Tutuban Gets Accredited

Even before 168 or 999 or 1188 came into existence, there was TUTUBAN MALL!

If you're a weekend Divisoria denizen like me, you know that Tutuban was the very first all-in-one shopping mall that had scores and scores of tiangge style spaces leased out to retail traders. Then other establishments in the area followed suit. 

The original building right smack in the center of the mall complex is actually the original building that rose up in the area to serve as the railway station of the Philippine National Railways. Built in 1892, the railway began and ended in this area. The Toot-toot of the trains affixed with the name of an instrument that made the same sound, the Tuba eventually was coined to give the area its name... Ergo, Tutuban was born!

Directly across the street where the former train station was erected is the home where Andres Bonifacio was born and raised. It was also a few blocks adjacent to the Mall where Andres founded the Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangan'g Katipunan was founded. Andres eventually came into the Filipino consciousness and convinced our forefathers to rise up in arms against Spain.

Incidentally, there is a monument to honor Gat Andres Bonifacio in the center of the Tutuban Mall's entrance. The monument depicts the hero in a thinking man's position and the monument is surrounded at the base by a sun that represents the provinces convinced by Bonifacio to rebel against Spain.

The station had been relegated to disuse when the PNR eventually stopped operating. trains as mode of transport had virtually died down. So the idle building lay in waste until it was renovated and restored but this time as a shopping area. Two other building complexes were constructed flanking the main building on each side to accommodate more vendors. The rest is, as they say, history.

Fortunately, the re-purposing of the Tutuban building has paid off. No less than Asec. Victoria Jasmin of the Department of Tourism has granted the establishment of Tutuban accreditation as an official tourism establishment and a tourist attraction in the country. This is in line with the Department of Tourism's efforts at promoting the country as a top tourist destination.

All three buildings offer a range of items for sale. Each level has aisles of merchants selling everything imaginable: apparel, fashion accessories, shoes and bags, intimate apparel, novelty items, toys, home decor, food... you name it...