Have you ever wandered the streets of Tutuban and noticed something amiss? There's a distinct lack of Filipino-made products. We have always revered Tutuban and its history of the railways as a melting pot of cultures, a testament to Manila's rich history, and a symbol of our courageous spirit. But where is the representation of our local artisans, our homegrown talents? The vision is clear - a Tutuban that doesn't just house imported retail establishments but stands as a bastion of Filipino craftsmanship. Support for local entrepreneurs is paramount to realizing this vision. Let's see how we can contribute to this revolution at https://www.ianfulgar.com/thoughts/why-dont-we-see-more-filipino-products-in-tutuban-manila/ . .
The vibrant district of Tutuban is known for its affordable shopping experience, with a plethora of imported goods filling the stalls. But are these cheap foreign products truly beneficial to us in the long run? While we appreciate diversity in the marketplace, the scarcity of local Filipino products undermines our local talent and industry. It's time we put Filipino craftsmanship front and center. It's a challenge, but one we can tackle with concerted support for our local entrepreneurs. Read more about my musings at https://www.ianfulgar.com/thoughts/why-dont-we-see-more-filipino-products-in-tutuban-manila/ . .
this was once a full-and-over-crowded seats. that was normal. that was a day-to-day view of hyper busy city - manila. that was when even before you hear the honk, the train is already full. that was when you have to run and fill-in the long qeues. that was when you have to settle yourself inside the train anywhere you fit. because so loaded. busy. crowded. noisy. but everything has changed now. all seats are almost empty. people barely touch each other's shoulder or because socially distanced. faces were covered. not even allowed to talk. the world has completely changed. i hope people don't. just like the seats when it's loaded or empty. - syed qassim acabo | #justreflections / #pnr #philippinenationalrailways #tutuban #railway #travelphilippines #philippines🇵🇭 #syedqassim #jonathanacabo #muslimfriends #travel2021 #beforecovid19 #beforepandemic #newnormallife #filipinotravel #train #photooftheday #streetphotography #metromanila (at PNR - Tutuban Terminal) https://www.instagram.com/p/CMUpZQNBCcy/?igshid=skpxnstognox
Keihancarl here. It sure was a rainy week, so says the weather report.
I was initially planning to do this a week after POF: Ai, however, it got canceled at the last minute for some reason, mainly due to bad weather. As a result, the trip was rescheduled for the following week, but I doubt that the weather will cooperate considering that it had been raining hard these past few days. The rainy weather sure is a bad sign that the trip won't go as smoothly as planned.
Anyway, it was raining just as I was about to prepare for the trip. It's all-black outfit for now since I couldn't even think of any other outfit I can wear except for the black fleece coat and a black anime shirt.
The sun finally shows up, much to my delight. It means that I can now proceed with the trip. Manila is my preferred destination for this trip, though I also passed by a mall in the QC-Cloverleaf area, which makes it my first stop.
It's the same as my last visit, visiting a couple of shops and nothing else. Passing by a bookstore, Biblio, there were vintage books for sale, though, some of them are expensive.
By the way, their shuttle service is now charging 5 pesos per trip (on my last visit, December 2017, it was free of charge), but it's quicker and more convenient than having to walk all the way to the mall area, which is about a kilometer away from the LRT Balintawak station.
I then took the LRT-1 to Tayuman Station, then walked to my next stop, SM City San Lazaro.
On the way to my next destination, I just noticed some activities in the former Ever Gotesco Grand Central area, the mall that was gutted by fire six years ago. They were currently draining the water from the so-called pond/lake, which is actually rainwater. I couldn’t take a picture of the activity since the train I was riding had an advertising wrap on it, including the windows. Here’s how it looked like in this archive pic I took last December.
Reaching my next stop, I just passed by a few shops and checked the supermarket area.
I then head to Tutuban/Divisoria/Binondo areas, but by the time I was heading back to Tayuman Station, it was already raining outside, much to my disappointment.
Reaching my next stop, I visit Tutuban Center first. It's basically the same as the rest of the malls in the area except for the upscale Lucky Chinatown Mall.
Anyway, I took some time exploring the mall, which is originally the site of PNR Central Station (a.k.a. Tutuban Station). Back then, train stations had nice designs and interiors, like some of the old buildings in Manila. Unfortunately, some of them are left in disrepair, demolished, or repurposed as a commercial space like Tutuban Center.
I then head to 999 Mall, which is right across the Tutuban Center. At this point, I was getting hungry so I decided to have lunch at the food court.
I had a fried rice meal at the same stall where I had a minced beef fried rice almost a year ago. This time, it was a shrimp and chorizo fried rice, and as always, it is great.
I took some time to check the stalls, especially the one where I bought my anime shirts. It looks like they have some new ones on sale as well as their usual offerings.
I also dropped by a stall in 168 Mall selling anime and K-pop merch, but I only checked a few anime posters. Various K-pop merchandises are dominating the stall unlike before.
Next stop, Lucky Chinatown Mall. I only checked a couple of shops and had a fruit tea at the mall's cinema level.
The fruit tea from Ersao is okay, at least there’s still a hint of green tea in it. I then sat down at one of the sofas right by the escalators.
I was about to head out of the mall when it rained. At this point, I decided to upload the pictures on my Instagram account and began writing on the post you're reading right now.
As soon as the rain stopped, I decided to head for my next stop, SM Manila. I head to the restroom first since my bladder is already full, but all I can find are customer lounges and pay toilets. That means there are no regular restrooms on the lower floors, which is kind of disappointing. I didn't bother to go find the rest of the restrooms inside the mall, instead I proceed to the nearest fast food chain outside the mall area so I can relieve myself.
On the way to my next stop, I passed by the bookstore at the underpass near Manila City Hall. There were some great manga books, but I really can't spend a lot of money at the moment.
Reaching SM Manila, I only checked a couple of shops. I visited Comic Alley and one of their staff complimented my black fingerless gloves, which is actually a Katekyo Hitman Reborn merch that I bought from a Comic Alley branch in SM Fairview more than 7 years ago.
After that, I rode the LRT to UN Avenue Station and I passed by Times Plaza, the National Museum Of Natural History (but I didn't go inside), and later Rizal Park.
I also get to see the Manila Bay, which is then littered with a lot of garbage, possibly washed ashore during the typhoon. I'm pretty sure that there'll be a clean-up drive soon.
A man operating a kalesa passed by and greeted me. He asked if I was a foreigner, he must have mistaken me for one possibly due to my outfit. I told him that I'm from here and he nodded. He then asked if I wanted to ride, but I politely refused since I wanted to stick around and watch the waves.
At this point, it started raining again so I'm off to my final stop, Robinsons Place Manila. I was starting to feel hungry again so I had an early dinner at the mall's food court. I didn't check any of the shops, but I was amazed at some of the storefronts on the ground floor.
And it's time to head home. Traffic was light to moderate from Taft Avenue to the Batasan portion of Commonwealth Avenue, but it was heavy along Manggahan due to the ongoing MRT-7 construction. Based on the Google Maps app, it was maroon, meaning that the traffic in that area is really heavy. I'm sure that it was also heavy in the SM Fairview area for the same reason.
The trip went pretty well despite the rain, but I could have enjoyed it better if it been sunny all day. Anyway, I managed to enjoy the trip so much, especially the fried rice at 999 Mall and the stormy wind beside Manila Bay. I feel kind of exhausted after that, but it was fun.
So where will my next trip take me? It’s a little too early to decide on it yet.
All pics are taken by yours truly, Keihancarl, and are uploaded to my private Instagram account, @kcox105. The pic of the former Ever Gotesco Grand Central area (as seen from LRT-1) is from December 2017.
