Ermita, Malate business leaders want to revitalize historic districts

A group of Manila-based business owners is determined to bring back the luster and attraction of two of the city's historic districts, Ermita and Malate.

Once home to some of Manila's most prominent families, Ermita and Malate were known as the city's “bucolic” districts, “kasi medyo tahimik, medyo malalapad ang mga kalye,” said Augusto De Viana of the University of Santo Tomas History Department in a report on GMA's “Balitanghali”.

The two districts were changed forever in 1945, when they became “the epicenter” of the Manila massacre, said De Viana, “na kung saan mahigit isandaang libong mga Pilipino ang napatay ng mga Hapon."



Ermita and Malate were reborn as distinctly seedier places, notorious for their red-light districts. But now, the districts' business leaders are determined to rehabilitate them into more tourist-friendly places.

“Right now, the number one goal is to ensure public safety and security," said Michelle Pe, spokesperson of the Ermita-Malate Business Owners Association (EMBOA). According to the association, a survey it conducted found that security fears was one of the top reasons tourists gave for staying away.

One of the heritage sites in the area the group wants to rehabilitate is Rajah Sulayman Park, which has become home to homeless people, street vendors, and an informal parking area for padyaks (pedicabs).

EMBOA wants to create regulations for the area, but stressed that they do not want to drive away people trying to make a living here.

“We are not here to remove people from their work," said Pe, noting that the padyak is one of the main ways to get around in the districts. “What we want is to regulate them in a way that each barangay will have color-coding so we'll know if [the pedicabs are] crossing [into] the other barangays.” She added that the association is also thinking of providing the drivers with uniforms to appeal to tourists.

“We have so much treasure here,” Pe said. “If we're going to let go, it will continue to decay.” — BM, GMA News