LAWMAKER WANTS QUIAPO DECLARED NATIONAL HERITAGE ZONE

SENATOR Lito Lapid is seeking the support of his colleagues for the passage of a measure that would declare Quiapo as a national historical-cultural zone.

The senator made the appeal as devotees celebrate on January 9 the Feast of the Jesus Nazareno, also known as the Feast of the Black Nazarene.

Quiapo is the home of the Black Nazarene, or the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno.

In his Senate Bill No. (SBN) 1471, Lapid stressed that Quiapo played a significant role in shaping and developing the country’s history, tradition, arts, culture, tourism, religion, and economy.

It was once the center of trade before the arrival of foreign colonizers, such as the Spaniards, Japanese, and Americans.

“Because we recognize the significance of Quiapo in our culture and history, and its undeniable contribution to national development, the government should show its appreciation by designating the Quiapo District as a Historical and Cultural Heritage Zone,” said Lapid, who plays the role of Supremo (Primo) in popular prime time tele-serye FPJ’s Batang Quiapo.

Citing an article titled, Quiapo: A Historical Sketch published in UP Digital Humanities, Michael Carlo C. Villas discussed that Quiapo acquired its name from Kiapo (scientific name: stratioies pistia), a water lily resembling cabbage , that was commonly found along Manila’s esteros before Spanish conquistadors and friars first set foot on its territory.

When the Franciscan missionaries arrived in Manila, they established the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, where the statue of Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno is enshrined, attracting devotees every January 9 and celebrating its feast day.

When the Augustinians arrived, they also built San Sebastian Church. It is also in Quiapo that one can find the Globo de Oro or the first Muslim mosque, Masjid Al-Dahab.

A collection of historical houses and other antique structures can be found in Quiapo. In a blog by Pio Andrade Jr., he discussed the American colonial period when Quiapo became the center of news publishing, such as El Renacimiento and Philippines Free Press.

Quiapo also served as a witness to history, including the Plaza Miranda bombing that injured several senatorial candidates on August 23, 1971.

Lapid said that the aim of his proposed bill is to revive Quiapo as an economic center, create new recreational facilities, and other opportunities, while preserving and maintaining the heritage and cultural integrity of the district.