Being born and raised in Binondo, you may think that it would only be natural for me to grow up interested in the district's history. But honestly, I was not. During my childhood, I paid more attention to cartoon shows and "Sesame Street" than the stories and exploits of old Binondo. For me, Binondo was just another polluted district in downtown Manila.

But as I got older, I realized the need to know one's history and culture as they play an important role in shaping a person’s identity and personality. So, I began researching and read about the history of the Filipino-Chinese. I wanted to understand how the local history shaped and molded the attitude of the local Chinese community. Somewhere along the way, I began to gain better appreciation of Binondo. Not only did I learn how the district played a significant role in the shaping of the Tsinoy community, but also the vital role it played in the Philippine history.

Not many people are aware that Binondo was born out of necessity to appease the time's need for loyalty. As I mentioned in the "Parian" article, more and more Chinese came to Manila to serve the needs of the Spaniards. They had eventually outnumbered the Spaniards by twenty to one.  Becoming very alarm with the situation, they began fearing a possible invasion from China itself or a Chinese-led rebellion. Moreover, the constant intrusion of Chinese pirates in Philippine waters triggered these fears.

In addition, the hardship of converting the Chinese into Catholicism was also a problem. To solve this, the Spaniards first sought to convert and culturally assimilate them. While a number of Chinese agreed to be converted, majority did not. This led to Phase Two, which was segregating them from the rest of the population. So, in 1583, Governor General Gonzalo Ronquillo designated an area outside of Intramuros for the exclusive use of the non-Catholic Chinese, which came to be known as the "Parian".

But even so, the Spaniards were not satisfied. This led them to Phase Three, which was deportation. But a number of Spanish civic and religious leaders were against it. Knowing that if the deportation occurred, the colony's future would be in jeopardy.  Their solution was the creation of a Catholic Chinese <i>arrabal</i> or suburban town, which would not only address the loyalty issue, but would also keep the colony's economy running.

In March 24, 1594, Governor General Don Luis Perea Dasmarinas bought Don Antonio Velada’s hacienda across the Pasig River. Known to the locals as "Binunduc" (or "Minundok", meaning "hilly place"), the land was given to the Catholic Chinese in perpetuity, tax-free, and with limited self-governing privileges.  The adjoining village of Baybay was also acquired and was merged with it. Thus creating the sub-district of San Nicolas.

You may wonder why Binondo was made an arrabal rather than a part of Manila. That's because, during those times, only those within the walls of Intramuros were considered as parts of the city. Districts such as Binondo, Trozo (Sta. Cruz) and Quiapo were considered suburban towns and it wasn't till the end of the 18th century that these towns merged with Manila.

Back to the story, since the main aim of the Spaniards in Asia was to spread Catholicism, the Dominicans were assigned to evangelize the Chinese. They accepted the task, hoping that their work here in the Philippines would help spread their reputation to China and eventually, would open a door for them to minister inside. They immersed themselves in learning the language and custom of the Chinese in order to be more effective. 

When Binondo was opened up to the Dominicans, they immediately moved Hospital de San Gabriel (a hospital they set up for sick Chinese, Catholics and otherwise) from its former location outside the Parian to what is now Plaza Cervantes (on the same site as the former local head office of the Hong Kong Shanghai Banking Corporation). They also established a church at the edge of Calle Rosario near the Plaza Calderon dela Barca (today Plaza Lorenzo Ruiz).

Since the Dominican priests were devoted to the image of Nuestra de la Senora del Rosario or Our Lady of the Rosary, it was no surprise then that the new church and the arrabal would be dedicated in her honor. This would also explain where Calle Rosario (today Quintin Paredes) got its name from.

Oops! I think I better stop here before I go on rambling about the entire history of Binondo. That might take hours to finish. But as you can see, in studying the origin of Binondo, you can understand where the district's reputation for "creativing thinking" might have originated. Throughout its history, Binondo's residents seem to have this knack of finding the middle way, which will somehow appease everyone involved. As shown in this episode, with the creation of Binondo, the Spanish government’s need for proof of loyalty was appeased, as was the need to keep the colony's economy running and the Chinese need to earn a living.

In the months to come, I will try and share with you some more episodes and incidents in the Philippine history from a Tsinoy point of view. Hopefully, this will help us understand better why the local Tsinoy community is the way it is. We will also uncover the tale behind some of Binondo's landmarks, meet some interesting people, and maybe uncover a scandal or two.  Join me in this journey into the past!