Duality of Hidalgo Street: A Case Study on the Commerce and Heritage of a Primary Street in Quiapo, Manila

Abstract

Quiapo, a historic district in Manila, began as a pre-colonial fishing village that evolved into a settlement area. Hidalgo Street, favored by Manila's elite for its proximity to Intramuros, Quiapo Church, and San Sebastian Church, became a commercial hub due to heavy foot traffic. Post-war, elite families moved away, leaving their houses to caretakers. Today, Hidalgo Street and Quiapo face rapid urbanization with rising demands for malls and high-rises. Many historic buildings have been demolished or left to deteriorate, though some ancestral houses remain. Quezon Boulevard now divides Hidalgo Street: the commercial west and the heritage east, where ancestral homes of Manila's elite once stood. This study, employing a case study research design, explores Hidalgo Street's historical evolution, commercial activity on its west end, and the condition of heritage buildings on its east end. Data from semi-structured interviews with six vendors and one heritage advocate, along with fieldwork and archival research, revealed that foot traffic makes Hidalgo Street a prime location for vendors, many of whom have inherited their businesses. Heritage buildings fall into three categories: preserved, deteriorating, and demolished or relocated. Maintaining heritage sites is costly for the government, leading to a preference for demolition. Heritage buildings are often compromised for modernization, with local authorities favoring modern infrastructure. The National Heritage Act of 2009 lacks sufficient guidelines for cultural agencies to preserve heritage buildings, focusing mainly on opposing demolition threats. The duality of Hidalgo Street—commercial vibrancy on the west and heritage preservation struggles on the east—may persist due to ongoing modernization and profit prioritization.