ONE never truly knows the extent of his strength and dexterity until he binge-shops at Tutuban Center, and then see how many stuffed multicolored plastic sando bags can hang on his curled fingers. In no other situation in life does the pinky hold a higher purpose.
Located at the “shopping mecca” that is Divisoria in Tondo, Manila, the bazaar complex offers an extensive variety of products to fill those thin plastic totes with, including fabrics and textile, house décor, toys, gowns and more—all at a delectable wholesale price that can go even lower depending on the shopper’s haggling skills.
In August last year it was reported that property giant Ayala Land Inc. had purchased a majority stake in Prime Orion Philippines Inc. (Popi), the owner and developer of Tutuban Center. The deal (a 51-percent interest in Popi for P5.6 billion) was formalized in February, and by April, renovation efforts on the 25-year-old property commenced. Almost half a year later, Tutuban Center was relaunched just in time for the holiday season.
What then are the changes to be noticed first by the public in this refurbished shopping hub?
“It’s clean, it’s air-conditioned, it’s secure,” new Prime Orion Properties Inc. President Junie Jalandoni said at the late-morning event.
People who have been to Tutuban may think that it’s a stretch to apply these adjectives to a place where there’s an unwritten rule to dress down in the name of comfort and safety, but to this, new Tutuban Properties Inc. President Rowena Tomeldan offers a clear-cut solution to address concerns.
“The best way to check on that is if you go here now,” the executive beamed. “It’s a customer different experience, one that we didn’t have before in Tutuban Center.”
Parts of the renovation include the upgrade of building exteriors, refreshed interiors and the improvement of signages, LED lighting, comfort rooms and air-conditioning. Also a point of emphasis in the project were addressing ancient concerns, such as Tutuban Center’s parking space, with 150 parking slots in the Recto parking area added, as well as the execution of a smoother pedestrian and vehicular circulation throughout the development, which expects an average foot traffic of 50,000 on weekdays and an additional 10,000 on weekends.
As for security concerns, Ayala Malls Group Business Development and Strategic Planning Group Manager Hamm Katipunan said, “We want Tutuban to be the safest part of Divisoria.”
He added that the training and equipment of the property’s 147 security guards were bolstered and 300 CCTV cameras were installed to stiffen the security around the area—especially when the night market welcomes the holidays.
Tutuban Center Deputy General Manager/ Operations Head Norie Raniel said Tutuban Center’s night market runs all year round, starting at 6 pm with around 400 stalls. But during peak seasons, this number rises to about 500. “We have all types of products, from food to nonfood selections, and it’s setup along the streets of the complex.”
Inside of it, what’s new is the Prime Block Clusters on level 3 of the enhanced Prime Block building. “Shoppers will find improved merchandise zoning in this area,” Raniel said. “For phase 1, we have 175 stalls with an approximate size of 11 square meters per stall.”
Occupying most of this space is Anding’s Toys and Flowers Inc. at 317 sq m, which is good for around 18 stalls. The store originated as a toy shop in Tabora Street in Divisoria around 50 years ago and since then, its offerings have expanded to giveaways, holiday ornaments (Christmas décor for as low as P6), and gardening items (stems of synthetic plants tagged at P10), among others.
But among all the improvement efforts in the property, chief among them is the preservation of Tutuban Center’s rich history in transport and its connection with Andres Bonifacio, who was born in the district. Regarded as the Father of Philippine Revolution, he is honored with 12 canvas artworks in the East Loop of the mall that depict his life, and a monument across the property’s Main Station, formerly known as Center Mall.
This brick building is considered a heritage site as part of the original Tutuban Railway Central Station Building built in 1892, when trains plied from Tutuban to Dagupan City. Its colonial brick walls and century-old iron pillars were repainted according to the heritage color palatte. “We hope that, even in a small way, more visitors and shoppers can gain an appreciation of the history behind this great shopping destination,” Raniel said.
It is also in the Main Station where the Tutuban Center’s food court can be found, a culinary center where Binondo’s popular food finds converge, including El Presidente, Kikiam ni Ilaya, King’s Bakeshop and Eng Ho. “We will soon have other popular Binondo and Divisoria food and restaurant brands here,” Raniel added.
While much has been done over the last couple of months on the property, Jalandoni said, “There’s still much more to look forward to,” pointing that they have only occupied 8 of the 20 hectares Tutuban Center leases from the Philippine National Railways. And with the property set to accommodate the transfer station of the P287-billion North-South Commuter Rail project, which will connect Tutuban to Laguna and Albay, he added that “this is really one of the major efforts of Ayala Land to help urban revitalization and urban renewal.”
What’s more, Raniel assured that, despite all the upgrades made and the potential yet to be realized in Tutuban Center, the prices of the products in the bazaar hub will remain untouched. “Tutuban Center has built relationships with over generations of shoppers and merchants. We know our market and we are committed to providing the best experience for them and for our merchant partners.”
Here’s to hoping that your pinkies continue to hold up.