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11 Pesos - Trip to China

ni Hannah Estelle Jeanne U. Gopez

Magisa akong naglalakad papunta sa De La Salle University – Manila. Habang ako’y nasa loob ng paaralan, napagtanto ko na wala pala kaming klase sa nag-iisang subject namin ngayon na Creative Non-Fiction. Bigla nalang akong natawa dahil sa aking nagawa, naligo na para bang nagwisik-wisik lang, kumain ng tatlong subo lang at hindi na nakapagpatuyo ng buhok sa bentilador dahil alam ko sa sarili ko na late na pala ako sa klase namin ngayon. Habang papalakad palabas sa aking eskuwelahan, bigla nalang tumunog ang aking tiyan na para bang mayroong bulating malikot sa loob na hindi mapakali dahil kailangan nilang pagkain. Siguro nga, kailangan ko nang kumain dahil hindi pa sapat ang nakain ko kanina.

Limang-daan na lamang ang pera ko sa aking wallet. Bigla nalang ako napaisip kung sa Taft ba ako kakain o hindi. Hindi biro ang magagastos mo sa Taft dahil isang manok na may kasamang kanin ay nagkakahalagang one-hundred twenty pesos na. Naalala ko ang nasabing lugar ng aking kaibigan, ang Binondo. Sinabi niya na kahit dalawang-daan lang ang pera mo ay sulit na at mabubusog ka pa. Ngunit, hindi ko alam papaano makapunta sa Binondo, tinawagan ko na rin ang aking kaibigan na nag-sangguni na kumain na lamang sa Binondo pero hindi siya sumasagot. Kaya naman nagbasakali na lamang ako sumakay ng jeep at sabay-sabing “Kuya, magkano po hanggang sa Binondo?” biglang sagot naman niya sa aking tanong “Labing-isa.” Hanap ako ng hanap ng onse-pesos sa aking wallet ngunit wala akong makita. Tinignan ko rin ang aking bag kung mayroong naliligaw na barya, at sinuwerte ako. Saktong onse-pesos ang nakita ko at binigay ko na kay Manong. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ko ito ginawa, bihira na kasi akong lumilibot sa Maynila dahil natatakot akong maligaw.

 [Isang arko ang sasalubong sayo papasok sa Binondo. Nakamamangha ang kulay ng arko dahil makikita ang simbolismo nang pagkakaibigan ng mga Pilipino at Tsino pagkatapos makatawid sa Jones Bridge. Ang bagong arko ay nagsisilbing unang yugto ng pag-unlad ng Chinatown.]

Nangyari na ang kinatatakutan ko, ang maligaw sa lungsod ng Maynila. Kaagad naman akong nagtanong kay Manong kung nasaan na ako, ayon pala nakadating na pala ako sa aking destinasyon, ang Binondo. Hindi ko alam na nakakatawid pala ang jeep sa dagat dahil para bang binaba ako ni Manong sa kabilang dulo ng mundo nung nakita ko ang arko na para bang papasok na ako ng china. Akala ko nga, nasa China na ako, pero nagkamali ako kasi pagkakita ko palang sa arko ay akala ko nasa ibang bansa na ako. Ito na pala yung “Chinatown” na tinutukoy ng aking kaibigan. Akala ko pa naman masasabi ko na sa aking sarili ang pahayag na “Good bye, Philippines! Hello, Binondo!” Pagbaba na pagbaba ko nakita ko kaagad ang aking Mr. Right na chinitong matangkad, naka-puting sombrero at malaki ang dibdib. Sa laki ng dibdib niya, siguro nga malaki rin ang puso niya. Gash, lalo pa akong nagutom.

At dahil yun ang una kong nakita, lalo pa akong ginanahang lumibot sa Binondo at maghanap pa nang makakain. Nilakad ko ang walang katapusang masikip na kasalda, ang “Ongpin street”  na punong-puno ng nakahilerang tindahan ng lucky charms, kainang mga Chinese, at kung anu-anong relihiyosong bagay. Maliban sa walang katulad na init ng Pilipinas, ramdam na ramdam ko ang vibe ng Beijing; ang kultura at tradisyong Chinese na nakatatak sa kulay at disenyo ng bawat istruktura. May arkitekturang nagpapakita ng awtentik na disenyong Chinese gawa ng tradisyunal at bernakular na  tema, lalo na sa una kong nadatnang restaurant: Chuan Kee. Nakalagay pa sa sign, “Oldest fastfood restaurant in Chinatown” at nakita ngang madaming taong kumakain doon. Ngunit nang basahin ko ang mga online reviews nito, nagpasya akong maghanap pa ng ibang kainan.

 [Ang isang tindahan na tampok at kilala sa mga tradisyunal na delicacy ng mga Tsino - ang ENG BEE TIN .] 

Madami pa naman talaga akong mapagpipilian; mga maliliit na tindahan nang wanton noodles, toasted siopao, at sari-saring hopia. May isa ngang bilihan na mukhang masarap pero alam kong hindi ako mabubusog doon. Pangalan palang eh. Eng Bee Tin. Hindi natuwa tiyan ko sa biro ko nang magreklamo ito sa gutom. Naglakad pa ko sa makulay na kalye pero puro na bilihan nakikita ko. Mga singsing, kuwintas, pulseras, pigurin, at charms na pumupukaw sa aking mga mata ang bumabati sa akin. Kaakit-akit at aaminin kong pinag-isipan ko libangin nalang sarili ko, pero hanggang tingin nalang muna. Nakarating ako sa isang kantina ng sari-saring pagkaing Chinese—may pagkaing-dagat, Mongolian meals, pati na rin tindahan ng panghimagas. Sakto sa badyet ko at nakahihikayat ang simoy ng lugar, kaya dito na ako tumuloy. Tamang sweet and sour fish at chaofan lang.

Habang ako’y papalakad sa kalye ng Binondo, bigla kong nakita ang kaisa-isahang simbahan sa lugar, ang Binondo Church. Makikita ang mga taong sumasamba sa loob ng simbahan. Bagama’t hindi na ako nakapasok sa loob ng Binondo Church, ay natuklasan ko ang isang altar na tampok sa isang ginintuang krus na napapalibutan ng mga ilaw at mga lampin ng mga insenso sa mga vase, sampaguita necklaces, at mga frame na nagtuturo sa mga tao kung paano manalangin sa altar. Kamangha-mangha talaga ang aking nakita dahil minsan ko lamang itong masaksihan sa iba’t ibang simbahan sa Maynila.

 [Isang tindahan na puno ng mga lucky charms] 

Matapos sulitin yung lugar, saka na ako nagdesisyong matuloy sa paglilibot. Nagsukat nang mga jade na singsing, tumikim nang toasted siopao, at nakipagkwentuhan sa isang aleng taga-benta ng mga lucky charms. Nakakaintriga; iyon palang pigura ng palakang may kagat-kagat na barya ay isa palang pang-halina ng kayamanan, at tatlo lang pala paa nito! Ang instruksyon nang ale, kailangang nakaharap ang pigura paloob sa isang kwarto at hindi dapat nakatutok sa anumang pinto palabas. Isa pang kwinento niya sa akin ang kahalagahan ng mga pigurang chinese na dragon. Sa siyam na kilalang dragon god sa kultura nila, ang pinaka malapit sa kanya ay si Ya Zi, ang tagapagtanggol sa mga mandirigma. Nakakalambot ng puso dahil siya ay nananalig dito sapagkat ang panganay niyang anak ay pumasok sa military bilang sundalo. Nakakamangha at nakakataba ng puso ang aking narinig dahil tunay siyang nagtitiwala sa kapangyarihan ng Diyos upang maging ligtas ang kaniyang anak. Ako’y lubos nagpasalamat sa istoryang ibinahagi niya sa akin dahil hindi ko man personal na karanasan, tila nadama at nakaugnay ako sa karanasang magmahal nang tunay na taos-puso.

 [Isang-abalang kalye na puno ng mga tindahan nang mga prutas at mga taong naglalakad sa gilid ng kalsada at ang walang katapusang pagtawid ng mga sasakyan at mga motorsiklo papalabas sa isang arko ng Binondo.] 

Sa katapusan nang araw, napagtanto ko ang kahalagahan ng kultura ng mga Tsino at ang kanilang katangian at asal nang bawat Chinese na makikita mo. Nakita ko rin kung paano pinaghalo ang kultura ng mga Pilipino at ang mga Tsino. Katulad na lamang ang Jones Bridge, na sumisimbolong koneksyon at relasyon ng dalawang magkaibang lahi. Sa katunayan, ako’y nagagalak dahil natutunan ko kung paanong makipag-usap sa mga Tsino at maging komportable sa kanila. Natutuwa rin ako sa mga nakita kong mga lucky charms dahil kamangha-mangha ang kanilang gawa na may halong paniniwala. Akala ko nga noon na ang mga Tsino ay matapobre at hindi matino pero nagkamali ako. Sila’y mababait at mapagunawa sa kapwa nilang mga Chinese at sa mga Pilipino. Biglang nagbago ang paningin ko sa kanila at sa kanilang kultura. Para bang umikot ng 180 degrees ang aking pagiisip patungkol sa kanila. Sulit na sulit talaga ang 11 pesos na ginastos ko papunta sa Binondo na akala ko nasa ibang bansa na ako. Kailanman, hindi ako magsisisi at mananatiling nasa puso ko ang aking natanaw sa loob ng Binondo.

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Extremely Lost in Binondo

by Denise Anne B. Gomez

As someone from the south, I’ve only ever heard of Binondo. Hopia, tikoy, siomai are the only link I could ever say I have with the streets of Ongpin, Salazar and other streets in Binondo that I could never seem to pronounce correctly on the first try. When Mr. Genaro gave us this assignment, I was perplexed. I didn’t know how to get there and more so what I could possibly write about it. The instruction was very clear: go to the place, take pictures of something you find interesting then write about it in a creative manner. I was lucky enough to go with my friends, at least then I wouldn’t be lost, I said over my head.  Or so I thought.

The fourth of March was the day my classmates and I decided to go to Binondo. We took the LRT to Carriedo station and planned to walk to Ongpin from there. Unfortunately, all four of us were bad with directions. We asked a nearby security guard on where we could locate the arch signaling the start of Chinatown, he gave us directions on how to get there, that we pretended to understand because we were all shy to ask further. We used Google maps to reach Chinatown but we walked so far away from our goal, that it didn’t really matter. I guess we walked for about thirty to forty-five minutes following the directions Google maps were stating. However, we did finally end up at Lucky Chinatown, the mall that had close proximity with Ongpin but even that, we were unaware of.

[The mall we did not pan on reaching but we were so lost that we walked so long for this disappointment.]

The group decided to take a break ranging from a few minutes to a maximum of an hour inside Lucky Chinatown. Since it was a mall, there wasn’t much to see but the usual stores with the exception of the multiple Chinese restaurants that didn’t even have English translations on their menus. I was extremely tired and I only wanted to go home but everyone insisted that we couldn’t leave empty handed. It was very frustrating but the only thing to do is to deal with it. After using the comfort rooms, calming ourselves with Coco milk tea, we took a pedicab to Ongpin. I know, this is obviously a mistake but we had no choice, we were like tourists - though I’d say that maybe tourists would do better in navigating themselves around the area compared to us, disoriented students - and we badly needed to get to Binondo before night fell.

[The arch that opens Chinatown to locals and tourist, Binondo, Manila. From an anonymous photographer. Copyright: Trip Advisor, 2014]

The driver charged us a hundred and fifty pesos for a 5-7-minute walk which we only realized when we got there. I tried to ask for a student discount but my friends wanted nothing more than to get rid of the driver that kept looking at us as if we were specimens to be examined. It irked me so much to let it go but I acknowledged that my peers’ pleading eyes were already silently begging me to not cause a scene. Reluctantly, I saw how my friends took out their wallets and gave fifty pesos each.  As of 2PM, everyone was tired and stressed about our current predicament. The silver-lining we found at that moment was that we finally reached Manila Chinatown, as seen in figure 2.

Manila Chinatown is a great place for sightseeing, shopping of charms and Chinese delicacies and overall just for observing and understanding the culture of the Chinese Filipinos or Chinoys based in Manila. It is a feast for the eyes and more so a pleasure for those who wish to indulge in the wonders of China in the Philippines. As we started our venture in small local outlets, we saw the traditional items the Chinese were known for: ampou, keychains, buddha miniatures, bracelets that have their corresponding charms and etc. It was very familiar but it wasn’t spectacular enough to be the topic of our travel essays.

  Eventually, the group got hungry, so we found a restaurant to dine in. Honestly, we did not care where and what we ate, we were all exhausted, starving and annoyed about the events that led up to this moment. We found a medium-sized eatery named Chuan Kee, located beside the Binondo Church. They had delicious dumplings, wanton mami, chop suey, and other mouth-watering delicacies. Their menu was a bit pricey but it made sense since its geography was beside the church.

[The inside of Chuan Kee eatery. Photographed by Jaz, Eric Food Blog. Copyright Eric Jaz, 2017]

As a conclusion, would I recommend going to Binondo? No, not if you don’t know where to go and don’t know anybody to show you around. It’s a big place so of course, you need to be knowledgeable about the geography. It wasn’t all bad but if I was given the chance to go back with a clear itinerary and a guide to tour then maybe I’d reconsider. It’s a big maybe, honestly.

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Memories in Binondo

by Gabrielle Louise G. Gesilva

When I was five years old, my mother and I attended my ninang’s wedding as a flower girl at Binondo Church, also known as Minor Basilica of Saint Lorenzo Ruiz. The wedding had three parts, the morning wedding service in church wherein the bride would wear a western or the white bridal dress, an afternoon tea ceremony, and a Chinese-style wedding dinner in the evening where the bride was expected to wear her red cheongsam. It was a typical Chinese Christian wedding set-up. I remember my mom getting annoyed at me because I was asking so many questions about what was happening, ever since then I could say that I became interested in Chinese culture. One can even say that I’m into chinito boys because of how interested I am in their culture. Kidding. I was lucky to grow up knowing about Binondo and going there from time to time may it be going with my grandfather for bulk buying of supplies, having dim sum for lunch with my family, or just shopping at the nearby mall with my mom and grandmother.

The day before March 6, 2019, I texted my mom if she and my grandmother could accompany me to Binondo. They agreed, and even though I’m familiar with the place, I started searching on Google what are the must-eat and must-do’s in Binondo, so that I could try everything I had missed out on. The next day, we agreed to just meet at Carriedo station since they would be coming all the way from Bulacan. I took the LRT from Quirino station, even with my mom’s paranoia by calling me every after five minutes to be updated on where I was— she knew that I am not used to commuting, I still missed my stop. I went off at Abad Santos station and took the train back to Carriedo, mom was waiting for me at the platform when I arrived. She gave me a lecture about being attentive. Her lecture was accompanied by the scorching heat of the 12 noon Manila sun, both of being factors for my ensuing migraine. Before going to Binondo from Carriedo, you might pass by one of the oldest streets in Manila, which is Calle de la Escolta or Escolta for the locals, also known as Manila’s Queen of the Streets. Back then, it served as a place for shopping from Chinese merchants, now it is known for its noticeable neo-classical buildings.

[Eskolta. One of Manila’s oldest streets.]

Because of my love for food, the first thing that I googled was the best place to eat lunch in Binondo. Usually, my family and I just eat a King Chef. It has been our go-to Chinese restaurant, especially since dad’s stress reliever is eating the chicken feet dish there. He’s been to a lot of countries and he said that King Chef’s chicken feet are the best one yet. But for this trip, I wanted to try something new. I found out that the best place to have lunch in Binondo is at Sincerity Cafe & Restaurant. I’ve decided that our first destination should food because I would surely get grumpy if forced to deal with the Manila heat and my rumbling stomach. My mom, grandmother and I took a padyak so that I can take pictures along the way from Ongpin to Sincerity. From observing, I could say that Binondo was not exactly as organized as I expected it to be, so it was kind of difficult to look for the restaurant, I even had to use Google maps to get around.

When we arrived, the restaurant wasn’t really all that fancy, it looks like an ordinary restaurant with a very Chinese touch—bright red and gold hints, ceramic plates, heavy utensils. As a fried chicken enthusiast, since they claimed to have the best fried chicken in Binondo, my expectations were high. The fried chicken was alright, it tasted like a typical fried chicken, nothing special. I think it is an acquired taste though since after eating another dish like fried rice and the chicken soup, I realized that all of their food wasn’t too flavorful. Just the right amount of spices. My mom and grandmother we were not satisfied since we tried a lot of Chinese cuisines and expected that Chinese food should be flavorful. Aside from the food, the service was commendable, the serving of food was fast and the staff that served us was kind enough to answer all of our questions may it be about the food or her recommendation on where to go next.

My mom is ¼ Chinese, she grew up eating Hopia that my grandfather bought for her. She specifically requested that we should try all the famous Hopia, after thorough searching, there’s a competition between Ho-Land and Eng Bee Tin on which is the best Hopia. Our next stop was Ho-Land’s Hopia and Bakery since it’s on the same street as Sincerity. The shop resembleed a convenience store for they don’t only sell Hopia but other Chinese delicacies like Tikoy, as well as chocolates, candies, soft drinks, etc. Mom bought five flavors of Hopia to try all of it and compare it to Eng Bee Tin. Aside from that, I also added white rabbit candy, the kind that you eat with the wrapper, and Buchi into mom’s basket.

[Eng Bee Tin. The biggest international exporter of Hopia.]

Ho-Land’s Hopia rival, Eng Bee Tin was our next stop. Eng Bee Tin Chinese Deli has many branches all over the Philippines but the original store remained in the same spot it has occupied for over ninety years. Before entering the store, you could find a big violet fire truck parked outside the store that has a small logo of Eng Bee Tin on it. I was surprised on how modern the inside of the store looked, it has two floors and only serves their product. They had a wide variety selection of products including their famous Hopia in different flavors, frozen dim sums that you can just steam at home, drinks on-the-go like Mocha, Milk Tea, etc. Like what my mom used to do in Ho-Land, she also bought a lot of flavors to try. On the other hand, I bought the readily made Milk Tea and a pack of frozen Hakaw, my favorite dim sum. Eng Bee Tin does not only provide good cakes, hence the name Hopia, Ho means good, and Pia means cake, they also contribute to the community by providing fire trucks to the local fire station explaining the parked fire truck outside.

[Lucky Chinatown Mall offers a unique blend of history, tradition, and modern shopping and world-class leisure experience.]

For our Binondo trip, our last destination was Lucky Chinatown Mall. We went around the mall to window shop and buy milk tea from CoCo. I also went where my friends were eating to say Hi to them. Overall, a Binondo trip is something that anyone should experience in a lifetime to have a grasp on the daily lives of Chinese people in our country. After this trip, I felt more connected to my Chinese blood and I am also glad that my Chinese culture and tradition interest was reignited.

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Pinakaunang Bisita sa Chinatown

ni Maria Beatrice S. Fajardo 

Papunta palang sa LRT, nasasabik na ‘kong makarating sa pinakamatandang Chinatown sa buong mundo. Hindi pa kasi ako nakakarating sa Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Mainland China, o sa kahit anong Chinatown kaya hindi ko talaga alam kung anong madadatnan ko. Sa totoo lang, naisip ko na baka puro singkit tulad ko yung makikita ko pagdating sa Binondo, pero hindi ko alam kung gaano karami, gaano katanda, o kung nakakapagsalita talaga sila ng Philippine Hokkien (dialekto na ginagamit ng mga Chinese na lumipat sa Pilipinas). Tsaka ang tagal ko na ring ‘di sumasakay sa LRT o bumyahe papunta sa malayong lugar. Taga-Pasay pa ako, malayo na yung Binondo para sakin. Nakakatuwa lang na makakaalis rin ako sa rotang Villamor-Taft-Buendia na araw-araw kong tinatahak.

Gil Puyat, Vito Cruz, Quirino, Pedro Gil, U.N., Central, Carriedo.

“Ate, san po yung papunta ng Binondo?” tanong namin ng nanay ko sa isang tindera ng mga bag at wallet pagbaba ng Carriedo Station. Sobrang daming tindahan sa lugar na ‘yon, may mga nagbebenta ng gitara, ukulele, tsinelas, medyas at kung anu-ano pa.

Nakarating rin kami sa tapat ng Chinatown. Ang arko na may pangalang ‘Arch of Goodwill’ ay nagmimistulang portal mula sa kapital ng Pilipinas papuntang Beijing o Hong Kong. May mga pulang lantern na kaagad at limang daang mga tindahan yata ang nakatayo sa kalyeng Ongpin kung saan kami nakatayo. Isa itong business district. Hindi dahil maraming mga bangko at mga call center na nakapaloob sa mga matataas na gusali, pero dahil sa napakaraming maliliit na negosyong pinaghirapan ng mga masisipag na Tsino. Nakakabilib na sinubukan pa rin nilang magtayo ng sarili nilang tindahan kahit walang kasiguraduhang magtatagumpay sila.

Katulad ng mga Tsinong negosyanteng malalakas ang loob, kinuha na ng nanay kong nagbebenta ng mga kondominyum ang tsansa na magbigay sa mga mayayamang negosyante ng mga flyer. Maging swerte sana para sa amin ang mga pulang lantern na nakasabit sa taas ng ulo namin. Napansin ko na ang mga tindero’t tindera, mapa-jewelry shop, tindahan ng mga pampaswerte, o mga tindahan ng mga furniture at appliances man, ay mga kapwa kong Pilipino. Habang ang mga amo nila, ang mga nagpapasweldo sa kanila, Tsino. Ganun ba talaga? Napatunayan talaga ng pagpunta ko na totoong ‘business-minded’ talaga ang mga Chinese. Kelan kaya magbabaligtad ang penomenang ‘to? Walang akong sagot para sa tanong na ‘to. Ibang-iba ito sa sitwasyon sa Singapore, kung saan napansin naman ng nanay ko na ang mga Chinese doon ay ang naglilinis lang ng hotel. Syempre, may mga mayaman naman na Singaporean-Chinese katulad ng pamilya sa Crazy Rich Asians pero iba pa rin na makikita sila bilang ordinaryong empleyado lang rin, dahil sa Pilipinas, sila yung nakakaangat at may pera.

Sa paglalakad namin sa kalye ng Ongpin, ‘di talaga maitatangging ang Binondo ay isang lugar kung saan pinapahalagahan at pinagmamalaki talaga ang kulturang Tsino. Kahit ako mismo natuwa sa pagpapakita at pagpapayabong nila rito. Sa bawat tingin mo, may mga karatulang nakasulat sa Mandarin, o sa tingin ko ay Mandarin, may patong-patong na mga kahon ng tikoy at pampaswerte tulad ng mga money boat, red lantern, nakangiting matabang buddha, at mga cute na baboy at kumakaway na pusa. Sino bang di matutuwa doon? Kahit ang bahay namin, may mga golden buddha at ‘lucky Chinese couple’ kahit hindi naman kami Tsino. Nakikita lang kung gaano kalawak ang impluwensya ng kultura nila sa Pilipinas at sa mga ordinaryong Pilipino. Nakakatuwa na hanggang ngayon, buhay parin ito.

Mailalarawan ko na ang mismong kalsada ng Ongpin ay nakaangat, at may dalawang mababang pulang hagdan na nakalagay sa dalawang gilid nito. Yung buong kalsada, meron nito. Bababaan mo pa yung hagdan para marating yung mga tindahan, at sa harap nung mga hagdan, may mababa at makitid na harang pang gawa rin sa konkreto. Ang hirap tuloy maglakad. Kailangan mo pang laktawan yung harang para makarating sa mismong daan. Dun ka nalang sa mismong harang maglalakad, ala gymnast sa balance beam, o kaya sa makitid rin na espasyo sa pagitan ng mga tindahan at yung hagdan. Puro basura pa yung nasa kalye. Ilang cup rin ang nasipa ko at medyo nabasa rin yung sapatos ko. Ilang tao rin ang nabangga ko’t nasabihan ng ‘sorry.’ Sa sobrang sikip ba naman at sa sobrang daming tao. Bawat limang minuto, sinasabihan ako ng nanay kong itago na yung cellphone ko. Ang hirap kumuha ng larawan, baka yung cellphone yung makuha. Tipikal na Maynila, wala namang iba.

Napansin ko rin sa pagtingin ko sa mga taong naglalakad na tulad ng maraming tourist spot sa Pilipinas, marami akong nakitang mga dayuhan. Di ko rin maiwasang isipin kung anong naging tingin nila sa Binondo. Namangha rin ba sila tulad ko o naasar ba sila sa init, ingay, at dumi at ‘di na nila nagawang tingnan ang mga nakita kong nakapagpasaya sakin? Naisip ko nung araw na yun na sobrang swerte natin bilang Pilipino upang magkaroon ng maraming kultura sa bawat parte ng ating bansa. Bawat isla, may sariling wika tulad ng Bicolano at Waray, paraan ng pananalita gaya ng pagiging conyo, paraan ng pagluto tulad ng napakaraming bersyon ng sinigang at pancit. Idagdag pa yung mga impluwensya ng mga Kastila, Amerikano, at syempre, Tsino. Sobrang sanay tayo bilang Pilipino sa iba’t-ibang kultura kaya mabilis tayong nakakasunod sa mga kasanayan mula sa ibang bansa.

Sayang lang at hindi kami nakakain sa Binondo. Ibang klaseng karanasan ang makakain ang tunay na pagkaing Tsino na ginawa ng mga Tsino mismo. Bumili naman kami ng mga tinapay at iba pang matatamis sa Salazar’s Bakery. Sobrang sarap ng sugar cake, hopia, at buchi. Pero kahit hindi ako nakakain sa Lan Zhou La Mien, isang restaurant na kinakainan ng lahat ng pumupunta sa Binondo, may mga masasabi parin akong mabuti tungkol sa Binondo. Naisip ko na may mga lugar rin sa bansa, na kahit hindi beach, na pwede ring ipagmalaki. Sobrang mayaman sa kultura ang Pilipinas at madali nating mararanasan ang iba’t-ibang aspeto nito, mga pitong istasyon lang naman ang layo. Hindi na kailangang maghintay ng promo sa Cebu Pac. Nakakatuwa ring isipin na nagkaroon ng lugar ang mga Tsino sa bansa natin kung saan napagmamalaki nila ang kultura nila, at naibabahagi nila ito sa atin. Nagsasama ang dalawang grupo, Pilipino at Tsino. Hindi sila nag-aaway at hindi nagpapataasan.

Pero may tanong ako, kung ang mga Pilipino kaya sa ibang bansa, gumawa ng Filipinotown, lalago kaya ito tulad ng nangyari sa Binondo? Maipagmamalaki ba ng Pilipino ang sarili niyang kultura at maipapamahagi sa iba? Mamamangha rin ba yung ibang mga turista tulad ng pagkamangha ko sa sarili nating Chinatown? Sa tingin ko, oo. Bawat kalye dun ay may sariling rehiyon na nirerepresenta; hindi sila nagpapataasan, may sariling lugar kada isa, at may respeto para sa isa’t-isa. Sigurado akong may isang kalye dun na puno ng mga buddha, pancit, at alahas, tapos sa tapat nun, may kalesa, tindahan ng rosaryo, at karenderiang may adobo at menudo. Tulad ng huling litrato, kitang-kita ang pagsasama ng mga kultura: sa gitna, may kalesang pinapatakbo ng isang Pilipino, at sa kanan, karatula ng bankong BDO na may subtitle na, siguro ay Mandarin Chinese, sa baba.

Meron man ngayong magulong relasyon ang Pilipinas at Tsina dahil sa mga isla sa South China Sea, at nagkakaroon ng mabilis na pagbabago dahil sa dami ng mga Tsinong lumilipat sa bansa, sana gayahin natin ang samahang hanggang ngayon ay namamayagpag sa Binondo, kung saan patuloy na nabubuhay ang dalawang kultura nang magkasama dahil sa respetong umiiral sa relasyon nilang dalawa.

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Through the Eyes of Bacolodnon

by Daniel Ricardo C. Evangelista

Binondo. The fusion of old and new Chinese and Filipino cultures. Being someone from Visayas, I’ve heard of Binondo and all the tall tales people have about it (positive and otherwise), but even now, as someone who’s currently living in Manila, I’ve never had the time nor a good enough reason to leave my humble abode to explore the depths of Binondo in such a way that would satisfy my ever-growing curiosity. Partly, because I had no reason to, but mostly because I’ve never had much experience in commuting to cities in Manila outside of the one I’m currently living in.

Until now.

With a small Pacsafe bag, 500 pesos, a group of seven other friends, and steely determination, I finally decided to set off on a quest to discover the treasures that were nestled under the unwelcoming bustle of Binondo. The heat was immense and the traffic was as tedious as usual, but our resolve was stronger. From Taft, we took a jeep that stopped directly at Ongpin Street. As usual, our experience with transit was banal (yet uneventful) as always, but the sight of Quiapo Church more than made up for it when we arrived at our destination. A monolith that stood like the Eye of Sauron watching over an urban, more oriental Mordor, the dichotomy between the cultures that made up Binondo were clear as day.

[The European architecture of Binondo Church creates an odd contrast with the modern structures in the background and the other trappings of city life] 

I’ve read about this peculiar aspect of Binondo from my text books numerous times in Junior High School, but I have to admit: seeing it with my own eyes for the first time was a much different experience all-together. I did not expect to be so intrigued by this, but I was. Ah, who am I kidding? I was blown away by all of it. The convergence of cultures was both jarring fascinating at the same time. Sure, it might not seem like much to some, but I’ve always been someone who was interested in history and culture, and the initial sights that I was greeted with in Binondo all but made that side of me ecstatic. Who knew what stories were waiting to be discovered by only the most keen, eagle-eyed explorers?  Curiosity had morphed into genuine excitement, and no sooner did my legs urge me to choose a path and get lost in the foliage of the urban metropolis that was Binondo

However, seeing as we arrived a little later in the day, my posse and I had two problems: one, none of us were familiar with Binondo at all and two, we were absolutely famished. The only thing we had to go on was a restaurant owned by one of their friends that was situated somewhere in a less known part of Binondo’s chinatown. It was some ways away from where we were, but we decided to take it both as a challenge and an opportunity to see more of what the city had to offer for novice explorers such as ourselves and, with that in mind, began our exodus towards the distant star in the horizon that was our lunch, and to marvel at the sights we would discover in doing so.

Along the way, the cultural amalgamation was like a pungent stench that was getting harder to ignore. Chinese lanterns hung along messy power lines the low-hanging fruits of an old tree. Chinese letters dotted the roof of buildings tall and street-level alike, placed haphazardly besides english letters as if they wanted both Chinese and the locals to understand what they were supposed to be. Shops along the sidewalks that sold traditional herbal medicines were nestled snugly beside the more modern establishments such as Jollibee or McDonald’s. We could have stopped to eat there, but where’s the fun in that? This was the opportunity of a lifetime to indulge in a little cultural exchange, and none of us were willing to pass it up.

[To this day, I wonder if the practice of selling bootleg toys was a Filipino thing or a Chinese thing.]

Our first detour came in the form of a small Chinese grocery near the local Metrobank branch. One of my compadres was running a little low on cash, so the rest of us decided to see what it had to offer. Everything you’d expect from a grocery was there, but the difference was the abundance of: a.) Chinese goods such as herbs (again) and some rice and b.) plenty of bootleg toys and electronic devices. It was like discovering a dragon’s hoard, only that instead of gold it was fake Avengers toys and instead of a dragon it was a security guard with a nightstick. Lighters, cheap drones, phone cases, sunglasses, you name it. While most of the merch was arranged in a typical fashion, others were arranged in an ukay-ukay manner that whether intentional or not, was a unique way of selling people your stuff. Search hard enough, and you might find all manner of bits and baubles inside. Mostly, though? The cheap electronics stood out. Yeah, yeah, they’re bootlegs, but could you honestly name another place that sold drones for as low as 500 pesos? It’s a steal, I tell ya. As much of a steal as the wallet in your pocket is to the local pickpockets (seriously: watch those pockets!). Sadly, I wasn’t able to get the name of the joint since it was in Chinese, but it’s not hard to find once you know where the Metrobank is on that particular street. With the siopao stands littered outside, it was an interesting look at how two the two cultures can build off of each other to create something distinctly Chinese and Filipino at the same time. The one thing that truly made this quick detour memorable, however was what we found outside the grocery.

[Truly, a hidden wonder in Binondo]

Affixed to the side of the structure like a small branch being concealed by its larger brethren was a small yet beautiful shrine dedicated to the local parish priest. I didn’t want to disturb the locals, so I wasn’t able to get the name of the priest the shrine was dedicated to, but the sight of this religious monument alone was beautiful. Humbling, even, I’m not a religious person, but this was exactly what the social science nerd in me wanted to see when I came here. This, in my humble opinion, exemplifies the cultural fusion that Binondo is known for. There’s something solemn about watching a passerby stop, buy some of the Chinese candles being peddled across the shrine, and placing them in the pot before offering a brief prayer. It’s the perfect blend of Chinese traditionalism and Filipino Catholicism. It also helped that the cross was beautifully made, as well, with a lot of love and care obviously put into the decorum around the monument. We observed this wonder and the faithful for a good few minutes before moving on.

[Some street signs I found amusic along the way. The one at the bottom especially cracked me up.] 

Passing by numerous establishments and stalls, we were given a front-seat look at Binondo’s bustle. As per the norm in a city in Manila, motorists were the vehicular equivalent of wild, angry elephants; under the blazing heat, their honks and even the occasional violent shout from their angry Beastmasters. That combined, with the sweltering heat that seemed to burrow into our skin like tiny needles, made Binondo feel hostile. Unwelcoming. It was like someone who closed off his heart to anyone and everyone and chose to be fickle.  But, just like a person who closed off their heart, opening it can make you see some of the most beautiful and rawest emotions that you can’t find anywhere else. Numerous stores sold gold jewelry like it was candy. Some stalls sold all manner of goods that ranged from fruits to Chinese baubles that I didn’t know even exists. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that they still sold some traditional goods like chimes and the like. They were a good insight into how, in spite of their adapting of Filipino and Spanish traditions, the Chinese culture was still strong in Binondo. As a newcomer, all of this made me feel overwhelmed, but also elated at the same time. Perhaps the fact that this is my first excursion outside of my comfort zone but, again, being someone who appreciates the stories that even the smallest, misplaced street sign can tell and the footprints cultural influences leave on people, I was hooked.

Our final destination was Kim Hion, the aforementioned establishment that my companions knew about. Honestly? If we weren’t hungry, I wouldn’t have eaten there at all. The food was alright, but by all means bland, and the service was mediocre. The siopao that we bought from one of the vendors but the company was good, so that made up for I (I still wouldn’t recommend it, though). Still, all things considered, I was hungry, and I ate like a shark. I’ve always had a soft spot for Chinese food and, to be fair, the prices were good for someone of my current financial status, so if that’s your type, then go ahead.

As I went back home, I couldn’t help but feel that my inexperience had dampened my trip. We went in blind with no money, and weren’t able to buy all manner of baubles or go to as many places as we wanted to. Binondo wasn’t very welcoming, either; As a fledgling explorer, many aspects of it scared me. The cars, the people, the shady alleyways. It was all overwhelming, and while I wouldn’t even consider going back under the normal circumstances, but Binodo allured me.  Bacolod city, which is the closest thing a Visayas native like me will get to a city that rivals Manila in my region, wasn’t as large or as chaotic as Binondo. Maybe my opinions on the former stem from the fact that I’ve lived there for almost 16 years, but if you’ll allow me to channel my inner nerd, Binondo is like a massive, sprawling dungeon in a Role-playing game that’ll take days for you to explore in full. You won't be able to explore the whole thing in one go and going in unprepared can cost you, but your persistence and curiosity will be rewarded.

Overall, I enjoyed our little excursion to Binondo. It was a tiring one, sure, but it more than makes up for it by being one of the most interesting places in Manila to tour around. It was a tiring one, sure, but it more than makes up for it by being one of the most interesting places in Manila to tour around. It’s not the kind of destination where all the sights are advertised, however; just like the shrine we found, in my humble opinion, the best sights to see are the ones that hidden from view.  Surely it holds all manner of secrets in its gigantic hoard…should you be willing to scour its depths.

[ongpinned-blog]

A Conflict of Interest

by Danica Regine P. Encarnacion

Now it’s never been a secret that I rarely hesitate to splurge on food. If you ask anyone that knows me, they’ll tell you just how much of an impulse buyer I am when it comes to eating. So, it only seems right that during my first trip to Binondo, one where I staunchly promised the night before that I would spend no more than a hundred pesos during the whole trip, I ended up derailing  from the entirety of my carefully mapped out budget.

Looking back on it, and considering how self-aware I am that I have absolute garbage self-control when it comes to food, it was naïve of me to think that I could possibly end up saving any money on this trip. Especially with extra money just lying around inside my wallet. In my head, my plan had made perfect sense though. After all the assignment was to look around, to take pictures and enjoy ourselves, and try to look for something new and amazing to discuss in our travelogue, but as per usual for me, food turned out to be my hand-dandy topic for this essay. But it’s not like I dropped off a jeep and immediately started eating, I mean even I have decent enough sense of self-preservation to at least try and save my money for after me and my companion had walked for at least a bit. Alas, it was not meant to be.

Our story starts around noon.

And yes, I can feel you judging me right now.

Because what person trying to spend as little as possible would set out upon their journey with an empty stomach at the peak of noon right before lunch? This dumbass apparently. But I digress, at around eleven in the morning, I met up with a group of my classmates and we took a jeep to Binondo. Thrilling start, I know. In fact, as per my professor’s instructions of how to write a thrilling travelogue, I was already moving too easily along the beaten path, and was very much setting myself up for failure. At the rate I was going, I’d have nothing interesting to use for my travel essay, but I do mange to turns things around and make the trip exciting …

I think.

But yes, back to the adventure! Where was I? Oh yes, Binondo, or at least heading there, hungry, jeep, budget. Yeah, seems about right. Now the firs thing you have to understand is that most of my travel companions had only ever had cursory visits to Binondo, or perhaps were similar to me in knowing the place only in name and the occasional commute through. So, most of us were very much in the dark of where to head and what there was to experience. Thankfully, my closest companion, and soon to be partner in crime as the day went on, had been to Binondo with a family member before, and had a vague idea of where we could catch a small and hopefully cheap meal. So, we agreed that the first thing we were going to reach Binondo was to grab a quick meal. You know play to the idea of being full so we could explore better. Fill our stomachs as to not be enticed into by any random food we may stumble upon, that was agreement. And everything was going so well too, we got off the jeep in front of Binondo Church, and separated from out travelling party, and set out beneath the blazing sun.

And this, dear readers, is where the plans drastically derail.

See, we arrived at the planned restaurant with little difficulty. It was a little hole in the wall eatery just on the left side of the church, away from the main road. It was diminutive in comparison to the church’s high stone walls, sandwiched on the opposite side of the street between a pet shop and small toy store. The tiny little road it bordered was so narrow that even while walking along the obviously designated sidewalk you’d have to swerve to the side if a tricycle or car decided to pass by while you waling. The being said, the restaurant itself was still a welcome relief from the sweltering heat though, just busy enough during the lunch rush to not seems suspiciously uninhabited, but also not so packed as to dissuade potential customers from coming in. Just right, if one would. The food on the other hand, took that just right and propelled the restaurant’s star rating in outer space. Remember how I said I was trying to spend no more than Php 100?

Yeah, fat chance.

See this restaurant was by no means overpriced, quite budget friendly in fact, especially since its target demographic obviously wasn’t broke college students. No, see the problem lied in just how affordable it was. With rice meals being just barely over Php 100, and beverages that came highly recommended by my travel companion. In short, between the two of us it was terrifyingly easy to wrack up our bill. Even the original dumplings that was had agree to share were suddenly piled on with an extra rice meal, soup, and the day’s special.

My Php 300 was gone in the span of minutes.

That’s not the worst confession I have regarding this meal though. See, that plate closest to the bottom? That one is mine, and if you hadn’t noticed that meal obviously consists of beef, and want to guess what had happened right before we set off for Binondo? I went to mass, that’s what. Not just any mass either, mass for Ash Wednesday, you know one of the days of Lent where you’re supposed to avoid eating meat and poultry? Don’t worry I apologized at Binondo Church afterwards, but if you wanted to know just how flimsy my self-control is in the face of good food. There it is, in all of its glory. Not only did I triple my designated expenses for the trip within an hour of being in Binondo, I also went against the whole point of the day, the reason I was woke up three hours early, Ash Wednesday. Yeah, you don’t have to tell me, I know I really goofed.           

Especially when I saw this.

Whilst walking, my companion and I didn’t notice this altar until we had walked passed. What had immediately grabbed our attention though was the distinct, cloying smell of incense. We’d both been able to identify the smell in the first instances it permeated our nostrils, and found ourselves bewildered when there was a full-blown alter built into the side of the building, in the middle of the busy street, just set there, perfectly normal to all the passersby besides ourselves.  It also kind of felt like a personal reminder from God that I had done my one great sin for the day, and needed to repent. Needless to say, I ended up lighting my own incense and sending up a prayer, both in thanks and in remorse.

But divine fate wasn’t done with me yet apparently.

For as we wandered around the shopping district, my companion and I found ourselves in markedly less busy areas. Still very much main roads, but a lot less food traffic than the common streets where people were getting off their jeeps, or the clogged roads or vendors were selling their wares. Though we certainly passed a good number of those, places that proudly proclaimed that they were selling Chinese drugs, bakeries, and lotto places. Schools, fruit vendors, and of course dozens of shops selling what most Filipinos called Chinese souvenirs and decorations. Brightly lit shops strewn in red and gold, selling lanterns, garlands, and good luck charms.

And of course, food. So much food, especially in the smaller back alleys, we found places selling live eels and crabs. Bakeries and noodle shops, places supposedly set in a standard residential area, but were bustling with locals sat on stools, laughed and enjoyed themselves even in the middle of the day. It made me envious, I wish I had spent that Php 300 differently, even if the food was great. And that’s why, even if my wallet hates me for it, I personally hate myself a little more for not waiting just a little longer to spend.

[ongpinned-blog]

In Little Chinatown

ni Anjelu Mae C. Dela Cruz 

Ingay, init, at usok ang bungad niya sa akin. Napagtanto ko kaagad na mali ang timing ng bisita ko sa kanya. Bukod sa matinding trapik ng biyahe papunta sa kanya, eh napakarami ko pang kasabay na bumibisita. Parang kolonya nang mga langgam na inapakan at nagkalat sa lugar ang dami ng tao sa kalye at parking lot na malapit sa mall. Siguro para sa mga madalas na panauhin niya ay sanay na sa dami palagi ng tao sa lugar, pero bilang bisita na isa o dalawang beses pa lamang na dumadayo sa lugar nila, nawindang talaga ako. Hay, Binondo, ano bang meron sa’yo?

[Isa sa mga pinakaunang arko na sasalubong sa’yo pagtungtong mo sa Binondo: Ang Arko ng Pagkakaibigang Pilipino-Tsino.]

Ang totoo niyan, wala ako masyadong alam tungkol sa Binondo maliban sa pagiging katabi nito ang Divisoria, na ilang beses ko nang napuntahan kapag namimili kami noon ng mga ipamimigay na regalo kapag Pasko. Maswerte pa nga ako dahil pumayag ang nanay ko na samahan akong pumunta sa Binondo para magliwaliw, at talagang game na game siya sa pagfi-feeling turistang first time makapunta sa pinakamatandang Chinatown sa buong mundo. Todo utos pa siya sakin na picture-an ang mga sign board, street signs, at mga arko na nakakalat sa Binondo na siya namang sinusunod ko.

[Si mama sa ilalim ng arko sa Lucky Chinatown Mall.]

Ang balak talaga naming mag-ina ay mag-adventure sa Binondo, minabuti pa rin naming alamin ang pasikot-sikot sa lugar. Kung kaya’t napagdesisyunan naming mag-ikot ikot muna sa Ongpin Street gamit ang dala naming sasakyan upang maging familiar kaunti sa lugar at para matingnan kung ano ang mga kainan o tindahan na pwede naming daanan kapag nag-umpisa na kaming maglakad-lakad.

Isa sa mga unang muhon na nakita namin ni mama ay ang Eng Bee Tin Chinese Deli. Itinuturing itong isa sa pinaka-matatandang kainan sa Chinatown dahil sa pagpapatayo rito noong 1912. Sabi ni mama, isa raw ito sa pinakamahigpit na kalaban nang Ho-land Hopia and Bakery at Polland Hopia. Habang nag-iikot, halos apat mula sa anim na physical stores ng Eng Bee Tin ang nadaanan namin ni mama. Ang pinakamalaking tindahan o main branch nila ay ang nasa larawan sa kaliwa, kung saan ang sasalubong sa’yo ay isang Chinese na batang babae mula sa kanilang logo. Kaso, sa dinami-rami ng nadaanan naming Eng Bee Tin ay hindi namin ito napasok ni mama, kaya hindi ko natikman ang sikat nilang ube hopia.

[Eng Bee Tin, isa sa pinakamatandang restawran na matatagpuan sa mga kalye ng Binondo.]

Isa sa mga pangunahing layunin kong puntahan ay ang dalawang simbahang matatagpuan sa magkabilang dulo ng Binondo: ang Minor Basilica ni San Lorenzo Ruiz at ang Sta. Cruz Church. Ang totoo niyan, kamakailan lang ay nagkaroon akong biglang interes sa mga simbahang maaring nalumaan dahil sa panahon o nasa proseso pa lamang nang pag-buo ng kanyang kwento. Pinaka-gusto ko pa ay mga simbahang hindi ko pa napupuntahan para makapag-wish ako; ayon kasi sa mama at lola ko, kapag unang beses mong pumunta sa isang simbahan, pwede kang mag-wish ng tatlong beses sa Diyos at malaki ang tsansa na tuparin niya ito.

[Sa ilalim ng street sign ng pinakasikat na kalye sa Binondo, ang  Ongpin St.]

Noon ko pa nadadaanan ang Minor Basilica ni San Lorenzo Ruiz, lalo na kapag umiibang daang papauwi ang mama ko at naisipan niyang gumawi sa Chinatown. Madalas kong palatandaan rito ay ang kulay abo at pula nitong pintura sa labas ng simbahan. Ayon kay Dacumos (2012), itinatag ang simbahan noong 1596 ng mga Dominikanong pari. Dedikado ang simbahan sa kauna-unahang Pinoy na santo na si San Lorenzo Ruiz, kaya una talagang hinanap ng aking mata pagkapasok sa simbahan ay ang rebulto ni San Lorenzo, na siya amang ang aking napansin nang makalapit ako sa altar. Hindi ko nakuhanan ng maayos na larawan ang kanyang imahe dahil natimingan ng bisita namin ang paglilinis sa altar.

[Ang iconic na exterior ng isa sa pinakamatatandang simbahan sa Pilipinas, ang Binondo Church.]

Matapos mag-dasal sa Binondo Church ay nag-umpisa na kami ni mama sa pagbaybay sa mga kalye ng Binondo. Mahaba-habang lakaran ang ginawa namin sa Ongpin St. papuntang Sta. Cruz Church sa may Carriedo. Mahaba-habang lakaran ‘yon, lalo na’t dahil ang pinili naming daan ay ‘yong mas mahaba kaysa dumiretso mismo papuntang Sta. Cruz.

Habang naglalakad sa kahabaan ng Ongpin St. ay maraming tindahan ang madadaanan; may mga tindahan ng alahas na pang-Feng Shui at pandekorasyong Chinese, mga prutas, gulay, at pagkain, at pati na ring mga gamot na espisipikong ipinapagawa para sa mga Chinese. Maliban sa tindahan ay may mga hindi kapuna-puna sa mga nakadisplay, gaya na lamang ng lumang parking meter na matatagpuan sa simbahan ng Sta. Cruz.

[Ilan sa mga batong ibinebenta sa tindahan ng Chinese lucky charms sa may Ongpin St. Isang halimbawa ng marami pang hilera ng mga nagtitinda ng gulay at prutas sa kahabaan ng Ongpin St.]

Isa ring magandang karanasan ang mawitness ang pagbe-bendisyon ng mga Feng Shui items na binibili sa Binondo. Hindi ko man naiintindihan kung ano ang binubulong nung tinderang binilhan namin ng bracelet, naaliw akong panuorin ang pagbebendisyon niya sa mga binili namin. Unang beses ko pa lang makapanuod ng pagbebendisyon ng Feng Shui item, at talagang natawa ako sa reaksyon ko. Para akong bata na first time makapanuod ng magic tricks at manghang-mangha. May naririnig akong mga bulong na ‘di maintindihan mula kay ateng tindera, para bang kinakausap niya yung malaking bowl kung saan nakalagay ang pulseras na binili ni mama. Matapos bendisyunan, ay itinilt ni ate ang bowl at sinabihan kaming kunin ang bracelet na siyang pinagtataka ko. Sayang at hindi ko naitanong sakanya kung bakit hindi na lamang niya kunin ang bracelet at iabot mismo ito kay mama o sa akin. Bawal ba hawakan ang bracelet na bagong bendisyon kung hindi ikaw ang may-ari o bumili? Sana maalala ko itong tanungin kung sakaling makabalik ako sa tindahan na ’yon.

[Ang pagbebendisyon sa binili naming mga bracelet na pampaswerte.]

Ipinagpatuloy namin ni mama ang paglalakad hanggang sa natunton namin ang kalye ng Sta. Cruz. Unang sasalubong sa’yo dito ay ang sikat na Carriedo fountain, o at least ang replika nito. Ayon kay Coyne (2016), tatlong beses nang nagpalipat-lipat ng lokasyon ang Carriedo fountain na ipinagawa para sa dating Capitán General ng Maynila na si Don Francisco Carriedo y Peredo. Ang bersyon na matatagpuan ngayon sa plaza ng Sta Cruz ay ang replikang gawa ni Napoleon Abueva, na kinomisyon naman ng Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS).

[Ang sikat na replika ng Carriedo fountain.]

Kaiba sa Minor Basilica ni San Lorenzo Ruiz, hindi ko kailanman nakita o napansin noon ang simbahan ng Sta. Cruz. Natural ang naging kuryosidad ko; akala ko pa nga ay dedikado sa isang santong nangangalang Santa Cruz ang simbahan. Ang totoo pala’y dedikado ang simbahan para sa Our Lady of Pillar, at hinango ang pangalan ng simbahan sa lugar kung san ito matatagpuan. Kagaya ng ibang simbahan, mayroong maliit na silid sa bandang kaliwa ng Sta. Cruz Church kung saan ay may mga naka-hilerang mga santo kagaya nina St. Francis of Assisi, St. Lucy, at ang Our Lady of Vailankanni.

Nang magdesisyon kami ni mama na umalis, napalihis kami sa orihinal naming dinaanan. Medyo kinabahan pa nga ako dahil hindi na namin mahanap ang Ongpin, at umabot pa kami sa isang dead end; mabuti nalang at nakapag-tanong tanong kami at naituro sa amin ang pabalik ng Ongpin. Siguro dahil sa labis na init at pagod na naranasan namin ni mama ay hindi niya napigilang mag-aya nang kumain. Napunta kami sa isang restawran na 4 Zea Zone: Chinese cuisine na matatagpuan sa tapat ng Salazar bakery, at hindi kalayuan rin sa binilhan namin ng bracelet noong maaga-aga pa. Para itong maliit pero sosyal na carinderia dahil may aircon sila; nakahilera ang mga putaheng maaaring pagpilian at may nakapaskil ring menu sa taas ng mga made-to-order na pagkain.

[Ang Four Zea Zone Chinese Cuisine na matatagpuan sa kahabaan ng Ongpin St.]

Kulang pa ata ang salitang dismayado upang ilarawan ang naging experience namin ni mama sa 4 Zea Zone. Hindi man kami gaanong gutom ay syempre umasa kami ng pagkaing masarap at ikabubusog namin. Sa kasamaang palad, ang inorder naming siomai ay may after taste na ‘di maintindihan, at ang pancit canton naman ay sobrang tabang na kahit ata lagyan ng toyo ay hindi pa rin o-okay nag lasa. Ang magandang naging resulta lang siguro ng pagpunta namin sa 4 Zea Zone ay nakapagpahinga kami ni mama matapos ng mahaba at mainit na lakaran mula Binondo Church hanggang Sta. Cruz.

Kung tutuusin, walang hiwagang dala ang Binondo. Pilit ko itong hinahanap ngunit ewan ko ba, hindi ko talaga matagpuan. Nakakalungkot dahil iba ang inaasahan kong karanasan sa aming adventure ni mama sa Binondo. Sa palagay ko, dala ito ng kapabayaang mga taong nakatira at bumibisita sa lugar. Kitang-kita naman sa kalsada kung gaano kawalang-pakialam ang karamihan sa mga taong naroon sa lugar; hindi mabilang ang dami ng lugar kung saan may naipon nang basura at nagkapatong-patong na iyon, ang madilim na ilog na makikita sa ilalim ng Arch of Goodwill, at pati na rin siguro sa itsura ng kabuoan ng Binondo.

Sayang ka, Binondo, dahil napabayaan ka ng mga taong nakapaligid sa’yo. Sana’y inalagaan ka ng milyon-milyong mong bisitang dinadayo ka araw-araw. Sana’y napreserba ng mga tao ang kagandahan mo para makita pa ng susunod na henerasyon ang pagsasanib-pwersa ng dalawang magkaibang kultura.

Sayang ka, Binondo, pero naniniwala at umaasa akong hindi pa huli ang lahat.

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Lakad Lang

ni Juliene C. De Jesus 

Nagpunta kaming apat sa Binondo noong March 6. Wala akong alam sa lugar na ito kundi sa mga sabi-sabi ng ibang tao. Sabi nila parang Maynila pero puro Chinese lang, isa rin daw ito sa oldest na Chinatwon sa buong mundo. Hindi pa ako nakakapunta dito kaya na-excite ako nung araw na pupunta kami. Ano kaya ang makikita ko rito? Puro Chinese nga lang ba? Kulay pula ba mga building at bahay dito? Iba’t-ibang mga tanong ang aking nasa isipan bago ang araw nang aming pagpunta.

Maaga ang oras na pinagusapan namin, 9 am, para daw maaga rin makauwi at para makapag-misa pa daw ang dalawa sa La Salle dahil Ash Wednesday noon. Pero halos 10 am na rin kami nagkita dahil sa pagantay nila sa akin. Masyado akong nasasanay sa Filipino time kaya nalate ako. Na-guilty nga ako dahil hindi ako tumupad sa usapan. Sa Carriedo kami nagkita, ako galing Monumento, sila nama’y galing Vito Cruz. Magkabilang side kami at nagkasama nalang kami sa ibaba ng station. Doon nagsimula ang aming paglakbay.

Isa lang ang may alam sa amin kung paano pumunta sa Binondo at hindi niya pa masyado rin maalala dahil medyo matagal nang bago siya bumalik doon pero may tiwala naman kami sa kanya na madadala niya kami sa aming pupuntahan. Pagkababa namin ng station, tumingin-tingin muna kami sa paligid. Marami na kaagad kaming nakita na malilitt na tindahan sa baba na may mga murang bagay tulad ng cellphone, bag, charger, mga damit at iba pa. Nagtanong kami sa isang guard kung paano pupunta sa Lucky Chinatown Mall dahil doon muna ang balak namin puntahan. Sabi naman nito lakad lang ng diretso pagkatapos ay kumaliwa kapag may makitang police station. Hindi kami sigurado kung police station nga ang nasabi niya dahil medyo mahina ang boses ng guard at dagdag pa ang mga maiingay na kotse at jeep kasama na rin ang mga halo-halong boses ng tao. Pero naglakad pa rin kami ng diretso baka sakaling makita naman namin ang sinasabi ng guard. Nang makita namin na kakaliwa na pero wala namang police station, nag-search nalang kami sa Google Maps kung paano pumunta sa Lucky Chinatown Mall. Wala naman akong problema roon dahil gusto ko magkaroon ng “adventure” sa buhay.

Sinundan lang namin ang direksyon ng Google Maps. Naglakad kami sa tirik ng araw na parang kami’y niluluto sa kawali. Buti nalang naka-sleeveless ako noon kaya hindi ganun kainit pero grabe pa rin ang pawis na lumalabas sa mga katawan namin. Yung kaklase naming nakapunta na nang Binondo ay nagtataka naman kung bakit ang tagal ng lakad namin kasi ang naalala niya ay mabilis lang ang lakad niya kasama ang pamilya niya. Mga five minutes lang daw nakarating na sila doon. Lahat naman kami nagtaka kung bakit hindi pa nagpapakita ang mall na iyon sa aming mga mata. Nang mga halos naka-sampung minuto na kami siguro naglakad, naalala niya bigla na nag-jeep pa pala sila pagkababa ng Carriedo bago naglakad. Nag-facepalm kaming tatlo at dinaan nalang sa tawa ang pagod namin kahit na pagod na pagod na kami.

“Okay lang yan! Magpalamig na lang muna tayo sa Lucky Chinatown bago lumibot.” Wika ko sa kanila.

Patuloy lang ang aming paglakad sa init ng araw na walang tubig, mga mukhang namumutla at mga labing nanunuyot na. May payong ang mga kaibigan ko pero hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi nila ito ginamit. Halos maiyak-iyak kami nang makarating kami sa lugar. Sa wakas, makakaupo at makakapaglamig na kami! Pero siyempre, kumuha muna kami ng mga litrato sa harap ng Lucky Chinatown.

[Sa wakas, nakarating na rin! (Picture by Kate Bulan)]

Naka-ilang litrato rin ang nakuha namin. Tiningnan rin namin ang ibang display na nakalagay sa labas ng lugar. Mayroon doon mga nakalagay na mga Chinese Zodiac at ang mga hula dito bawat taon tulad ng pagmamahal, kayamanan, kalusugan at iba pa. Kahit na hindi ako naniniwala sa mga ganoon, interesado pa rin ako.. Binasa muna namin ang aming mga “fortunes.” At doon ko nga lang rin pala naalala na mahilig ang mga Chinese sa mga ganito na bagay.

Pagkatapos namin tumingin sa entrance ng Lucky Chinatown, pumasok na kami sa loob kung saan nama’y kami nagpalamig at nagpatuyo ng pawis. Bumili rin nang saglit ang aking mga kasama ng milk tea sa Coco. Hindi ako bumili dahil una, hindi naman ako mahilig sa milk tea at kaunti nalang rin ang aking pera.

May na-suggest ang aming kaibigan na kasama namin sa paglalakbay na sa Ongpin Street daw maraming kainan kaya nag-search ulit kami sa Google Maps kung paano pumunta doon. Pinakita dun na halos putong minutong lakad lang. Ako naman, handa namang lumakad pero ang mga kasama ko pagod na kaya nag-tricycle nalang kami. Nagtuturo nang mga puwedeng kainan yung tricycle driver para sa aming mga hindi pa natuklasan na lugar. Binaba kami sa isang kainan na hindi ko na maalala ang pangalan. Nagulat kami nang sinabi ng driver na 150 daw ang bayad pero ang sinabi niya kanina 50 lang, kaming lahat na daw. Yung isa nga handa na makipag-talo pero binigay nalang namin yung pera. Feel namin na-i-scam kami dahil sayang yung pera na puwedeng gastusin para sa pagkain.

Marami-rami nga ang mga kainan na puwedeng pagpilian. Mayroon kaming unang nakita na puro dumplings ang tinitinda. Handa na nga kami kumain dun eh. Nakaupo na kami ng maayos at tumitingin na sa menu na puwedeng kainin. Pero ang dalawa naming kasama walang mapili na pagkain dahil puro may meat ang laman o ang ulam na tinitinda doon. Ash Wednesday nga naman kaya sumusunod sila. Yung isa naman, hindi Katoliko kaya walang problema. Ako naman, kahit isang Katoliko, hindi mahilig sumunod sa mga bawal kaya wala akong pakialam kung may meat ba ang kakainin ko. Umalis kami sa restaurant na yun para maghanap nang iba na puwedeng kainan namin.

[Nako, saan kaya kakain? (Picture by Michaela André Benemerito)]

Makikita na medyo magulo at masikip ang daan sa Ongpin. Mararamdaman mo ang init, amoy ng mga kanal at usok, at makakabangga mo ang mga tao. Marami kaming nilibot na kainan pero bumalik lang ulit kami sa kainan kung saan kami binaba kanina ng tricycle driver. Nang makita ng dalawa na mayroon naman silang makakain, doon nalang namin binalak kumain, tutal pagod at gutom na kami. Wala na kaming ganang lumakad pa.

Kumain, nagdaldalan at nagpahinga kami sa kainan na iyon hanggang sa magkaroon ulit kami ng gana para umikot pa sa lugar. May mga tindahan kami nakita na nagtitinda ng mga pang pa-swerte na mga alahas, bracelet at iba pa. Iba-iba ang kanilang mga disenyo. Mayroon mga gawa sa tela, mayroon naman sa mga beads at mayroon rin mga bato. Nakadepende rin ito sa mga Zodiac sign ng tao kaya iba’t-iba ang style nito bawat bracelet. Mga puro pang-Chinese ang nakikita ko doon. Kahit na may CCTV doon, wala namang masyadong pumapasok at bumibili sa mga tindahan na iyon.

[Red na red! (Picture by Kate Bulan)]

Tumingin kami kahit na hindi kami bibili. Mukhang interesting ang mga tinitinda nila dahil nakadepende ito sa Zodiac sign ng tao at may mga kasamang pang-good luck charm. Siguro bibili ako kapag may pera pa akong natitira sa araw na iyon. Puro pula nga ang nakikita ko sa bawat tindahan, parang may pinatay. Sa bagay, nagsisimbolo ito sa kanila nang good luck. Baka kung pula ang kulay, ma-swerte sila na makakuha ng madaming customers.

Pagkatapos ng pagtingin namin, binalak na namin umuwi. Ramdam pa rin namin ang pagod ng unang lakad namin kanina dahil ang bagal namin maglakad at parang handa na kami bumagsak. Bumalik kami sa Lucky Chinatown sa ibang daan dahil gusto na namin mag-jeep. May nadaanan kaming bridge na mayroong maliit lang na altar na naka-glass case at may statue na maliit sa loob ngunit hindi ko maalala kung sino ang statue. Mas mabilis naman ang lakad namin sa daan na iyon. May nakita pa nga akong maliit na paaralan. Nakita ko ang mga bata na nag-aantay sa loob ng kanilang mga sundo. Yung iba ay naglalaro habang nag-aantay, habang yung iba naman naka-upo lang ng tahimik.

Noong nakarating naman kami doon, parang wala na kaming nakitang jeep na dumaraan sa harap ng mall. Kaya, kahit na ayaw namin gawin, pero dahil gusto nga na namin umuwi, naglakad kami ulit. Sa kabutihang-palad, hindi naman ganoon katagal ang lakad namin tulad noong umaga. Mga limang minuto lang bago kami nakakita ng jeep.

At doon nagtapos ang bisita namin sa Binondo.

Para sa akin, ang experience na iyon ay nakakapagod. Medyo nabigo rin ako sa nangyari dahil excited talaga ako makabisita at makita ang Binondo. Una sa lahat, pagod kaagad kami kaya hindi na kami nakapaglibot pa ng matagal. Pangalawa, na-scam nga kami ng 150 ng tricycle driver. Willing naman ako bumalik rito pero para hindi maulit ang nangyari sa amin kung may pupuntahan man ako sa lugar na hindi ko alam, kailangan mag-reserach tungkol sa lugar na iyon. Kailangan atleast may specific place na gustong libutin para hindi nagaalala kung saan pupunta o kung ano dapat ang makita. Isa pa, mas mabuti rin na may guide na kasama sa susunod para hindi maligaw o maglakad kung saan-saan. Pero para sa akin naman, okay lang maglibot kahit walang specific na place na pupuntahan. Minsan, mas masaya ang paglalakbay, kahit na nakakapagod, keysa sa tunay na destinasyon.

[ongpinned-blog]

Pasikot-sikot sa Binondo

by Leila Jane Cruz

Pagpasok pa lang ay namangha na ako sa aking nakita. Nagustuhan ko ang kulay ng gusali at kung paano ito inayos at nilagyan ng mga malalaking imahe sa kisame. Natuwa rin ako sa aking pag-sisimba dahil sa kabila ng napakaraming tao nung panahong iyon ay hindi ko naramdaman ang init ng tanghaling tapat. Dahil dito siguradong ma-eengganyo ako muli na bumalik sa simbahan na ito lalo na’t naging komportable ang aking pagbisita. Pagkatapos namin makakuha ng basbas mula sa pari ay dali-dali na kaming lumabas at nagsimulang mag-libot sa iba’t ibang sulok ng lugar. Paglabas ng simbahan ay naglakad kami sa kahabaan ng eskinita nito at nakita ko ang bagong tayong tindahan ng isa sa pinaka-dinadayo sa Binondo, walang iba kung di ang Eng Bee Tin. Kilala ito sa masasarap nilang delicacies katulad ng kanilang espesyal na hopia na paborito ko. Isa lang ito sa mga pagkain ng mga Intsik na talaga naman binabalik-balikan ng maraming Pilipino. ni Leila Jane N. Cruz  

Ang Binondo ay parte ng Maynila, kung saan makikita natin ang isa sa pinaka natatanging lugar na bibihira makita sa ibang sulok ng mundo. Sa lugar na ito matatagpuan ang pinaka-matagal na Chinatown na naitayo. Ito ang nag-silbing tirahan ng mga Tsino noong panahon ng mga Kastila sa ating bansa. Sa paglipas ng panahon mas lalo pa lumaki ang populasyon ng mga Tsino at kinalaunan ay naging parte na nga sila ng ating lugar. Sa kabila nito ay hindi naman mapagkakaila ang pinagsamahan  ng mga tsino dahil isa sila sa mga naging malaking impluwensya natin sa industriya ng pag ne-negosyo.

Kilala ang mga Tsino sa pagiging magaling sa paghawak ng mga iba’t ibang negosyo, maliit man o malaki. Isa ito sa kilalang aspeto nila sa iba’t ibang parte ng mundo. Sa paglipas nga ng panahon ay umunlad na ang Pilipinas, kasama narin sa paglago nito ay ang samahan ng mga Instik at Pilipino. Kadalasan sa panahon ngayon ay marami ka ng makikitang Tsinoy na naninirahan sa bansa lalo na sa lugar ng Binondo dahil na nga rin siguro sa kadahilanan na ito ang nag-silbing tirahan ng mga Tsino noong unang panahon at nakahanap na sila ng pangalawang tahanan kahit malayo man sila sa kanilang kinagisnan na Tsina.

 Naglakbay ako sa pasikot-sikot ng mga kalsada sa Binondo at doon ko nalaman kung gaano ang naging impluwensya ng mga Instik sa lugar na iyon. Sa pagbaba palang ng aking mga paa sa kalsada mula sa jeep ay nakita ko na agad ang napaka-ganda na simbahan ng Binondo. Napansin ko kaagad ang kagandahan nito at ‘di mapagkakaila ang mukhang matibay na pagkakagawa rito dahil isa ang simbahan na ito sa pinaka-matanda sa bansa at mapapansin mo na rin ito sa mga materyales na ginamit mula palang sa labas ng gusali. Nataon pa ng araw ng aming paglalakbay ay ang Ash Wednesday kaya naman sinamantala na rin namin ng aking kasama na pumasok sa loob ng establisyamento.

Pagpasok pa lang ay namangha na ako sa aking nakita. Nagustuhan ko ang kulay ng gusali at kung paano ito inayos at nilagyan ng mga malalaking imahe sa kisame. Natuwa rin ako sa aking pag-sisimba dahil sa kabila ng napakaraming tao nung panahong iyon ay hindi ko naramdaman ang init ng tanghaling tapat. Dahil dito siguradong ma-eengganyo ako muli na bumalik sa simbahan na ito lalo na’t naging komportable ang aking pagbisita.

Pagkatapos namin makakuha ng basbas mula sa pari ay dali-dali na kaming lumabas at nagsimulang mag-libot sa iba’t ibang sulok ng lugar. Paglabas ng simbahan ay naglakad kami sa kahabaan ng eskinita nito at nakita ko ang bagong tayong tindahan ng isa sa pinaka-dinadayo sa Binondo, walang iba kung di ang Eng Bee Tin. Kilala ito sa masasarap nilang delicacies katulad ng kanilang espesyal na hopia na paborito ko. Isa lang ito sa mga pagkain ng mga Intsik na talaga naman binabalik-balikan ng maraming Pilipino.

Sa mga ibat-ibang pang tindahan na aming nakita pumasok kami sa isang Chinese delicacies store kung saan makikita mo ang iba’t ibang produkto mula sa Tsina. Isama mo narin dito ang isa sa mga paborito kong kainin na kiamoy, isang uri ng kendi na maihahalintulad sa champoy.

Natuklasan ko ang mga pagkain na ito noong ako ay bata pa dahil mayroon din kaming lahing Instik kaya di narin talaga ito maiiwasan. Dahil dito, lumaki ako na gusto ang ilan sa mga pagkain ng mga Instik. Nagtatalon ako sa saya dahil talagang matagal ko na itong hinahanap. Di mapagkakaila ang reaksyon ko na talaga namang parang isang batang sabik na sabik sa isang maliit na kendi.

Naalala ko pa noon nung bata pa ako sa tuwing mag-uuwi ng pagkain ang aking mga tita mula sa kanyang trabaho sa Binondo ay tuwang-tuwa ako. Ito narin siguro ang naging dahilan kung bakit hanggang ngayon ay hinahanap ko parin ang pagkaing Tsino.

Pagkatapos bumili at tumingin sa iba’t ibang tindahan nadaanan ko sa gilid malapit sa tulay ang isang maliit na dasalan kung saan pwede ka mag tirik na insenso at pwede ka narin humiling ng iyong ninanais. Dahil dito nakatuklas ako ng bagong kaalaman tungkol sa relihiyon ng mga tao na nakatira dito. Nakakamangha na sa isang maliit na lugar sa Maynila ay mayroong makikitang masaganang kultura mula sa ibang lahi.

Ang pagpunta ko sa Binondo ay hindi lang nagbigay ng mga bagong kaalaman sa akin kung hindi nagbalik ng mga alaala mula sa aking pagkabata. Nakakatuwang isipin na sa isang lugar sa Maynila ay may nilalaman na napakulay na kultura. Maaring ang pag-punta ko dito ay para sa papel na ito, ngunit sa kabila noon ay marami akong naiuwing pabaon. Hindi lamang sa aking pagbili sa mga tindahan kung hindi ang pag-uuwi rin ng mga memorya na aking napulot at muling maalala.

Ang naging karanasan ko sa pag0subok ng kanilang tradisyon ay naging daan para lalo ko pang makilala ang kultura ng mga Katolikong Instik na nasa Binondo. Sa pamamagitan nito ay natuto ako kahit ng mga simpleng bagay. Napakasarap sa pakiramdam na maglakbay ka at may bago kang matuklasan na mababaon mo sa iyong paglisan bukod sa mga nabili mong pagkain sa tabi- tabi ng kalsada. Sa paglalakbay ko ay hindi makakaila ang pagod na aking nararamdaman dahil sa init at usok ng mga lugar na aming napuntahan.

Sa kabila ng lahat ng aking pagkamangha ay may iilang parte sa lugar na ako ay nadismaya. Isa na dito ang di kaaya-ayang amoy pag dating mo sa bandang tulay. Napansin ko rin na iba na ang kulay ng tubig dito, parang nabubuo na ng mga kemikal at dumi ng kung ano at sino. Sa bandang dulo ng aming paglalakbay napansin ko rin malapit sa papunta ng mga malalaking shopping mall ang pagdagsa ng mga tao at ng sasakyan. Kapansin-pansin ang mga dumi sa kalsada at usok na binibigay ng mga pampublikong at pribadong mga sasakyan. Nakakalungkot lang na isipin na sana ay mas maging maingat tayo sa ating kapaligiran dahil ito ang nagsisilbi nating tirahan.

Sa aking pagbisita sa Binondo ay marami ako natuklasan sa kanilang kultura. Ang lugar na iyon ay punong-puno ng kasaysayan at samahan. Makikita natin ang iba’t-bang magaganda istrUktura na hango sa disenyo ng mga Instik kaya dapat lang natin ito pagkaingatan. Bukod pa sa mga istrUktura nito, nakakatulong din ito sa mga maraming negosyante at trabahador para magkaroon ng pera. Naniniwala ako na kailangan natin pangalagaan ang Binondo hindi lang dahil sumisimbolo ito ng ating samahan sa mga Tsino, kundi dahil parte na rin ito ng ating bansa. Mas makakabuti sa lahat kung pananatilihin natin itong maganda at mapayapa. Sana sa aking muling pagbalik ay makita ko parin ang mga lumang gusali at ako ay patuloy na maghahangad sa pag-unland ng ating bayan.

[ongpinned-blog]

China Dreams

by Julia Gabrielle B. Cloma

Binondo has always been a place that took me back to when I was younger. If I would eat something Chinese like Hakaw for example, I’d always remember the times when I would visit my mother’s work at PMI. Each time, without fail, my mother’s staff would bring me siomai, hakaw, siopao, egg drop soup, etc. All coming from the authentic Chinatown. It has always been a happy place for me— food has been one of the main reasons why I love the place so much. Food just makes the world go around and it’s an instant burst of happiness inside your mouth. It’s also a blessing for us— not a lot are privileged enough to have three meals a day let alone to have the luxury of eating quality and authentic food. The trip to Binondo was exciting since it was my first time going to a place where I truly felt happy with my friends. I know that we go to many more places but this is new because, well, it’s Binondo. We had numerous of stop overs— the one that I treasured the most was when we saw a small stall selling beautiful and intricate rings. We didn’t know if it would rust since each time, we would ask them if it’s stainless all they do was to ignore us. The only time they acknowledged our presence was when we talked business and money with the vendors.

Thinking about it now, it makes me— what a strategy in marketing. I didn’t buy a ring for myself (because I was ‘broke’ enough after spending all my money on hakaw) but my friend Gavin did. He bought a silver ring that had snake details on it. It was cheap— kind of flimsy too but I think it’s lucky. The past few days, he’s been in such a good-mood. He’s been smiling a lot more, talking a lot more, going out a lot more, and he has been so much more open with his feelings. Sometimes, it doesn’t matter if what you buy is cheap or not— if it’s branded or local. Jewelry, I believe, if bought in a positive environment will always give you good luck. Gold, diamond, stainless steel— whatever it is, I am drawn to the fact that these pieces of metal/mineral/ore have good energy around them. Maybe it’s just my belief but I am very particular to things like that when it comes to the accessories I buy. After walking around and stopping by stalls— we found ourselves in a church.

I thought about this day a lot. I wasn’t exactly a religious person to start with but I take in deep appreciation for those who worship the higher being known as God. I don’t go to church but I pray—I don’t pray for myself but I pray for others. I guess I haven’t found a ‘religion’ I want to devote myself to because right now, I am contented with what I have. I am fine with praying by myself, I am fine with praying when I want to, I am fine with respecting other religions, but I am definitely not okay when someone who claims to be a devoted follower of god starting to discriminate against other people. Maybe that’s why I am not into the whole religion thing—maybe it’s because of that. Although, I want answers as to why I’m like this—I just go with the flow.

I started to learn how to care less and to enjoy more. I chose this picture because I know that religion, in my life, has always been a big part of me. It’s been a part of who I am because of how I was brought up seeing religious figurines around the house and seeing hypocrites come in and out my door. I liked this picture the most because it doesn’t show hatred, it doesn’t show chaos— but rather it shows people respecting, praising, and accepting those who are firm believers of this religion.

I want to go back soon with my friends. Going out with people you truly love and appreciate will always be of importance and it would always be something you can look back on. I know that we have a few weeks left of Senior High School but I hope that we can all live it to the fullest. That Binondo trip strengthen my bond and clinginess for them.

I hope that some of them will stay.

Thanks Binondo, for being good to me today.

[ongpinned-blog]

Binondo in 90 Minutes

by Julia Mae M. Catungal 

What do you do when you are tasked with exploring an exotic place with a loaded schedule and the afternoon sun glaring down at you? Why, you ditch the Google searches and Trip Advisors and just go wherever the heck your eager feet and famished guts take you. You’ll be delighted at how there are more than a few surprises along the way, and at the wonder of finding something unexpected and terrific on a whim, with one haphazard turn, or with a very fickle mind.

It was all very in the moment, when our Binondo expedition group was formed (and dispersed). Being a country bumpkin, I wasn’t quite sure of our travel path. Luckily, our group consisted of Manila locals. There are probably a number of ways on how to reach Binondo, some readily accessible to the public, and some opening its pathways to you which are unknown to many and only a few. Fortunately, for you and for me, we took the most convenient and cheapest route! If your starting point happens to be at Taft Avenue as well, then just catch a jeep going to Quiapo or Divisoria (if I am not mistaken…) and get off at Binondo church for just twelve pesos! Another budget-friendly and easy way is to go to Quirino LRT station and get off at Carriedo. From there, you can navigate your way to Binondo with your trusty guts and moody mobile data in case you get lost!

Arriving at the Binondo church, in front of a quaint grey and red building right in the middle of it all, my traveling companion and I parted from our initial Binondo expedition group and went our separate ways. Actually, I had been to Binondo before with my two lovely cousins who were astounded by the fact that I had never been to Binondo and so treated me to a sumptuous and fulfilling meal in the sketchy, lively Binondo streets at night. Unfortunately, I could not remember any of the restaurants we ate in except one. It was an easy recall as one of the restaurants happened to be located beside the Binondo church. Determined not to rely on my mobile phone and Internet connection, I took us there to a packed eatery with the yellow signage… Yes, my faulty memory is to blame, and unfortunately, I cannot remember the name of the place. But! It is easy to spot as it is situated along the column of shops and restaurants (facing the Binondo church) at the left side of the Binondo church.

My traveling companion and I were both too hungry and sweaty enough to just go with my guts, and enter the restaurant from my previous Binondo experience. Also, I had remembered what our cousins and I ate and drank. The place was air-conditioned and its meals affordable, not to mention there is a wall dedicated to celebrity photographs with the owner, telltale signs of a good place. For refreshments, I recommend their soya milk (Php45) or their Winter Melon Iced Tea (Php60). Originally, my cousins and I planned to eat at the best dumplings place in Binondo but found it closed that night, so my cousins settled for this restaurant. Their steamed vegetable dumplings are worth giving a try for just Php60. It tasted like the first legitimate dumplings I’ve had in my life then. My cousin said that it wasn’t as juicy and flavorful as the best dumplings in town, but it’s still a delicacy. The restaurant is also known for their rice meals, with the cheapest and best-seller Pork Chop rice meal priced at Php160. Almost everyone in that restaurant was having that, and being the gluttonous, impulsive buyer that I am, I had decided to get one for myself and boy, no regrets. It may have been the biggest slice of pork chop I had ever eaten in my life. Its batter was fried to crisp perfection, creating a yummy blend with the savory soy sauce (?) and of course, a generous serving of rice.

I think it’s fair to say you can find virtually everything you need in Binondo. In the same row of stores where the restaurant we ate in belonged to, we had already passed by a jewelry store, a novelty gift shop, and even a pet store. Not too far off from where we started, we had randomly entered a district of the same running theme: food and fruit stalls here, a Chinese pharmacy there, ooh, a mall over there, and even a condominium! In this tiny town, you’d never have to leave!

It was to a spark of wonder that my companion and I then stumbled upon a shrine. I'm not certain whether a shrine or altar is the appropriate term, but it would seem as if it was a hybrid of Christian and Buddhist beliefs. Encased within an alcove near the entrance of a street, an imposing golden cross sat with an elaborate necklace made of small white flowers and red ribbons laid over it. Ornamental flowers lay as offerings, and on the walls hung prayer guidelines. At the far-right corner, a candle burned beside a cylindrical container brimming with red incense sticks. And right at the center rested a golden pot for filled with burning red incense sticks. But perhaps it was the solemn mood created by the devout people gathered there that drew our attention the most. Considering that the Philippines' primary religion is Roman Catholicism, this wasn't so bizarre to see at the oldest Chinatown in the world. Not to mention Manila could also be considered a melting pot of rich culture, diverse religions (near Quiapo church is the Golden Mosque), and deeply-rooted traditions from the Chinese, Indian, Korean immigrants we have welcomed today.

After pausing and observing the people in front of the shrine/altar, we moved on to a narrow, crowded street with the auspicious color of red evident at every turn: red Chinese lanterns, red signages, red painted walls, red roofs. Early on, I had considered walking the alleys of Binondo to be a sensory overload as well. Aside from seeing red, the various tongues spoken there streamed through our ears, too––from Chinese folk music to passers-by speaking in Chinese (whether Cantonese, Mandarin, or Hokkien, I, of course, couldn't really tell). Our noses couldn't escape as well, particularly when we'd pass by a busy restaurant or the ornate bridges atop polluted rivers.

Any change of course we took, it would seem that business and commerce thrive, whether it be a populated avenue or sketchy alleyway. On that note, we returned to our ever-recurring theme of all-in-one alleys of Binondo. There was this particular alley we took that I was truly captivated by. It stretched for quite a length, with every step of the way an eye-opening experience. At first, I was struck with panic for a split-second or two as I had observed how sketchy-looking it seemed. Thank goodness my curiosity got the better of me, and we trudged on. We first passed by auto supply shops, auto repair and maintenance shops, and craft stores. It reminded me of Pandan street back in my hometown in Pampanga which specialized in wood works and auto supply shops as well. But, boy, was I mistaken. Imagine our wide stares as we stopped in our tracks in front of a dingy eatery selling exotic cuisine. Just outside lay their fresh (?) ingredients and rows of bite-size of god-knows-what in sticks. There were also both spacious and cramped tanks holding fish and crustaceans alike. Imagine our dismay when in addition to having a limited time of only two hours, we also only had a budget of three-hundred pesos, which we had prematurely spent on the first and only restaurant we went in.

After this all-in-one alley, we turned to another random street. I recall the name of the street: Escolta for the fact that at first, I had thought it was deserted compared to the previous streets we’ve walked. It provided the same auto supply and auto repair shops, but with a surprise snacks and milk tea restaurant at the other far end, and a KTV on the next street! That’s when I had confirmed that map or no, you’re guaranteed to find something new and exciting in Binondo wherever your feet and wanderlust take you. If I am not mistaken, I think we also passed by what I assume is the first branch of David’s Teahouse? I thought it was super cool that we did.

Our last stop was what I also assume as the jewelry district of Binondo. Gold and silver all around inside glass boxes where prospective and beady-eyed customers lean over and attentive storekeepers stand behind. It was at this particular area that I tightened my grip on my bag while my eyes flitted about caught by all the bling-bling. Unfortunately for us, time was ticking and we took our leave as quick as all the gold and silver would glimmer and catch your fancy.

It was probably luck and circumstance, but we eventually set ourselves on the way home. We had ended up in another shopping district situated on the flanks what I guessed as the main highway of Carriedo. We passed under the front facade of these buildings supported by aged pillars. Even then we gawked at antique and surplus shops, a movie house which shows… bold films, ukay-ukay and music stores, local obscure bakeries, and even a Puregold grocery.  From the familiar hustle of the highway, historic malls, and the overlapping train tracks above, I soon confirmed it as Carriedo and figured if we continued walking, we’d eventually reach the LRT station. It was kind of funny because we were actually nearer to Doroteo Jose station, and once we got there, we figured that we’d take the jeep again as my companion was in possession of a water bottle. We took the chance and swiftly got on the next jeep we saw, right on schedule as we had about fifteen minutes to spare for the ride back to campus. So, in actuality, we had spent roughly seventy-five enchanting minutes in Binondo.

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CHINITOwn

by Carlos Nathaniel V. Calo 

The Chinese culture has always reminded me of my interest for cute chinito boys, but Binondo made me relive my memories of what it was like to be with one.

He was this chinito of pure Chinese descent who lived in Binondo and exposed me to his culture whenever he could.

I never really fully understood the Chinese culture, but Binondo made it interesting for me. Despite the intense heat of the sun, the water that smelled like sewage, and the noise of vendors selling their product as well as the cars passing by, I was intrigued by how different it was from the other parts of Metro Manila. Red Chinese lanterns hung from the powerlines. There were a lot of signages written in Mandarin, which you wouldn’t normally see in the other parts of the Metro, and almost everything you could see would resemble the Chinese culture in some way. Whether it’d be the food stalls selling fried siopao with the smell of its steam filling the air, boutiques selling chinese bracelets and figurines, or stores selling Feng Shui.

I have visited Binondo only once before this recent trip. I was there so I could hang out with my ex at his place and meet his family. I was a younger and stupid version of myself. I was a 16-year-old who only visited for the free food and time alone with my ex. Now that I’m slightly older, I appreciate Binondo more than I did when I was 16 and for the right reasons this time.

My ex lived right beside a shrine dedicated for the Chinese way of paying their respects to their loved ones. I passed by this shrine before with my ex, but I wasn’t paying much attention to his explanation of what the shrine meant to him and his culture because I was in a hurry to get to his house as it was very hot and I couldn’t stand the heat. Now, even with the heat at its peak at 12 noon, I didn’t mind appreciating the locals praying at their shrine. I wished I had listened to what my ex said about the place because I’m now interested in learning the Chinese culture more so than when I was with him.

But what really amazed me was the presence of Catholic churches in the area. The first church I noticed just as I got off the jeep from Taft was the Minor Basilica of St. Lorenzo Ruiz located on Ongpin street. It amazes me that people practice Catholicism in a place where the population is mostly Chinese who are known to practice Buddhism instead.

It turns out that a significant portion of the Chinese population practice Catholicism. Two of my exes that have Chinese ancestry are Catholic. I love how some of the Chinese population in the Philippines choose to practice Catholicism. They have been in our Catholic country for centuries, and have been gradually exposed to our practices, culture, beliefs, and just generally things that make us Filipino. They have fused their culture to ours, and I find that fascinating.

They say that there is no such thing as a pure Filipino anymore. Personally, I can say that’s the same case for the Chinese residing in the Philippines. I believe that they aren’t purely Chinese when they choose to live in here. My ex is a great example. He is of pure Chinese descent but he practices some Filipino values and sentiments. He was raised as a Chinese person within the Filipino culture so there’s a part of him I consider Filipino even without the Filipino ancestry.

The Lucky Chinatown Mall would be a great representation of the Filipino-Chinese culture fusion. My ex took me here to meet his family for lunch after spending some time at his house. In the past, I was simply happy that we were finally going to an indoor location because we were walking all over the place before resting at his house.

Here, I noticed people of both cultures visiting this place. The air-conditioning is what I would say the main attraction of the mall. It’s always hot in the Philippines, but Binondo was a whole different level of hot especially when you’re walking out on the streets. Nonetheless, people still choose to go here and it doesn’t matter what your ethnicity is because the mall is a safe place for everyone. The mall is such a great representation of diversity that it has restaurants of Filipino and Chinese cuisine.

The Lucky Chinatown Mall was the highlight of my trip because it was a place where my culture (the Filipino culture) truly shined where it had combined with the Chinese culture. I was finally able to relate to something and I saw how well our cultures could blend together in peace and harmony. It was a place where my ex and I could find balance as to what we wanted to do cause our cultures are intertwined here.

Binondo is where the Filipino and Chinese culture collide. Yes, it’s dominantly Chinese but there are traces of Filipino practices everywhere. It’s where the pogi chinitos like my ex can feel like a they are truly Filipino.

Being a Chinito isn’t only about having Chinese appearances, it’s about being a Filipino as well. Growing up in Binondo, chinitos grow up to be both Filipino and Chinese.

Binondo is where you would get the best of both worlds. A place rich with culture and history that never loses its magic because of its people that raise their children to be chinitos that will preserve their culture until the end of time.

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Behind Bargains

by Kate Joana D. Bulan 

Binondo disappoints.

Being the first Chinatown in the world, I expected history and the streets to immediately feel nostalgic for some reason. I thought that I would somehow, someway feel Jose Rizal’s excited energy with Binondo houses stirring something deep within my soul, but no, nothing. Other than the very old buildings, lamps, and the Filipino Chinese Friendship Arch, there really wasn’t much. The only thing that really caught my eye was the Binondo Church because of how incredibly distinct its blackish gray and red colors were, and how big of an ancient architecture it was.

It was my first time visiting Binondo and because of my poor planning skills, I felt lost and frustrated. What I expected from the trip were pictures of happy faces and refreshed stomachs, much like those in magazines boasting of Filipino and Chinese fusion culture and cuisine, I even put on my best-fitting shirt to ensure great shots. Instead, I went home with tired legs and pictures of crowded streets highlighted with snake-like electric wires carrying small red lanterns. To be fair, these small inconveniences were my fault. Because of my failure to really plan out the trip, the supposed-to-be anticipated tiny struggles were amplified. 

[Businesses big and small, people, cars, and lantern-clad electric wires make up Binondo.]

To get there, we had to ride the LRT from Vito Cruz and alight at Carriedo. We thought we knew how to get to Lucky Chinatown Mall by foot from there, but just minutes later, we were already lost. We had to ask directions from both people and Google maps before finding which direction to take next. It was hot and the cars felt angry rushing to wherever they needed to go. It had only been 30 minutes since we got there but I was desperately restraining myself from blurting out, “Sasabog na utak ko sa init.” I barely had the confidence to stay on the narrow sidewalks much less cross the streets full of honking and speeding vehicles. I was laughing on the outside, but crying on the inside.

Binondo is the boss who let’s go of all respect the moment a worker fails to do a task.

The day we went to Binondo, I was on a tight budget. I had just spent most of my allowance the weekend before the school week even started. It was also Ash Wednesday which marked the beginning of Lent with a fast. I observed this fast and abstinence from meat except fish, so all my options for lunch slimmed tenfold. The prices were also high, although the servings were big. Still, the light wanton soup and filling hakao I had brought me satisfaction after the almost hour that we walked from Carriedo.

The stories I heard from Binondo trips were mostly about the food that the place offers. Foodtrips are really popular especially because of Binondo’s wide array of choices. However, it really wasn’t a place for those who didn’t have much to spend because once you get past the food and all the other things that they sell, sightseeing is the next and probably the last thing left to try. It stops being friendly when you can’t be of any use to its market anymore. It stopped being friendly to me after one large milk tea and one meal, now you know how much I had that day. But then again, maybe sightseeing isn’t so bad without the humid weather and the constant burning of one’s skin from the too hot sun.

Binondo is old but not tired.

Simply walking the streets suggests that it’s been there for long. On the walls of the countless beige buildings are rust stains, although barely noticeable. They look like identical apartments because only the ground floors were open and being used. The buildings bear signs that are either too dusty to read or are very eye-catching because of the bright, obviously newly repainted text. Meters apart, by the corner gutters are tall black lampposts often overlooked because of the neighboring electric posts.  

[Binondo is distant and welcoming, stagnant and constantly moving.] 

After our lunch, we roamed Ongpin Street and there we saw the most traditional pieces of authentic Chinese life. There were numerous stores for everything lucky, selling charms like table fixtures, bracelets, stones, and bright-colored lanterns boasting of lights. There were jewelry shops offering top carat golds, eyeglass shops, and more food stalls. However, it doesn’t seem to wane both on the number and quality of products, and the amount of people who are actually interested in them. The fixtures were dust-free and the rest were covered in plastic wrappers. Every charm stall we went to also had other customers looking for their next lucky purchase.

[No need for shouts - bright red lanterns and golden trinkets invite customers.]

Binondo is tireless in opening its doors at morning and keeping up with the many visitors until the late hours. 

I can only imagine how the dark night and cool wind can bring Binondo’s ambiance to its full appeal. Maybe if I’d went there when the lights shadow the crawling electric wires and the sun is finally tamed, I could have enjoyed myself so much more and appreciated Binondo the way it deserves to be appreciated.

The place feels foreign and familiar at the same time. It strikes of everything different from the places I’ve visited and yet it’s only an exaggeration of what I’ve seen. I’m used to people, and electric wires, the heat, and zooming cars but then too much of those was surprising.

More importantly, I was lost more times than I knew where to go next, but the people I was with still made me feel at ease. We were all hungry and a little frustrated from the heat before settling on where to eat lunch, well, it was really from the moment we arrived. Again, the tight budget and food restriction was an additional challenge so from stall to stall, we had to take our time to examine the prices and the ingredients. We would silently read the menus, exchange looks, and then slowly get up to leave – too pricey. In one particular dumpling shop in Yuchengco Street when we felt the most exhaustion after taking too long to find food, we asked if there were vegetarian options, or even just fish. Although the waitresses have served us menus already, they were very gentle in answering where to find hakao. The hakao was really what I had in mind even before we went to Binondo. They understood that it was our first time there, and that we needed to eat. They were many of them, and all a little loud, but they were also soft in answering our questions, and patient with our confusion.

They told us to go to Café Mezzanine, the relatively big Chinese fast food along Ongpin Street., corner Yuchengco. There we were once again faced with limited options. As we sat by the window tables, we browsed the menu for far too long but the server never showed even the slightest hint of annoyance. He kept smiling at us when we apologized for deciding so slowly, as if amused. He gave us the list of ingredients for the meals we asked for and was jolly and comforting throughout the whole exchange. Because of him, my headache subsided.

Binondo is human.

It breathes in energy for the day and breathes out exhaustion by night time. It seems like a constant cycle of waking up and going through the same routine until it’s time to close down the shops. Being in Binondo even for just half a day, I could already tell that the days are similar, and the nights, as well. I wonder how different the place would be during holidays or special Chinese occasions. Would the shops change the way they market themselves? Would the workers be extra kind? Or would the number of customers be the only changes? I couldn’t tell.

Binondo is all the workers that it drains on a daily basis.

The electric wires were not the only things that caught my eyes. Clogging the streets were tired workers either perched on their plastic chairs sleeping or are struggling to take that next turn in their pedicabs. Their pained faces were striking and I cannot imagine how much it takes for them not only to continue with their jobs, but also to be kind while doing them.

The street vendors calling for customers to buy their vegetables and fruits were loud, yes, but it was also noticeable how strained their shouts were. The overenergetic Binondo vendors that Filipino teleseryes portray are not true, at least not at around 2 pm. They get tired but still, they don’t stop. The many seconds that pass by in a day in the hot and populated Binondo streets are what makes life continue.

[Along Ongpin are tired faces of the selfless and relentless.]

I wish this wasn’t how the world was. I wish that workers, no matter how small they earn, have the time to take a breather without feeling like they lost a fortune in the few minutes that they look out for themselves. I wish that there weren’t countless tired faces that the millionaires, whether Chinese or not, can overexploit for their businesses.

Binondo is the face of the Filipino working class.

Behind bargains in the streets of Binondo are not the multimillionaire shop owners but the people worn-out from their physically demanding jobs. How I wish it wasn’t the case, but it is. The ugly truth is that the red accessories in the streets of Binondo are blood stains of the many Filipinos that are working day and night for the next few days and nights.  

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First Time’s a Charm

ni Alexandra C. Brotonel 

“May balat ka ba sa pwet?” tanong ng aking lola na mahilig mamili ng iba’t ibang klaseng mga charms sa Binondo. Charms na sinasabing makakapag-bigay ng swerte at makakapag-taboy ng kahit anong klase ng malas. Nakakapagtaka kung paano nga ba ang simpleng imahe ng Buddha ang magbibigay ng pangmalakasang biyaya na hatid ng hindi natin alam kung sino. Sabi ng mga matatanda, ang swerte na bigay ng mga ito ay mayroong kakambal na sumpa. Napanood niyo na ba ang Feng Shui? Isang horror movie na nagbibibgay pokus sa isang bagwa na nagbibigay ng ginhawa sa titingin sa salamin nito at magbibigay ng higit na disgrasya sa mga taong nakapaligid sa kanya. Ngunit kung titignan ang siyensa sa likod ng salitang Feng Shui, ito ay literal na isinasalin bilang 'hangin at tubig'. Ang Feng Shui ay isang klasikal na kasanayan sa Tsino na napag-aralan na sa loob ng maraming siglo. Ito ay parehong agham at sining, kung saan ang mga practitioner ay natututo upang mapagkaisa ang mga pwersa ng kalikasan o ang mahalagang enerhiya na kilala bilang 'Chi', upang itaguyod ang mas mahusay na kalusugan, pagkakaisa at pagbutihin ang mas mahusay na kalidad ng buhay. Bagwa, bracelet at vases ba ang hanap ninyo? Marami niyan rito sa Binondo. 

Welcome sa isa sa pinaka-magulong lugar sa Maynila, ang Binondo! Kung saan ang mga halaga ng lupa ay patuloy na pinahahalagahan sa kabila ng masikip at puno ng polusyon. Ang mga mall, mga tanggapan ng gusali, at mga condominium ay sumisibol din sa Binondo, na nagpapalakas sa halaga ng real estate sa mahalagang bahagi ng downtown Manila. Kapansin-pansin na sa kabila ng pagtaas ng modernong imprastraktura sa lugar, pinanatili ng Binondo ang kultura at makasaysayang pagkakakilanlan nito.  Ipinaghalo ang nakaraan at ang kasalukuyan sa hinaharap. Samantala, habang patuloy na lumalaki ang populasyon at lokal na ekonomiya, gayon din ang pangangailangan para sa mas mahusay na pamumuhay at mga kondisyon sa pagtatrabaho. Ang mga tao, lalo na ang mga millennial, ay bukas sa pamumuhay sa mga lugar na may mataas na densidad tulad ng Binondo dahil hinahangaan nila ang pakikipag-ugnayan sa lipunan at mas gusto nilang manirahan sa mga tahanan na tunay na nagbibigay ng kanilang pamumuhay.

Iba’t-ibang mga kalakal, alahas at kristal ang matatagpuan at aakit sa inyong mga mata sa Ongpin Street, kung saan matatagpuan ang mga turista at negosyante na bumibili at nagbebenta upang bumili ng mga gamit upang itinda muli sa kanilang sariling mga tindahan kahit saan sa Manila at iba pang mga lungsod o lalawigan. Simula 5000 BC, ang mga tao ay nagsusuot na ng charm bracelets. Noong sinaunang panahon, ang mga charm na isinusuot ay para sa suwerte at proteksyon mula sa kasamaan. Sa kabila ng mga kultura at relihiyon, ang mga charm bracelets ay isinusuot para sa mga pamantayang ito. Ang mga piraso ng alahas ay nagsilbi din sa layunin ng pagkilala ng pamilya at upang italaga ang klase at kalagayan. Sa panahon ng kanyang paghahari noong 1800s, si Queen Victoria ay nagsimula ring maniwala sa swerteng handog ng mga charm bracelets at ng ibang mga klase ng alahas. Ang pinaka-nakakaakit sa akin ay ang mga makukulay na disenyo na nagsasalita ng tunay na sining at disenyo ng Intsik - pula, asul at kahel ang namumuno sa mga kulay na may mga disenyo ng mga dragon at ahas ng mga lantern sa mga chandelier at lampshades. Ang mga tindahan ng alahas at mga sentrong pangkalakalan ay pinalamutihan ng mga trinket at mga magagarbong alahas, mga pang regalo at mga makulay na dekorasyon na nagsasabi sa mga kuwento ng sining at disenyo ng Tsino.  Ang mga bagay na regalo sa Tsino na madalas nireregalo na rin ng mga Pilipino na higit naniniwala sa hatid nitong grasya o sumpa ay madalas na may simbolismo - mga palatandaan para sa good luck, kasaganaan, katatagan, proteksyon at iba pa. Ang pagsuot ng “power bracelets" ay sinasabing walang kakayanan na alisin ang lahat ng masamang kapalaran sa buhay ng isang tao. Ang tiyak na ginagawa nito ay palakasin ang positibong enerhiya na mayroon ang isang indibidwal. Ang “good luck charm” naman ay inaakalang agarang solusyon sa malas sapagkat ito ay sinasabing magbibigay ng higit na swerte sa taong magsusuot nito pero hindi madalas malaman ng indibidwal na ang mga ito ay luck enhancers lamang.

Dragon Turtle, kilala rin bilang Chinese Dragon, ang kagandahang ito ay maaaring gamitin ang kapangyarihan ng chi o magandang Feng Shui energy na umaakit ng suwerte. Bukod sa pagiging simbolo ng pagkakaisa at pera, ang Dragon Turtle ay madalas na ibinibigay sa mga nagsisimula ng isang bagong negosyo. Maraming nagmumungkahi na ipakita ang simbolong ito sa timog-silangan na bahagi ng iyong tindahan o lugar ng trabaho upang mapahusay ang kapalaran at kasaganaan.

Ang Money Tree ay isa pang sikat na dekorasyon na pinaniniwalaan na magdala ng negosyo at pinansiyal na kapalaran. Marami ang nagsasabi na maaari rin itong makatulong na madagdagan ang kita at maisaayos ang pagtitipid. Bukod sa paglalagay nito malapit sa cash register, maaari mo ring ipakita ang Money tree sa timog-silangang sulok ng iyong opisina.

Ang laughing Buddha Nakita sa mga tahanan, kainan at iba't-ibang mga tindahan, ang Laughing Buddha ay isa sa mga pinaka-karaniwang ginagamit na mga simbolo ng suwerte. Kilala rin bilang Buddha ng Kayamanan, ang Laughing Buddha ay nagdudulot ng kasaganahan at kaligayahan sa tahanan at lugar ng negosyo. Kung plano mong ipakita ang isa, huwag kang manirahan para sa isang maliit na rebulto; pumili ng isang malaking imahe upang maaari mong kuskusin ang kanyang tiyak, bilang paggawa nito ay sinabi upang gawin ang iyong mga kagustuhan ay totoo. Ilagay ang Laughing Buddha sa iyong office desk o sa timog-silangang bahagi iyong lugar ng trabaho upang makaakit ng kayamanan.

Ang Mayaman na Pig Charm, isang pigurin na nagdudulot ng kasaganahan at kayamanan, ay maaaring makita sa mga istante at mga cabinet. Ayon sa feng shui, ang masuwerteng Pig charm para sa negosyo ay dapat ilagay sa wealth area ng isang tindahan o kahit saan malapit sa sentro ng isang puwang. Ito ay sinasabing magbibigay ng limpak-limpak na salapi sa isang indibidwal na mayroong negosyo.

Ang Money Frog ay maaari ring makaakit ng kayamanan at magandang negosyo. Magagamit sa ginto o porselana, maraming mga eksperto sa feng shui ang nagsabing ang Money Frog ay ang pinakamahalagang simbolo ng kasaganaan. Ang pigurin ay binubuo isang palaka na nakaupo sa mga barya o isa na may isang barya sa kanyang bibig. Ito ay madalas na ipinapakita malapit sa pasukan at dapat nakaharap sa loob, hindi kailanman palabas.

Ang Bagua ay madalas matatagpuan sa itaas ng pinto habang pinag-aaralan nito ang enerhiya sa espasyo. Ang feng shui item na ito ay nagsasangkot sa 8 na lugar (kaya ang hugis ng octagon) na mahalaga sa buhay, tulad ng kalusugan at pamilya, kayamanan at kasaganaan, at pag-ibig at pag-aasawa, at iba pa.

Lucky Cat ay kadalasang nakikita sa isang restaurant o isang tindahan na nagbebenta ng iba't ibang mga kalakal. Kilala na magdala ng kasaganahan, ang pigurin na pusa na ito ay maaaring mailagay sa anumang lugar kung saan nais mo ang kapalaran na pumasok. Maraming mga may-ari ng negosyo ang mas gusto ilagay ito malapit sa entrance o cashier.

Ang insenso ay naniniwala na maitataboy ang negatibong enerhiya at masasamang espiritu. Mayroong iba't ibang mga uri ng insenso depende sa kung ano ang nais mo para sa, ngunit ang mga red ay karaniwang ginagamit ng maraming mga may-ari ng negosyo na nais para sa paglago ng negosyo.

Sa samu’t-saring charms at figurines na matatagpuan sa Binondo, mapapaisip ka na lamang kung gaano nga ba talaga kamalas ang mga Pilipino kung kaya bakit kailangan ng isang damukal na pampasuwerte ang binibenta sa bansang ito. Hindi mawari kung saan nakuha ang ganitong klase na paniniwala na hatid ng mga impluwensya na ating namana sa ating mga ninuno. Sa aking paglalakbay lugar na ito, Ako mismo ang nakaranas ng enerhiya na hatid ng mga gamit na ito ngunit nasa akin na kung ako ay maniniwala rito o hindi. 

Wala akong balat sa pwet, ikaw ba? 

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One Way in Ongpin

by Jean Andrew T. Bongcayao 

“Binondo”, said my teacher. Binondo Manila will be the subject of our travelogue. At first, I was a bit skeptical, especially since I’ve never really been a person fond of Manila and its many districts. Not to mention, most of my experiencing travelling in Manila was limited to my adventures around Taft and Divisoria Market. Aside from those two, I haven’t really been many other places.

Because of safety concerns most of my classmates decided it would be for the best if we all went and experienced Binondo as a group, since there was only ever really one person who knew how to get there among us. So there, it was planned that on Wednesday March 6 we’d be heading out before lunch.

The day of the Binondo trip came and it was as an ordinary of a day as it could possibly be. So ordinary, that like my typical self, I had overslept again, and I was rushing to get out of the house and onto the bus. I avoided checking my watch so that I wouldn’t overthink the predicament I had put myself in. I pretended like it was any other commute to school, but it was only this time that I’d have a party of angry classmates ready to greet me before the trip could even begin. After a full listen through of an Arctic Monkeys album, it was around 12 noon when I finally stepped foot into Taft Avenue.

At the Henry Sy gate right across Zark’s burgers, there was the travelling party headed for Binondo. Well maybe half the party. it turns out it would mostly be boys joining us for the trip. While there would be around four of our female blockmates who would apparently only tag along for the trip since they just wanted to tag along with the person who actually knew how to get there. After apologizing, like that was going to change my tardiness, we all crossed the street to get on one of the jeepneys passing along. Luckily, we were able to find a jeep that had Divisoria in capital letters written on the signboard that was able to fit all nine of us. For the first few minutes it was a matter of us figuring out how much we were supposed to pay. It was hilarious because we all kept looking at each other with obviously confused faces. When all of a sudden, Adrian, the person we’d appointed as our tour guide, approached the driver with twelve pesos in hand. The next thing I knew we were all rummaging our purses and pockets for the same amount.

The jeep ride to Binondo wasn’t a pleasant one, it was scorching hot even with the jeepney’s roof above our heads, and rush hour was at its peak. If only I had arrived an hour earlier, we wouldn’t be in such a hot mess. I remember looking outside and seeing Manila for what it really was, tight streets, busy sidewalks, and a lot of corners that honestly look like they’ve been under construction for the last decade. I started questioning how Binondo could possibly be different than any other place in Manila. Then I remembered how it was a place often associated with Chinese history. Knowledge exclusive from movies and stories that would often always have some reference to Binondo. Aside from those presumptions, there was also the bad mouth my family would always se when referring to places like Binondo, or really any place in Manila for that matter. “Wag ka magcellphone pati wag ka poporma.” They would always say. It made me think that the moment I stepped out of the jeep everything, including my dignity, would be snatched away.

As we moved past the National Post Office, we were crossing a bridge that went over the waters of the Pasig River. I was half expecting to arrive in a completely different environment, like when reaching a new level in a game. I was hoping that something would be different on the other side of the riverbank we had just left, but to nobody’s surprise it was the same old dirty overpopulated streets there too.

A couple stoplights afterwards, the jeepney came to a halt and the driver yelled “Binondo!”. We all went down and cowered to the nearest bit of shade, because it was an extremely sunny day. With the street full and busy with cars we were trying to determine where we were while using our hands like brims for caps to protect our watering eyes. Then I saw it, beside a towering church that swathed in earthy colors was a street glowing in red and gold. Ongpin St looked like it had never belonged there in the first place. While the way going to the square was full of smoke and traffic, Ongpin St itself had far less cars and a more vibrant feel with all the different stores and banners that flocked your attention.

The view was like looking through a movie screen. Like an entire culture had just been left behind in the most random ‘eskenita’ of Metro Manila. While the street leading to Ongpin was searing hot with the blazing wrath of the sun, Ongpin itself was cool and welcoming. It was probably because of the blessed shade from the tall buildings that surrounded the street. You could feel an unfamiliar breeze that made you forget that you were in the heart of Metro Manila.

We had no itinerary for the trip, but before anything could be planned out, the girls in our travelling party apparently had other plans, so they decided to ditch us. Since we were a party of men, as the saying goes the rest of the trip would follow a “bahala na” mindset.

Once we passed the church, we were greeted by the flock of Chinese bystanders that typically linger in the area. I remember paying mindless attention to the tall buildings when all of a sudden, I accidentally bumped into two Chinese women walking in the opposite direction. I immediately apologized, but one of them just said “watch where you’re going” and they walked off. I was scratching my head at the incident because I was nowhere near the middle of the sidewalk and it seemed impossible for them to have hit me with all the space between us.

As a group we eventually decided to just walk the entire street of Ongpin, and see what it had to offer. We had no plans, no objectives, we just wanted to see what it was all about. But hilariously enough our first stop was at a 7-eleven because one person in our group needed to buy a drink.

Right after that we headed straight across another bridge that want over some dirty canal. Something I realized while walking deeper into Ongpin was how the road was getting denser and denser. There were more vendors surrounding each side and the foot traffic along the sidewalk was getting worse. But what seemed to never disappear was the array of various shops that lined the street. An abundance of those shops were jewelry and charm boutiques that glittered with red and gold signboards and displays. I vividly remember one shop making me stop in my tracks because of how busy the store clerks were as they attended to people buying gold. I thought that maybe one day I would have the pockets to enter such establishments. Meanwhile, there were other stores that gave off a bad vibe, one of these was an old looking building that had “Special drugs and items” written across the front. It looked empty but it was open for business, but my curiosity wasn’t enough to entice me to imagine what was inside.

After a few more meters of walking we remembered that a certain blockmate of ours always bragged about a restaurant they had here in Ongpin, and after a quick chat and search on google maps we continued down the winding road. It didn’t seem to have an end.

After a good ten minutes of walking we arrived at our destination. To be blunt, none of us were actually hungry, but after seeing the bold “KIM HIONG” at the front of an old grim looking building, withering away next to ruins of other buildings, we completely lost our will to even enter.

Again, with the “bahala na” mentality, we decided to walk back since we were a good 2 kilometers away from the church we came from. On the way back I finally decided to approach one of the street vendors, who was selling rings and charms. I really wanted another ring for my collection, but unfortunately nothing the vendor had fit my fat fingers. Now that it was peak afternoon the sun had found a way to shine, even more obnoxiously, down on the streets of Chinatown and we were all starting to sweat and feel our clothes stick to our skins. We decided it was for the best to find somewhere cool to relax. Our tour guide friend decided it’d be best to go to Chinatown Mall. Since all I really cared about was getting out of the heat, I agreed. Fast forward to another fifteen minutes of walking we were back to where we started. After crossing the road to the other side of the busy square we found ourselves in the front of Chinatown Mall. Like little kids we ran up the steps to the entrance and gave satisfied sighs of relief once the cold breeze hit our faces, like a welcoming breeze that told us we were in society.

It was safe to say that we brought ourselves back to the culture we were used to. Ongpin St was great at first, but eventually it did start to feel like Metro Manila. In the end, we all decided to eat at Mang Inasal, the best place we knew for barbeque chicken and unli rice.

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Kul2ra

ni Michaela André O. Benemerito 

Muli na naman akong napadpad sa pintuan papuntang Tsina. Matapos kong dumalo sa misa kasama ang aking pamilya sa simbahan ng Santa Cruz ay agad naming tinahak ang Ongpin na kilala rin bilang sentro o puso ng Binondo. Hindi ito ang unang beses na namasyal kami dito sapagkat tuwing Chinese New Year ay may nilalaang araw ang aming pamilya upang makadalo sa pista. Noong mas bata pa ako ay puro pagkain at makukulay na dragon pa lang ang aking binibigyang pansin, kung kaya’t sa pagkakataong ito ay sa ibang perspektibo ko nais lakbayin ang Binondo.

[Ito ay larawan na aking kinuhanan mula sa labas ng Sta. Cruz Church. Makikita rito ang Carriedo Fountain at ang arko papasok ng Ongpin.]

Sa pagbisita rito ay may iba’t ibang paraang maaaring pagpilian para sa kanilang transportasyon tulad ng LRT, jeep, tricycle para sa malalapit na dito, at para sa mga nais mag-aircon pwede rin silang mag Taxi o Grab. Bukod pa rito ay maaari din silang mag-dala ng sariling sasakyan at iparada na lang ito sa labasan o sa may tapat ng simbahan. Noong nakaraang Linggo,  March 10, muntik na kaming mahuli sa misa kaya’t napagpasyahan na lang naming mag-abang ng Grab. Halos apatnapung minuto ang itinagal ng aming byahe mula Tayuman papuntang Santa Cruz Church. Dahil na rin siguro sa namumuong sikip sa kalsada nang mga oras na iyon ay bahagyang tumagal ang byahe, tanghali na rin kasi kami nakaalis ng bahay.

Matapos ang misa, agad na kaming lumabas upang magtungo sa katapat nitong pasyalan, ang Ongpin. Kung susukatin, makikitang hindi masyadong maluwag ang eskinita nito. Gayumpaman ay punong-puno ito ng iba’t-ibang kulay na dekorasyon na siyang tiyak na makatatawag ng interes sa mas marami pang turista. Unang nahagip nang aking mga mata ang Carriedo fountain, makikita ito bago pumasok sa Ongpin. Ayon sa lola ko ito raw ay itinayo noon pang 1882. Kung susumahin may tanda na itong isang daan at tatlumpu’t pitong taon. Para sa akin maituturing itong tagapag-bantay sa lugar, sapagkat halos lahat ng nakapaligid dito ay sumailalim na sa pagkukumpuni o hindi kaya naman ay tuluyan nang binago. Simula’t sapul ay hindi na nag-iba ang itsura nito.

Marami ring maaaring makasalamuhang mga batang nagtatakbuhan, o kaya naman ay mga nagbebenta ng kendi o sampaguita. Meron ding mga batang ginawa nang mapagkakakitaan ang pagpapaatras sa mga sasakyang papaalis na sa mga restawran at iba pang establisyemento. Bagaman walang karampatang bayad para sa pagpaparada ng sasakyan, nakikisama na lang din ang mga drayber at nagbibigay nang pabarya-barya sa mga bata. Tuwing araw ng Linggo ay wala masyadong nagbabantay sa parkingan kung kaya’t madalang ang paniningil.

 [Ito ay larawan ng mga dragon sa loob ng Ongpin. Ilan pa lamang ang mga ito sa makikitang palamuti sa nasabing lugar. Kinunan ito mula sa labas ng isang establisyemento.]

Pagpasok sa Ongpin ay panay kulay pulang mga disenyo ang mamamataan. Dahil wala namang okasyon nang magpunta ako, wala masyadong mga Chinese lanterns sa paligid maliban na lamang kung ito ay kanilang itinitinda. Sa tuwing tumatapak ako ng Binondo, iisang amoy lang ang rumerehistro sa aking isip. Para bang ang buong lugar ay pinabanguhan ng naghalong prutas at pawis ng mga manggagawa at turistang pumapasyal dito. Kung sinuswerte naman ay puro pagkain ang kanilang tiyak na malalanghap ultimo ang gumuguhit na anghang ng pinagsama-samang sili sa sawsawan ay siguradong magpapatakam sa kahit sino. Lalo na kung sasabayan nila ito ng malinamnam at hitik sa lasang siomai at iba pang mga uri ng dumplings.

Tulad ng panahon, ang mga putaheng inihahain sa Ongpin ay nagbago na rin. Dahil mula ako sa pamilyang may dugong Tsino, masasabi kong bumaba ang kalidad ng mga pagkain sa mga restawran dito. Noong mas bata ako ay sobrang siksik sa karne ang siomai at puno rin ang mga palaman sa siopao. Napansin ko ring mula sa malinamnam ay unti-unti ng tumabang ang mga pagkain, bukod pa diyan ay nagmahal na rin ang presyo ng mga ito. Hindi ko pa napupuntahan lahat ng kainan, marahil sa iba ay puro pa rin ang mga sahog na ginagamit panluto. Gayun pa man, mas maganda sana kung napanatili ang mayamang kulturang nakapaloob sa lugar, lalo na sa pagkain sapagkat hindi naman maipagkakailang masasarap ang luto sa Chinese restaurants. Tuloy pa rin kasi ang pagtaas ng bilihin dito sa bansa, kung kaya’t maging mga negosyante ay kinailangan na ring magtipid.

Para kasi sa mga Tsino, may dalang swerte ang paglalagay ng dragon bilang palamuti sa kanilang negosyo. Sa iba’t ibang tindahan ay bubungad din ang mga naglalakihang rebulto ng dragon. Kahit na hindi ito ang unang beses kong makakita ng naturang mga rebulto ay napupukaw pa rin ang aking atensyon. Kung metikoloso mong susuriin ang mga ito ay sadyang napaka detalyado ng pagkakagawa. Sadyang napakakinis at malalamig ang mga rebulto, madalas rin ay kulay-balat o kulay-abo. Batay sa pagmamasid ko, maaari ding ihalintulad ang mga dragon sa kultura ng Tsina. Tulad nito ay napaka tapang at tiyaga rin nang pagkatao ng mga Tsino, lalo na pagdating sa pagtataguyod ng kanilang mga negosyo.

 [Ang mga larawan sa itaas ay nagpapakita ng iba’t ibang pinagkakakitaan nang mga Tsino. Ilan lamang ang mga ito sa naturang negosyo.]

Maraming tindahan ng pasalubong ang mamamataan sa Binondo. Ngunit bukod sa mga pagkain ay kilala rin ang mga Tsino sa kanilang hilig sa mga pangontra, anting-anting o mas kilala ng marami bilang lucky charm. Ang mga palamuting ito ay maaaring isang bracelet, kwintas o palawit nito, singsing, bagwa, mga chimes at marami pang iba. Madalas ay makukulay na materyales at beads ang gamit sa mga ito. Mayroon ding mga jade na hugis hayop tulad ahas, dragon, kuneho at iba pa. Nagkalat rin sa kahabaan ng Binondo ang iba’t ibang uri ng prutas. Kung minsan pa nga ay maging ang mga ito ay ginagawa na ring pampaswerte.

Samu’t saring meryenda ng Tsino ang matatagpuan sa Ongpin. Palaging mahahaba ang pila sa mga bilihan ng siopao, hopia, siomai at pansit. Hindi na nga maipagkakailang napamahal na tayo sa masasarap nilang pagkain, kung minsan pa nga ay nagkakaroon na rin tayo ng sariling resipi para sa mga ito. Natuto na rin tayong ipares ang hopia sa tsaa.

[Ang mga sumusunod na larawan ay nagpapakita nang mga manggagawang Pilipino sa Ongpin]

Bago matapos ang aming pamamasyal sa puso ng Binondo akala ko ay wala na akong bagong aral na mauuwi. Hanggang sa nagtungo kami sa Salazar, isa sa pinaka tanyag na nagbebenta ng hopia sa Ongpin. Bukod sa natakam ako sa maraming pagkain dito ay naging mulat rin ang aking mga mata. Pagpasok naming ay napakatamis ng amoy ng paligid, lumutang din ang amoy ng margarin na siyang ipinaibabaw sa mga ensaymada. Maliban diyan aking napagtanto na halos mga Pilipino ang empleyado sa buong lugar. Sa unang tingin ay parang normal lang naman, ngunit hindi pala.

Likas na sa kulturang Pinoy ang labis na pagsusumikap para sa kanya-kanyang pamilya. Wala namang masama kung doon talaga nila nais magbigay serbisyo. Nakakalungkot lang isipin na sa kabila nang mga pagod at pagsisikap, sa sarili nating tahanan tayo pa rin ang nangangamuhan sa mga taga kabilang bayan. Ngunit nakamamangha sapagkat maari pala na sa iisang lugar ay mabuhay ang dalawang kultura na siyang nagsisilbing oportunidad para sa dalawang bansa. Matapos kong pumasyal sa Binondo bagaman hindi ako nakakain ng masasarap na putahe, nakita ko naman ang pagpapahalaga sa kultura at pagkakaibigan nating mga Pilipino sa Tsina. Marahil ang Binondo ay hindi na lang tungkol sa mga Tsino, baka pugad na rin ito nang mga nangangarap na Pilipino.

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Tourist Repellent, but Budget Friendly

by Jeremy T. Bautista

March 06, 2019 – Wednesday

We were finally going to Binondo. Of course, I did some research before going there, however, the whole experience—for some reason, ended in nothing but a tired body and a looming disappointment in my gut. Whatever wonder I had managed to derive from my trip to Binondo couldn’t hold a candole to the way my body ached, and how sore my feet were when we arrived at Taft until I’ve reached the soft surface of my bed.

9:00AM

When my friends and I decided to finally go to Binondo we decided to ride the LRT from Vito Cruz station to Carriedo station. The ride going there was fairly busy since people usually start their day around those hours. The wagon was cramped due to the people going in and out but it was fun since I was with friends. We talked a lot during the trip, and made sure to take plenty pictures.

9:36AM

We arrived at Carriedo station. From there you could go to Binondo either by public transportation or by walking. From the station it was a 15-minute walk going to Lucky Chinatown mall. During the walk, I thought that Binondo didn’t really seem that differenct from any other place I’d been to. However, half-way there I noticed that the environment was—in a sense, gradually changing. From being a gray area where all you could see was the traffic of the Metro to this place saturated with red lanterns and pillars from left to right.

 10:27AM

When we reached Lucky Chinatown Mall. The supposed 15-minute walk had gradually become an hour-long walk. Mainly, because we got lost and to boot, we got distracted by the things we saw during the stroll headed there.

Regardless of our misfortune, we still enjoyed the trip since we were able to see a lot of on the way there like those cute puppies sold by street vendors or those street food carts roaming around the district.

The mall was just like any other mall in Manila, except for the fact that everything, everywhere, literally everything you laid eyes on had Chinese translations. We stayed there for almost an hour until we finally got hungry.

 11:26AM

We arrived at this Chinese restaurant a little farther away from the Mall. We rode a tricycle on the way there. The cost of the ride was the same as the rates of any tricycle driver in Manila, bit one ride could’ve already paid for one meal for us since the prices of the food at the restaurant were almost the same price as the ride.

After we ate, we decided to go back to Lucky Chinatown Mall however, this time we walked and tried to find our own way back to the mall while exploring the place. From the food district, the mall seemed to look already within arm’s reach, but in actuality the path on the way there was quite tricky. We felt like we’re solving a puzzle or some Sphinx was trying to test us before revealing the right path. In, short we took a lot of wrong turns. Each street we passed through looked the same. All of them saturated with shops—big and small, all selling merchandise that was too expensive for student, even to the smallest Jade ring. However, one specific shop we noticed when we came back to the Chinese restaurant had the cheapest prices, I’d ever seen, even the ice cream bread they sold was extremely cheap when compared to its counterpart in Taft where prices are twice or even thrice the original’s. Regardless of its temptingly cheap price, I, somehow managed to avoid buying as I had no money left in my pocket except for the money I had saved for the commute back. Continuing our journey back to the mall, we found a secluded path leading to the mall when we finally got through a passage just outside Dong Bei Dumpling shop along Yuchengco Street.

Passing through it, next was a bridge arching over a body of murky waters that reeked of trash left out to rot and clogged canals.

After all that, in just a few more steps and you could already really see the mall once more, this time actually within arm’s reach.

When we finally returned to the mall, we were already exhausted from the heat and all the walking. We just rested for a bit until we finally decided to head home.

Being the oldest Chinatown in the Philippines, I expected a history filled experience, almost to a point that the streets would somehow feel just like how people described it in the articles. Although much to my disappointment, there wasn’t really much to see—just a maze full of dead ends, only the said maze was crowded with street vendors and locals who wanted to be thrifty. It kind of reminded me of those unorganized wires hid behind appliances.

Despite all that, the trip to Binondo taught me that it’s not really a place for tourists. However, I learned that it’s a place centered for business minded people ranging from small businesses such as those street vendors and small restaurants to those big ones like the malls and all the tiyanggian.

I advise those who go to Binondo to those who consider why exactly they’re going there and what they wish to achieve with their visit. Whenever they want to go here, I suggest to always have a plan beforehand because if none then they won’t be able to accomplish anything except for sore feet and an achy back. Binondo is not as tourist friendly as it likes to make itself seem. However, if someone really wanted to be thrifty, then the malls around the place would probably be their new best friend since the prices of their products could really range below a hundred peso, so people who go to Binondo could potentially save quite a bit of money.