THE CAST OF QUIAPO
THE HOMELESS GUARDIAN
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Virgilio, 69, left Bicol when he was a teenager and found home in the streets of Quiapo. When he lost his leg to an accident, he became incapable of working and resorted to begging for alms. Refusing to demand support from his children who are all working in Quiapo, he makes a living out of other street people’s donations.
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THE STUDENT DEVOTEE
THE PEACEKEEPER
SPO3 Jesse Baldivia is the desk officer of the Plaza Miranda Police Station. He has been in the service for 22 years. He says that most of the crimes committed in Quiapo are petty , such as snatching and bag opening, but the problem is that they occur too frequently. Their station’s records show that most of the suspects are groups of minors and teenagers. The worst part, he says, is that the criminals are often unidentified and unarrested.
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THE MASSUESE
THE FORTUNE TELLER
Boyet has been a fortune-teller for more than 21 years. His clients include big-time businessmen and celebrities. He says he inherited his psychic abilities from his grandmother. He observes that most of the people who go to Quiapo to have their palms read are concerned with destiny, love, and money matters.
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THE JANITOR
THE FLORIST
THE CANDLE VENDOR
Emer, 55, has been selling multi-colored candles near the Quiapo Church since 1977. According to her, the colors of candles stand for particular prayer offerings and desires, such as health, prosperity, and academic performance. Such correspondences were developed by the early candle vendors who developed inferences from observations and news stories.
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THE SAMPAGUITA GIRL
Aira, 8, sells sampaguita around the Quiapo Church and the Plaza Miranda. She left school to help her mother earn money to support eight siblings. Her father is in prison. While she is aware of the laws prohibiting child labor, she chooses to brave the chaotic streets of Quiapo to earn P500-P600 a day.
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THE AMULET DEALER
Martha, 70, has been selling amulets and charms in Quiapo since 1978. Her products range from the usual necklaces with “enchanted” triangular pendants and crystals to the more obscure ones such as dried corals and tip of a stingray’s whiptail. These anting-antings, which range from P20 to as much as P1000, are believed to give superhuman powers and the ability to manipulate a lover, among others.
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