Senator Manuel “Lito” M. Lapid on Monday, January 9 renewed his push for a bill that seeks to declare the Quiapo District—a historic landmark known for its old infrastructures, rich culture and home to the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene—as a national heritage zone.
Lapid made the call in time for the annual Traslacion, saying the establishment of the capital’s third heritage zone will cover the areas surrounding Quiapo Church, Plaza Miranda, San Sebastian Church, and Plaza del Carmen.
The senator said Senate Bill No. 1471 or the proposed Quiapo Heritage Zone Act, is in response to the call of heritage conservationists and longtime residents of the district to declare Quiapo as such.
He said the measure will not only help restore and preserve these areas, but also create a wide range of attractions from recreational facilities, retail options to adventure opportunities while while protecting Quiapo’s heritage and cultural integrity.
“Mula pa kahapon ay libu-libo ng deboto at panata ng Poong Nazareno ang nagtungo sa Quiapo upang ipahayag ang kanilang pananampalataya (Since yesterday, thousands of devotees and vows of the Lord Nazarene went to Quiapo to express their faith),” Lapid said.
“Isa lamang ito sa napakaraming okasyon na patunay sa napaka yamang kasaysayan, tradisyon at kultura ng Quiapo na dapat nating pahalagahan at protektahan (This is just one of the many occasions that prove the very rich history, tradition and culture of Quiapo that we must appreciate and protect,” the lawmaker stressed.
In his explanatory note on the bill, Lapid cited how Quiapo has “bore witness to many key events in our nation's history and we will be remiss on our historical obligations to future generations of Filipinos if we let Quiapo fall into disrepair and fade into oblivion.”
“Dahil kinikilala natin ang kahalagahan ng Quiapo sa ating kultura at kasaysayan, at di matatawarang ambag sa pambansang kaunlaran, dapat lamang ipakita ng pamahalaan ang kanyang pagpapahalaga dito sa pamamagitan ng pagtatakda sa Distrito ng Quiapo bilang isang Historical and Cultural Heritage Zone (Since we recognize the importance of Quiapo in our culture and history, and its unforgivable contribution to national development, the government should only show its appreciation by designating the District of Quiapo as a Historical and Cultural Heritage Zone),” Lapid said. .
The measure also seeks to grant the proposed Quiapo Heritage Zone priority development by the Department of Tourism (DOT) and other concerned departments and units, subject to the rules and regulations governing the development of national heritage zones.
The bill also seeks to provide mandate the Manila City Government, the DOT, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and its affiliated cultural agencies, National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to provide assistance to the development of the Quiapo Heritage Zone.
According to the bill, Quiapo’s historical and cultural heritage zone shall include the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or the Quiapo Church, the Minor Basilica of San Sebastian, Masjid Al-Dahab (the Manila Golden Mosque and Cultural Center), Plaza del Carmen, Plaza Miranda, Quinta Market, Calle Hidalgo, Padilla Art Gallery, Globo de Oro Street, and many heritage homes, among others.