This interactive map provides information on some of the historically and architecturally significant buildings in Quiapo which are under this project.
INTERACTIVE MAP:
Historical Sites being restored under the Heritage Sites Project
Reviving Old Quiapo
Long before its physical decline, Quiapo in its heyday housed some of the most beautiful and elegant streets in Old Manla. From the mid-19th century until the pre-WWII years, F.R. Hidalgo and Ariston Bautista Streets were the seats of sophisticated mansions owned by some of the most affluent families of Manila. One of the standouts during the olden times was the Bahay Nakpil-Bautista. Located at A. Bautista St., the house was owned by Dr. Ariston Bautista (after whom the street was named), a prominent physician-philantrophist, and his wife Petrona Nakpil in 1914. Arcadio Arellano designed the two-storey bahay-na-bato with details patterned after the Vienesse Secession style of the late 19th century. The couple lived in the grand residence home along with Petrona’s two brothers, Julio and Ramon, both closely associated with the Katipunan during the Spanish era. When Andres Bonifacio died, his wife, Gregoria de Jesus, married Julio and they also lived in Bahay Nakpil-Bautista. Heritage Street Project After almost a century, the house has now been transformed by its inheritors into a museum dedicated to the Revolution of 1896 and Gregoria de Jesus. The house is part of the Heritage Street Project, an attempt by the government and some non-profit organizations to preserve the old houses that played key roles in the history of Old Manila. Other historic structures under this project include the Boix House, located beside the Bahay Nakpil-Bautista; the Enriquez Mansion, former site of the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts; the Ocampo Mansion, former site of the UP Conservatory of Music and home of Francisco Santiago, the composer of the Ave Maria; the Zamora House, owned by Manuel Zamora, inventor of the ‘tiki-tiki’ cure for beriberi; and the Ocampo Pagoda, a Spanish-Chinese-Japanese castle built by Don Jose Ocampo. The restoration and preservation efforts are initiated by the National Commision of Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Heritage Conservation Society (HCS). The youth arm of the HCS, which has around 70 members, is one of the more active divisions that forward this advocacy. Stephen [surname] and Rancho Arcilla, college students from the De La Salle University, have been actively organizing projects and events for this cause as heritage advocates since June 2012. “Our involvement started on the Internet,” says Stephen. “I enjoyed looking at photos of old houses and structures in Old Manila online, as I am a Philippine Studies major. Then I got more and more interested until I realized the importance of preserving these national treasures. So we decided to creata Facebook group, and from there it became big. People caught wind of it and started to support out cause.” Rancho explains that besides restoring the grand residences that made Quiapo known, their bigger goal is to change Quiapo’s notorious reputation. “We want to change the people’s general mindset about Quaipo,” he says. “We want them to see that there is a beautiful side to this place. You can’t undo what’s been done, of course, but we want it to blend the past with the modern times.” The HCS’s efforts are in line with the Republic Act 10066*, also known as the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009, which states that: |
“Section 4.1. The State shall foster the preservation, enrichment, and dynamic evolution of a Filipino national culture based on the principle of unity in diversiy in a climate of free artistic and intellectual expression (Sec. 14, Sec, XIV Constitution).”
They conduct activities such as sketchwalks, photowalks, and lectures on heritage conservation. “If you think of it, these activites do not have a direct positive effect on the project,” says Stephen. “But through these, we are helping raise awareness among people. And this awareness is what will pave the way for more concrete steps toward heritage conservation.” Kapit-Bahayan One of the major projects they are heading is the Kapit-Bahayan Project, which encourages people to work together for the betterment of their community. It is focused on Calle Bautista, where the Bahay Nakpil-Bautista and Boix Houses stand. “We are pushing for the adaptive reuse of these structures,” they explain. “We want them to be renovated and transformed into a more useful or relevant property –a museum, a school, a cafe, or a shop, anything– and not be demolished or neglected to rot.” The problem with Quaipo, they say, is that people are immediately put-off by its negative image. What the NCCA and the HCS aim to do is to make people realize that their is beauty left in Quiapo, and they are embedded in these architecturally significant structures. “These houses are silent witnesses to the past. Each one has a story to tell,” says Rancho. “With all this houses carrying the history and culture of the olden times, Quaipo is not a waste, after all.” Neutrality and ignorance While the Heritage Street Project and Kapit-Bahayan Project are continue to gain support from the Filipino public, the NCCA and the HCS say they could use more help, especially from the authorities. The local government of Manila under Mayor Alfredo Lim, according to the volunteers, are ignorant of the rules when it comes to demolition of architecturally significant and historic structures. “The government is neutral when it comes to these matters,” says Stephen. “They give more importance to education and medical assistance, which is not bad, but it is their job to give attention to these matters. After all, what was the law (RA 10066) enacted for?” With these challenges, Stephen and Rancho encourage the rest of the youth to take part in this advocacy. “It is not usual to see young people advocating for old things,” they say. “But it is fulfilling. As a student, you are going beyond the classroom setting. It feels good to know that you are able to do things, however little, to help your country. It builds patriotism. It makes you believe you can make a change even if you’re still a student, even if you’re young.” |
THE ZAMORA ANCESTRAL MANSION
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The Zamora House, located along F.R. Hidalgo Street, was the home of Dr. Manuel Zamora, the inventor of the tiki-tiki extract, cure for infantile beriberi. The European-style residence, which stood from the early 1900s, was one of the most elegant in Quiapo. Unfortunately, the house gradually disintegrated upon enduring a series of calamities and neglect by the owners after they moved. However, the foundation of the house is still intact as it was built with sod or adobe bricks. Presently, the house is a popular subject of study for architecture and engineering students because of its durability and unique structure.
But apart from being an architectural fascination, the Zamora House is now nothing but a bare shell of what used to be a historically significant building. Unlike the other houses being restored under the Heritage Street Project, the Zamora House has not seen progress over the last couple of decades. In contrast with the other houses, such as the Bahay Nakpil-Bautista House which is located a few blocks away and well-maintained by the Heritage Conservation Society, the Zamora House is certainly on the farthest end of the spectrum. The residence currently serves as a mere warehouse where Dr. Zamora’s olden laboratory paraphernalia are stored. The sole inhabitant of the house is Leo Rosales, the caretaker, who have turned the house’s ground floor into a small tailoring shop. |