Chinatown seeks to become tourist spot

MANILA, Philippines - The Chinatown in the Binondo district in Manila is being primed as a premier tourist spot in Manila.

In a multi-sectoral meeting attended by police, traffic and barangay officials and civic organizations yesterday, they discussed problems and solutions to lure tourists to Chinatown.

“Binondo is the only Chinatown in the world (that is) not visited by tourists,” said Ambassador Harry Angping who represented his wife, Rep. Naida Angping, in the meeting.

The stakeholders noted that Chinatown is clogged with parked vehicles, turning off potential visitors.

“No one wants to drive in Chinatown since they cannot find any parking area. The place teems with kuliglig (tricycles) and pedicabs,” said Joe Tan, founder of the South San Nicolas Volunteer Fire Brigade.

Manila traffic chief Superintendent Roberto de la Rosa said he will talk with City Hall officials to provide routes with parking spaces exclusively for tricycles and to regulate parking in Binondo.

Meisic police station chief Superintendent Nelson Yabut said he will put a temporary police outpost at the corner of Sto. Cristo and P. Guevarra streets to maintain peace and order in the crime-prone portion of Binondo. He also reported that the police had already rounded up a number of vagrants and solvent users in the area.

Rep. Angping also plans to put up a two-story police precinct on San Fernando street to protect the almost 25,000 students in the five elementary schools in Binondo. – Nestor Etolle