If there’s one trait about Manila that makes it a fascinating city, it is its ability to spring surprises even to those who have long gotten used to the frenzy and the madness Manila has been known for.
One such surprise can be found deep in the recesses of the urban jungle of Quiapo. It is a curious sight in itself: a towering building that looks like a Chinese temple of some sort standing out in the middle of a congested neighborhood.
January 26, 2013 would have been just another busy Saturday at a mall as busy as SM Megamall with swarms of shoppers and visitors. Just then, a brazen robbery put the entire mall in lockdown.
As of this writing, investigation is still ongoing while the culprits are still at large. What is clear is that there seemed to be a lapse in security in the mall which allowed this crime to occur and put the people in peril.
Unfortunately, this is not the first time unfortunate incidents happen in an SM mall. Back in 2011, there was a shooting incident in SM City San Fernando in Pampanga which claimed the lives of two minors. There were two other shooting incidents that occurred in the premises of an SM mall as well.
Yet, it puzzles the mind of the Urban Roamer as to why, despite all these incidents and all the earnings SM has made in its mall operations, SM still has not decided to beef up its security. They could at least invest in metal detectors and/or x-ray machines. They can afford to do so, but it seems they are too stingy to pay for these necessities to keep its shoppers a bit more safe.
First things first, the Urban Roamer is proud be on print. You heard it right folks! Your friendly, neighborhood, urban roaming blogger is proud to be a contributing writer for an upstart and promising publication, the DDG Magazine. Please check out my contributions there (yes, I manage to write a couple of articles there) as well as the other articles there which are very informative. For a lifestyle magazine, it is one of the few publications out there that has managed to pack in so much diverse content with substance that should make it a must-read. I am proud to be part of such a promising publication.
DDG Magazine is available now at major National Bookstore and Powerbooks outlets. Please grab a copy guys!
Niow, to the second part of this special feature: the Urban Roamer’s Quiapo Shopping Guide…
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Carriedo Street
If this street’s name may sound familiar, that is because the street was named after the same guy who was the visionary for Manila’s waterworks system and after who the Carriedo Fountain at Plaza Santa Cruz nearby was named.
It is said that the name “Quiapo” came from the water cabbage plant “kiapo” that used to grow along the riverbanks in the district before. So much has changed as Quiapo grew from a sleepy suburb to an area of frenetic activity happening 24/7 as it gained importance as becoming Manila’s geographic center and part of the bustling commercial center of the city.
On the flipside, Quiapo has also become a textbook example of urban decay in the city as it has become riddled with problems of traffic, lack of planning, and petty crime activity which in turn have adversely affected the district’s image. Add to that the notoriety it has also gained being the hub of pirated media like CD’s and DVD’s Such a shame as few places in the metropolis can lay claim to have much historic and commercial significance as Quiapo. And as far as commercial activity is concerned, one with a broad picture in mind can see Quiapo as one big virtual shopping complex.
As I was doing my little research, it was surprising to realize that not much has been written about Quiapo being a shopping hub. Thus, here is the Urban Roamer is going to attempt to write a shopping guide of the district despite the fact that he is not a shopaholic, my humble way to show the readers that Quiapo is more than just a place associated with traffic, thefts, piracy, and the Black Nazarene but a place that holds quite a number of surprises to those who take time to explore it.