I'm from Parañaque, and look at its sorry state. It's supposed to be the gateway to the country (at least for Luzon), since the airport's there. But what do we have? Santambak na basura na hindi kinokolekta, mga squatters na nagkalat, mga sidewalk vendors, traffic, etc, etc. Eto ba ang city na maipagmamalaki? Yan ba ang mayor na may ginagawa (hello Joey Marquez:bop: , la kang kwenta)??? :confused:

Just airing out my frustrations hehehe:D

Yay ! kala ko ako lang nakapansin sa efforts ni atienza. Plaza miranda is the reason why Alfredo lim will not win over atienza.

He seems to want to give manila back it's lost glory. I'm a manileno and i'm proud to have Lito Atienza as mayor !

Si chong ang accomplishments nya eh he has given kris STD. I dunno kung mahirap gawin yun... accomplishment nonetheless.

[Tifosi]

I give Joey credit for that hahaha:D

I do hope that Recto gets cleaned-up. Dami kasi shady characters dun eh. I also hope na mawala na yang mga snatchers sa Quiapo. Nagtataka lang ako kung baket hindi pa simulang ayusin ang Divisoria, when it's practically a stone's throw away from Quiapo:confused:

[MiLeS24]

well sana naman nasa listahan din yan ni Mayor Atienza, malay natin kaya hindi pa inaayos ang divisoria dahil inuuna munang tapusin ang avenida.... ok na ok na sya ngayon, may nilagay na rin silang mga upuan, para na syang park, medyo inusog lang ng konti yung munomento don sa gitna... puspusang trabaho na sila ngayon, kasi di ba ngayong december ang deadline nila don? galeng galeng! *okay*

[nightshade]

Let's not forget the yearly celebration of the feast of the Black Nazarene. This is the best event sa Quiapo. Lahat ng sulok maraming tao, and masaya talaga. Then during the parade, kapag hinihila na si Jesus Christ, you can really feel His presence and sobrang matutuwa ka na lang dun sa mga guys na humihila ng "carosa" Niya!

Every year also they have this band competition. Parang sa MTV Drum Line? Ganun? Aliw sobra! Kakatuwa yung mga tinutugtog nila and pati na yung mga concept ng costumes nila. And of course, the dancers, okay talaga!

Kung mapapagawi kayo sa area ng Hidalgo, or kahit sa San Sebastian na lang, makikita niyo yung mga "old houses" na nakatayo pa. Ako nga gusto kong magkaroon ng ganung klaseng bahay. Then yung San Sebastian Street, sa likod ng Baste, maraming old houses dun. Yung street ng Glorietta de Manila. It's a dormitory for women nga lang.

In general, okay talaga 'tong place na'to. First, it's a strategic place. Malapit ka sa lahat and it's also a commercial area. Kaso maraming factors ang nagpapangit ng sobra. I won't mention it na lang. Sana lang magawan ng mga nasa government natin ng paraan kung paano nila "malilinis" ang Quiapo.

Lastly, alam ko ginagawan ng plano kung paano marerestore ng City of Manila ang Quiapo. I'm not sure kung totoo but I heard na may mga denesignate na mga tao para mapaganda siya ulit since it's one of the historical places here in Manila. Sana lang talaga matuloy. And paalala ko lang sa mga people na everytime na magagawi kayo sa area na'to, BE VERY CAREFUL. Lahat ng "professional" snatchers/holdupers nandito.

Peace!

[kaboomerangle]

As a Manileño, I can't help but to share my thoughts on this thread.

Personally, I also think Mayor Atienza has done a great job so far in reviving Manila. You guys should visit the new Avenida Rizal one of these days. I think what made this particular project a success is that the city government and other sectors concerned, partoicularly the building owners, worked together to redevelop the area as it is now, a potential tourist and business attraction I must say.

I hope he has some more widescale development plan for Manila. But even now, the private sector and the people should work in giving new life to the area. They should do something about those valuable yet dilapidated houses and buildings in the area. The Mercury Drug building has shown the way; look at it now, renovated and now has 2 large video screens. Peace and order should also be strictly watched.

But the most important thing the city government and the private sector must do is to help improve the quality of life of the people. Doing so may be a tall order, but we should at least try to address their basic needs. Educating the people is also important. They must know the history and worth of Quiapo and they have a great responsibility to revive its glory and maintain its place as the heart of Manila. I beliveve alll the city's efforts of redeveloping Manila will be put to waste if the people will not learn to appreciate it and be responsible enough to maintain what has been done.

[MiLeS24]

i am so happy to see the new face of avenida..... Mayor LA that was superb! *okay*

[Krakista]

There's really nowhere to go in Avenida. Although it made easier to walk to some parts of Chinatown.

Bought some 8-in-1 JAV DVD9s and Linux distros at Raon, SVideo and RCA cables at Deeco also in Raon, a USB-to-Serial adapter from cdr-king near the corner of P. Paterno, and went window shopping for digicams at Hidalgo and cellphone accessories at Plaza Miranda last week.

[ruger97]

I miss quiapo... especially the portion under the bridge where i would often go to buy filipiniana souvenirs that are highly appreciated by by American friends (those native bracelets that expand in water, those frog coinpurses, native bags, wall decor, tribal decor, etc.).. then again, i miss the area where cheap DVDs can be bought at 35 bucks compared to $9 at walmart... almost same quality and content, save for cheap packaging :)

for people who want to save, quiapo is the place to go... where else can you find stores side to side selling cheap eyeglasses/frames, apparel, appliances, shoes, cheap 1-hour photo development (near sm), straight-from-customs stuff, statuettes of roman catholic saints, heavy machinery parts, hardware, etc. jewelry? you got nearby binondo along with its fine chinese restaurants, a few blocks north of it for people in need of medical supplies you got bambang, near hospitals, schools, churches and a mosque, "suburban" sampaloc, accessible to arterial roads and rails leading north to caloocan/qc, south to baclaran, east to cainta, west to manila's pier district.

i miss raon.. i got my sony discman there much cheaper than those in the malls. i miss the merriam webster store in avenida where i got my copy of Marvel Comics Cable issue #1 (limited edition! in mint condition still)


I appreciate the effort Atienza brought to redevelopment of the boardwalk, baywalk.. i just hope that he would discontinue the destruction of the arroceros park to make way for another building.. enough! manila is suffocating from too much city smog... plant more trees.

before i left i think they are midway in developing Avenida.. i hope it is all wonderful now... i hope they would redevelop the theaters there.. bring back the grandeur of old philippine cinemas.

[de_veelish]

I visited Quiapo the last two years i've been home, some parts are nice and some isn't. I think it should be cleaned-up and preserved for historical reference like most around it.

[ruger97]

ya know what would be cool? develop quiapo or manila even into boroughs similar to new york city since manila is nearly comparable to NYC (dirt and traffic, and yes, the large number of people going in and out during weekdays)

sectionalizing the city would be great for commerce and tourism. merchants/business would be responsible for their areas.

[de_veelish]

sectionalizing the city would be great for commerce and tourism. merchants/business would be responsible for their areas.

In addition to enforcing ordinance/law however little or insignificant it might seem.

BTW, what's the rate of people migrating to Manila now?

[razzp]

Ang dumi pa rin ng Manila. Sayang ganda ng Quiapo kung puro kalat naman. This is really frustrating.

[geekhead]

Quiapo is the place where you want to buy cameras, bike parts, dvds, subwoofers, speakers and sport equipments . Quiapo Recto underpass have some of the best custom made jeans and have been in the business since the 80's.*okay*

I love Quiapo!

[cocobang]

Quiapo (quinta market) used to serve good halo-halo and pancit palabok before. It laso was the site of the first SM-carriedo hwere Henry Sy used to entice customers way back when good earth and escolta was the most popular places to shop. It was also the source of handicrafts sa ilalim ng tulay. Dito rin mabibili yung mga herbal medicine - sa gilid ng simbahan (like pito-pito). it has its charm like that place near MLQ which sports old architectural stryle buildings (which I believe was used as background for the original scorpio nights way before joyce jimenez). I go arouind the area at times coz of the lumpia houise in Raon as well as that rather seedy mami place - Cho Nam near Times theater - but the mami is really good. But I am always wary of the less than savory characters that prey on our citizens. I must say it offers a lot to a peron even now lalo na kung gusto mo rin umikot and pumunta sa Sta. Cruz. Just don't look too flashy and do not show that you have lots of cash to burn here. :)

[geekhead]

If you want custom made jeans and these guys have been around since the 80's. Try Crazy Horse Jeans at the Quiapo Recto underpass. Pick from the jeans and you can even design your own styled jeans. if you want it raw just tell them not to wash it.*okay*

They have been featured in magazines and tv shows even before the word "custom jeans" became the IN thing in manila.

[caryatid_kitten]

I love Quiapo - - architecturally. It's so sad how the families abandoned their houses there.