The Sights and Sounds of Quiapo

Quiapo is perhaps one of the busiest districts in Metro Manila, if not THE busiest. To one who does not frequent the place, going around it is an eye-opener about the way of life of the people and economy within the area. Quiapo Church is the focal point of the district and the Friday mass is the number one crowd-drawer. But the main thing that it is famous for is the Feast of the Black Nazarene, which is held in the month of January. But that is a topic for another blog.

After my fall-in-line-till-you-drop day at the DFA, my feet dragged me to Quiapo. After not seeing it for over a year, I find it amazing that life remains the same to the mainstays here. It is as if it is still the 1900s.



Save for this concrete canopy-like structure that covers the entrance to the underpass, Quiapo is stagnant. Although it is kind of like preserving the memories of Manila in the past and its historical legacies, i.e. Plaza Miranda and it's bombing.



Quiapo is the melting pot of folk-Catholicism, outside the church are countless vendors selling and hawking religious objects such as: rosaries, candles, prayer books, novenas and what have you. For a fee you can even have them pray for you.



You might want to have your fate or destiny, whichever way you call it, read by these fortune-tellers. For a minimum of P50, you will know if you are destined for stardom or become a Lucio Tan in the future. If you dont try it then only the cards will know. These ladies were beckoning at me to have my fates read, but instantly covered their faces when I asked if I can take a photo!



There ia buko (young coconut) vendor ready to serve you fresh buko which is a healthy alternative to the soda-bubbling cola and the food-coloring and sugar-filled unnatural juice drinks.



A treat for the struggling student and the bookworm are the second-hand bookstores found in the small alleys before reaching the Carriedo LRT station.



Since Quiapo is just a stone's throw away from Chinatown, some stores that sell Chinese decorative items, some of which are believed to attract good fortune can be seen within the district too. Next time you see them, buy one, you just might get fortunate in the next lotto draw.

Quiapo has different symbolisms to each and everyone, to some it may just be an ordinary district: bumper-to-bumper, polluted and dirty. But there's more than meets the eye, and it is up to us to uncover the secrets behind the facade.