Binondo Church

     For centuries before Spanish colonization, early Filipinos have been trading freely with the Chinese and other nationalities. Historical records show that our ancestors on board their balanghais have reached as far as Madagascar. So it's  no small surprise that some of the Chinese traders who stayed in Manila for longer and longer periods of time would end up marrying the charming Filipina lass.

     Despite skirmishes with Chinese pirates and irate Chinese traders who've been taxed no end by the ruling Spanish colonizers, the community known as the Parian grew to become Binondo as  the displeasure and disenchantment with the "lowly" Chinese by the Spanish peninsulares would cause their settlements to be transferred across the Pasig River.

     This hilly area across the Pasig River was known as "Minondoc" which eventually became known as Binondo. It was a small hamlet with inlets from the river. It was here that a new class of Chinese mestizos arose and they were to be the noveau riche of an emerging social strata whose wealth was based on trade and commerce.

        The entire Chinatown is 66.11 hectares and composed of 10 baranggays. The Dominicans first undertook the conversion of the Chinese settlers. Naturally most of the traders who were single or who travelled sans their wives would eventually seek female companionship. Most of them ended up marrying the indias. This gave rise to the emergence of the mestizos de sangley. It was necessary to have churches built since the sangleys were allowed to marry the Filipinas but only if they were converted to Catholicism.

     The church of Nstra. Sra. del Rosario was constructed in 1587 and renovated over the years. At one point, the church was ordered destroyed by the Spaniards as punishment after the Chinese sided with the British in 1762 and eventually rebuilt to house one of the oldest icons of the Philippines; the Nstra. Sra. del Pronto Soccoro (Ina ng Biglang Awa).

     Most of the Church's architecture follow its original High Renaissance Italian architecture was destroyed yet again after the bombing of Manila in WWII but was restored immediately after. Only the church's octagonal bell tower was spared. the church's facade is decorated with pilasters and a circular window at the pediment.

     These days, the church is a Basilica Minore in honor of the first Filipino-Chinese saint, San Lorenzo Ruiz. He served as an altar boy in the church and was martyred on a trip to Japan along with eight other people. Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo was a Chinese mestiza who spent her life in service of the poor around the area of Binondo. It is said that she died immediately after receiving the Eucharist in Binondo Church. While Andres Bonifacio sold fans and walking canes in the Plaza Calderon dela Barca  (now Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz). Eventually, he married Gregoria de Jesus in the very same Church. Ramon Ongpin's art supply store El 85 was right across the Plaza where Jose Rizal and Juan Luna would hang out and buy their art implements/materials...