Architectural experiences of Ongpin St.

Information and History of Binondo, Manila

Ongpin Street, Binondo, is Manila's 'chinatown' district. The name Ongpin was named after a man named Don Roman Ongpin, a Chinese business man who was known for his financial support of the Katipunero aka KKK (a society aiming to gain independence from Spain). Binondo was the center of commerce during the American reign, however, many establishments have been destroyed after World War II, forcing companies to move to Makati, now the financial capital of Manila. 

Nonetheless, many establishments still stand in Binondo today. These mostly includes restaurants, jewellery stores, and modern hardware stores. 

Binondo was made by a Spanish governor Luis Pérez Dasmariñas in 1584. It was made predominantly to accomodate Chinese immigrants known as Sangleys. Cunningly, Dasmariñas made this district to convert Chinese immigrants into Catholicism, and whoever rejects is to be executed. As a result, a massacre of 24,000 immigrants took place. 

Personal Experiences in Binondo

We arrived on a Sunday morning, after experiencing a hell-like amount of traffic. Our first site in Binondo was of an old church, known as Binondo Church. This church was built in 1596, named after a Filipino-Chinese saint, St. Lorenzo Ruiz. A thought was that it had seems out-of-place, in the context that everything else in Ongpin street was Chinese. The cramped, chaotic, and crummy street of Ongpin is home to many Chinese herbal stores, restaurants, and jewellery stores. For a place with companies and businesses still alive, the maintenance of the buildings were below unmaintained. 

From the photo above; it is clear that the streets are not capable of fitting more than 2 vehicles at a time, the signs were all over the place, and messy wires ran through the street.

Furthermore, red lanterns are placed throughout the street, showing the authenticity of the Chinese culture. The overuse of red on Ongpin street simply screamed 'CHINA!' to all those walking through it.
The pictures above display hotels on the street. The facade is unwelcoming, due to the small windows, and the dark entrance into the building. These are examples of the sketchy aura that this area emits. I was skeptical of whether it is a legitimate hotel, or could it be something else.

In conclusion, Binondo really is a historical experience which takes you back in time of when the Spaniards had power over Philippines. Although it is not the most pleasant place to be in the Philippines, it is definitely a symbolic place towards the Filipino culture worth visiting.