CAMERA SHOPS AND
HANDICRAFTS
Quiapo may have lost its Old Manila grandeur, but it is also not exactly just a place of pirated DVDs and dubious practices. Some areas in Quiapo are trusted by aficionados who know where to go when the need (or want) arises.
Cameras on Hidalgo
Hidalgo St. may look and feel like most streets in Quiapo—hot, crowded, and shabby—but it is popular, not only in the Metro but also in the archipelago, as home to a wide range of video and photo equipment and services.
The camera business in Quiapo has built its reputation in its relationship with photography enthusiasts who kept on coming back to purchase new camera models, order accessories and parts replacements, and avail of repairs and services—all at a relatively cheaper price compared to malls or other high-end shopping boutiques. According to bloggers Detourist and Lamiel, the reason for the very reasonable pricing of camera equipment on Hidalgo is the cheap stall rentals and because most items are sold with store warranty, which means you could only go to that Hidalgo store (and not any other brand repair center) should you need any repairs or replacement for the said item/equipment. Villareal adds that one possible reason for the huge discounts is the sellers “usually pick up overstock in bulk and then sell it at the minimum profit.”
CAMERA CORNER. Photo by Maria Katrina Balinang.
Some of the most popular camera shops on Hildago St. are Henry’s Camera (since 1980), Mayer Photo, Avenue Photo Supply, and Prime Camera Repair Service.
A CAMERA REPAIR SHOP on Hidalgo. Photo by Milton Coyne.
KALYE: Mga Kwento ng Lansangan
Handicrafts at the Ils-De-Tul
Ils-De-Tuls is the “Frenchified” name of a particular area in Quiapo which simply refers to “Ilalim ng Tulay” (literally “Under the (Quezon/Quiapo) Bridge”). At the Ils-De-Tuls, indigenous Filipino handicrafts sourced from all over the archipelago are sold. From household items such as bilao, baskets, mortars (and pestles) to home and living articles like sungka, decorative sepak takraw balls, trays, and so much more, Ils-De-Tuls is definitely an indigenous Filipino agora. The articles, usually carved, crafted, or woven using materials like abaca, wood, shells, and other local textiles, can be said to have been directly influenced by traditional Filipino craftwork.
Old But Alive and Enduring
Benigno C. Montemayor, Jr. | November 3, 2017
ILS-DE-TULS—Ilalim ng Tulay. Handicrafts stores line the area under the Quezon Bridge. Photo by Choose Philippines.
Handicraft producers also fashioned these indigenous materials into functional and practical items like lamp shades, picture frames, paper weights, and souvenirs and corporate giveaways to accommodate the demand of modern living, according to writer-traveler Martinez.
QUIAPO HANDICRAFTS. Photo by Glenn Martinez.
During the Christmas season, more products are added to the stores’ inventories, such as lanterns and various Christmas tree decors. Assorted delicacies such as chicharon, balut, and hopia are also available here. As it is in Hidalgo, the artifacts at the Ils-De-Tuls are more affordable than the ones found in shopping centers (because of the cheaper stall rentals) but not necessarily poorer in quality.
Hidalgo and Ils-De-Tuls are two of the few remaining areas in Quiapo where one can buy cheap items and still feel satisfied and assured.
CITED WORKS
Balinang, Maria Katrina R. “Hidalgo Camera Store.” When in Manila, 10 Aug. 2015, s3-apsoutheast-1.amazonaws.com/s3.wheninmanila.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/IMG_00911.jpg. Accessed 13 Nov. 2017.
Bambina. “Kalye: Mga Kwento ng Lansangan.” YouTube.com, 15 Sep. 2009, www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8FwCs9o1bo. Accessed 13 Nov. 2017.
Coyne, Milton. “Prime Camera Repair Shop.” It’s Me! Blue Dreamer!, 09 May 2017, c1.staticflickr.com/5/4182/34423831151_72b93ac876_c.jpg. Accessed 13 Nov. 2017.
Detourist, Marcos. “Hidalgo St. Quiapo—Cheap Camera Shops in the Philippines.” AmbotAh.com, 04 Apr. 2010, www.ambot-ah.com/hidalgo-st-quiapo-the-place-to-buy-cheap-dslrcameras-in-the-philippines/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.
“5 Must-Do Activities in the Bustling District of Quiapo: Native Products Under the Quiapo
Bridge.” Choose Philippines, 22 Sep. 2016, chooseweb.s3.amazonaws.com/ckeditor/
YuaDominguez/2016/09/22/14423953_306133069757146_1642584916_o.jpg. Accessed 12 Nov.
2017.
Lamiel, Carl. “Five Places Filipinos Love to Buy Their Gadgets Online.” Yugatech, 27 Nov.
2014, www.yugatech.com/guides/five-places-to-buy-your-gadgets-offline/ #fDGLwwXUwWUv7TEh.97. Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.
Martinez, Glenn. “Filipino Handicrafts Under the Bridge in Quiapo.” Traveler on Foot, 11 Mar.
2011, traveleronfoot.wordpress.com/2011/03/11/filipino-handicrafts-under-the-bridge-in-quiapo/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.
_____. “Quiapo Handicrafts.” Traveler on Foot, Feb. 2011, traveleronfoot.files.wordpress.com/ 2011/02/quiapo-handicrafts-stores.jpg?w=417&h=555&zoom=2. Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.
Villareal, Melo. “Cheap Camera Stores in Hidalgo Quiapo.” Out of Town Blog.com, 31 Jul. 2010, outoftownblog.com/cheap-camera-stores-in-hidalgo-quiapo/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2017.