INTRODUCTION

In the Philippines, Metro Manila is the political, economic, social, educational, cultural and
recreational hub of this vast archipelago of 7,107 islands that is the Philippines. Nowhere else in the
Philippines can you acquire a greater dose of local color, a better understanding of the country's multi-
faceted culture, or as many glimpses of its contrasts as in this pulsating, vibrant metropolis.1

Quiapo, a district of Manila City, derives its name from the water cabbage (Pistia stratiotes) or
quiapo or kiapo in the Tagalog language. The district is also sometimes referred to as the "Old
Downtown of Manila." During the American period until the late 1970s, it was the hub for Manila's
social elites as it is the center for trade, fashion, art, and higher learning. Now, it has become a
marketplace for thrift finds. Its street corners have stalls that offer herbal products, an army of fortune
tellers, and shops for pirated media.2

It is home to the Quiapo Church, officially known as Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene and
canonically known as Saint John the Baptist Parish. It is also the site of one of the Philippines' biggest
cultural events, the Feast of the Black Nazarene, as millions of devotees from all over the country flock
to the district.3

In the context of gender and society issues, this study will lay down the different relevant
practices and behaviors of the persons involved in Quiapo

OBSERVATION

Merchants

Fortune tellers

Shoppers

Regular parishioners

Tourists

Candle/Sampaguita vendor

Phil Delicacies

Herbal food medicines

Chinese food resto

1
http://www.govisitphilippines.com/quick-facts.php?province=Manila#
2
http://www.choosephilippines.com/do/history-and-culture/3928/how-well-do-you-know-quiapo
3
same
Bargain – ukay

Plants/ fruit vendors

ANALYSIS

In the context of gender and society related issues, Quiapo place shows some of the extreme
socio-economic situations of the Filipino society nowadays. In this experimental research, we
investigated and reflected some notable Filipino behaviors in terms of their ways to survive the struggles
of everyday life. For instance, during our journey in the streets near Quiapo Church we noticed several
local merchants, some of them were young boys and girls selling candles, sampaguita flowers and
religious items to be offered to the church. Notably, this means that nowadays every member of the
Filipino family, regardless of their age or gender, has to work for their daily needs and to step up against
poverty. It is the perception of these Filipino vendors that using young folks to sell goods can easily earn
more profit than old folks for their young ones are pitied and can easily compel the by-passers to buy
goods from them. Also, old folks are visible around the place, selling fruits, local delicacies, ornaments,
herbal medicines and some works as fortune tellers, mostly aged females. It can be gleaned from there
that this particular job is confined mostly for old females because of our culture and history. Back in the
old ages, we have the babaylans, they are old female folks known as seers or prophets of the tribes.
Today, a few still patronizes these fortune tellers for the rumors that their prophecies are incredibly
accurate somehow. In this regard, it would be peculiar if we’ll see male folks doing this job and would
give us the impression that they’re unreliable compared to females. But it really depends as to how we
look and practice our faith.

Aside from these merchants, we noticed the by-passers or the shoppers in the area who are
looking for cheap goods in the nearby markets and stalls. In terms of money-wise practice, we Filipinos
would prefer the cheaper goods with good qualities, we recognize ourselves to be very good in bargains.
This is one of the common traits of the Filipinos, we prefer to shop and eat at cheaper places like the
streets of Quiapo.

CONCLUSION