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| Plus convenience to Metro rail patrons, the new PNR train |
or Metro
folks with recurrent Divisoria shopping itch, PNR can be a more convenient
alternative transport, especially for those coming from down south of Metro
Manila.
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| Gearing up for North-South expansion PNR has tomorrow's promise, guaranteed yarn? |
Commuting the 30-minute ride from San Andres this
afternoon to Tutuban, it's comparably cheaper and more convenient with newly
purchased train coaches (bagon) plying the fixed-route halted with the
momentary change of lane due to adjustment with ongoing construction of
SLEX-SLEX Connector road another landmark of Build-Build program of exiting
Duterte program.
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| Commuters marching out after unloaded at Tutuban, a checkpoint to the shop run |
Stepping
out from Tutuban station, it's a short walk transfer going to Tutuban Mall
apparently the gateway of train commuters or a pedestrian hub, Once inside,
shops and stalls are assembled to transform the mode into bargain catchers.
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| Shops, stalls, and assortments are sana-all feast sight for the eyes when in Tutuban |
Watching
the brick interiors and the loosening of protocols, the signs of vigor are
evident with the increasing shoppers in all demographics. After our improved
ranking in Asia with fewer cases of Covid unlike our Asian neighbors like Thailand,
Malaysia, and Vietnam which surpassed us recently in figures and cases, it's a
matter of time before the pending return to normalcy.
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| Tutuban keeping the eternal shopping flame |
Tutuban
Mall is just the tip of the iceberg, not even half as one thought and just a
warm-up for the next phase of the itinerary. Once you go out of the Recto
entrance, it's hard to dispel the palpable sense that you have arrived in the
shopping jungle with the visible towering malls of 999 and 168 waiving the
skyline.
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| In the tick of time, zero in to the call of go-to malls towered by condos |
In fact,
according to a grand plan, an extension of LRT2 will be built in Tutuban
premises along with other commercial redevelopments courtesy of Ayala land in
partnership with Prime Orion which owns Tutuban. The big project in the
planning stage aims to transform the Tutuban complex into a connecting hub
between North-South Railway Project and the LRT2 extension that will boost the
volume and traffic.
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| The walkway provides the guiding path for today's unfolding |
That
grand design will really give Divisoria its deserving reboot and for now, that
remains a vision. With the success of clearing the Recto from ambulant vendors,
the need for more mass-friendly walkways is needed and should be built to
accommodate the bigger crowd. But for now, there is a lone walkway overpass
that connects to the multilevel 168 mall.
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| In the appetizing distance, ready get set ..1..6...8 shop! |
Of course,
in the wake of heightened protocols, stalls and shops could have
rearranged or changed owners so expect more random and unclustered variations
of shops and stalls selling homewares. gadgets accessories, toys, bags, and
leather goods.
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| So fantastic to see the swarm and crowd bursting back in 168 |
For go-to
shoppers, the arrangement retains the never-ending confusion yet the sheer joy
of bargain hunting and unexpected surprise. If only there is a counterpart app that reminds us of crowds or traffic in a mall it could be useful here,
especially on some narrow and winding paths called pasilios.
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| Pasilio's look radiant with many cash-ins for tenants. |
Pasilios looks
shinier now as it thrives with the swarm of shoppers, no more emptiness.
Pasilio signages are useful guides like a street with landmarks to locate or
remember the shop or store. Even more noticeable is the presence of courier
service inside the malls as convenient logistic options especially for online
sellers, and bulk and wholesale orders. Or even the remittance centers.
This syndication spells convenience and makes sense for traditional
outsourcers.
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| Colorful items like these decors are sure cheaper and open for haggling in this hotspot mall. |
168 has restricted the shortcut entry to another
adjacent famed 999 mall. I have to wind up to the parkway to check into 999. I
was looking for a certain brand of hair grower but some small health and
wellness shops have closed or are nowhere to be found.
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| Items that are seen online are all exposed and spread out ready for your scrutiny. |
Good thing earlier I remember the girl I met in PNR
who offered to me to purchase a rub and massage oil for take-all 100 and said
she's a massage therapist. But not without much success, I gave 999 another
round and remastered the routes with the help of pasilios, only to
find more presence of health and sanitation products like facemasks and some
shops processing online orders from popular shopping apps.
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| Colorful and unlimited choices that make it catchy and festive to shop in Divi malls |
Going to 999 and 168 is somewhat a chance to
scrutinize the actual product as opposed to what is presented online. Like me, one can be lured to buy items like coffee tumblers. retractable hose. USB fan,
thin adaptors but scanning the quality could not be satisfying or measure up
with the price.
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| Reserve more time for discoveries as you get further and deeper in the alleys or pasilios. |
So I discovered a trick idea here before purchasing
online you can check the quality of products on hand. If you think the price is
just a little higher, you can do the purchase right away but if you think
it's cheaper online due to the sale pitch then hold it up. I guess some products online
are mostly sourced out here in Divi coming from some bodegas and warehouses
lurking nearby or in Binondo.
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| Look up and you get a green green paint of hope with Divisoria Mall |
After crossing Juan Luna into the seedier street
district, restlessness is thriving. A building with green paint that's
the Divisoria Mall is easier to navigate compared to unruly 999 and 168. This
mall housed the old and original Divisoria Market which occupies the basement
and was renovated some time ago. Recently it figured in controversy as the mall
was auctioned off to a new owner by the city government under Mayor Isko
amounting to billions to cover city expenses during the pandemic allegedly
without informing the tenants. So it looks like the mall will have its change
of admin.
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| Join the restlessness and uneasiness of Divisoria's robust street district |
Outside
the mall, it's another story of unexplained madness with the gathering of
patrons from the row of wholesale food ingredients until the perimeters of
Gindara known for its rows of kitchen housewares and supplies. Going further
across is the haven for vegetable seekers in Ilaya known as bagsakan or
dropping point, and for sure I needed a large plastic for my vegetable haul.
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| The legendary Divisoria Market is on the verge of reboot with a new admin |
I confess I must have brought my stroller with the
burdening weight of my vegetable haul, that's when I came across a stall to
quench my thirst..the ambulant stall that sells the trending magic water.. and
its transparency is its selling point.
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| The fabled magic water at last to test its trending taste |
With
refreshed electrolytes, I needed to advance into Tutuban to be back again in
the arms of PNR to catch the next train sked, and alas I made it. Aboard the
train, it put a wry smile on my face to survive and overcome Divisoria for the
nth time and I knew that adventure will always happen with the same divine
spirit as Divisoria was.
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| Get used to walking, no escalators in Divi walkway |
