Shopping in Manila

A fine art photo by Patrick Lucero of the Little Fishes in Mindoro's Coco Beach

An affordable shopping destination, Manila offers just about everything from native crafts to pearls. In handicraft stores vendors usually offer a ten per cent discount but the more persistent can get away with up to thirty per cent – and taxes are included in the price. In every shop (except larger department stores) the moment you enter you will be greeted with ‘Yes, ma’am’ or ‘Yes, sir.’ This is not so much a question, more a greeting to acknowledge you.

Fashionable and decorative bags made with their native materials.

On the jewellery front high quality pearls from the southern islands of Mindanao can be found at Virra Mall in Greenhills. Check with the security guard for the location of the pearl shops. The mainly Muslim female vendors are quite honest about whether the pearls have been dyed. Natural ones come in cream, black and gold and the selection ranges from irregularly shaped freshwater pearls to Mikimoto seconds. Top of the line South China Sea pearls are sold here too. Every month the merchants leave en masse to restock. So if this is the case return in a few days.

Necklaces and bracelets made from imported Swarovski crystals are readily available in Greenhills too from about US$ 30 a set. Particularly appealing are pearls with crystals. And if you cannot make it to Manila you can buy jewellery online from no less than former First lady Imelda Marcos. Check out HYPERLINK
«http://www.celebrityclothingline.com/brand/The_Imelda_Collection» www.celebrityclothingline.com/brand/The_Imelda_Collection for earrings, necklaces, bracelets, brooches, pins , combs and even cufflinks made from a combination of glass, beads and gold plated chains. For gold jewellery visit Ongpin street in Chinatown.

Paintings and artwork are another popular purchase and prices start at around $40. Check out the Galeria de Las Islas in the Silahis Centre in the historic Intramuros district. And in the online art department Japanese Filipino American photographer Patrick Lucero who was long based in Manila covering Asia has a large archive. He now sells his work as custom fine art prints to collectors through «http://www.cafepress.com/lucreative» www.cafepress.com/lucreative. Print price is $39.99 and subjects include stunning landscapes of Little Fishes in Mindoro plus Lake Buhi and the Agus River in Muslim Mindanao.

Facade of SM Mall of Asia

Filipinos possess an artistic flair which is perhaps most evident in their handicrafts. Here they use native materials to create aesthetically pleasing yet useful artwork. Baskets make good gift items and are increasingly popular for their back to nature allure. Made from indigenous materials – rattan, nipa, pandan and abaca – and reflecting a variety of regional designs, there are baskets to suit all purposes. Amongst the most sought after are dark, smoky coloured Ifugao backpacks as well as fishing traps and upright cylindrical fishing traps from Palawan.

In the native weaving department pineapple (pina), banana (jusi) and abaca fibres have a variety of uses, from kitchen table placemats to embroidered barong Tagalog (national dress shirts) for men and blouses and dresses for women too. If you are interested ask your hotel concierge to recommend a good dressmaker or tailor. Pina has recently resurfaced mixed with silk creating fashionable lightweight shawls for ladies. Tribal weavings are abundant too ranging from bold cotton blues and blacks of the northern cordillera region to the natural colours of Mindanao weavings which are similar to Indonesian Ikat designs.

Woodcarvings are a good and unusual buy too. Look for large bowls carved from a single piece of narra or Mojave wood. Anything carved from kamagong (mahogany) is sure to be more expensive. Gift cards made with handmade paper and dried flowers are delightful as is capiz shell made into plates, placemats and jewellery boxes.

Tesoro’s is one of the best shops for refined handicrafts such as shell work, fine wooden trays and embroidered clothing. It has branches in Ermita on Mabini Street and at the Landmark in Makati. Balikbayan Handicrafts’ main store is in Quiapo but it also has branches in Ermita, Quezon City, Alabang and Makati. And the aforementioned Silahis Centre also has a branch in Makati.

Manila’s antiques range from Spanish inspired ornate furniture to Korean medicine chests. Perhaps the largest collection is at Jo Liza Antique shop in Little Baguio. The antiques here include Chinese and old European furniture as well as a wide selection of antique reproductions and there are branches in alabang and Makati too. Other good places for antiques are Grandma’s Gallery in San Juan and LG Hidalgo Art and Antiques in Makati. Wicker and rattan furniture can be found in Manila but if you are a serious buyer head up to Abigail’s Handcrafted Furniture in Angeles City, an hour’s drive north of the Philippine capital.

Ilalim ng tulay, literally ‘under the bridge’, more specifically under Quezon bridge has long been home to Philippine native sundries, folk houseware and handicrafts. You can buy practically anything Pinoy in this market from the most elegant embroidered tablecloths with matching napkins to ladies natural fibre handbags, totes and mats. brooms, lamps and lighting fixtures. The next stop should be Manila’s oldest market, La Quinta, along Carlos Palanca street. It was recently renovated and its façade decorated with stained glass.

Along Carlos Palanca through the pedestrianised Carriedo and R Hidalgo streets there are still shops selling textiles, houseware and kitchen utensils. The old SM Shoemart Carriedo building where Chinese Filipino entrepreneur Henry Sy humbly started his empire can be found there. Since the SM corporate offices moved the place is now an SM clearance store with bargains aplenty to be found.

Native products on display in Rustan's Filipiniana department

In the City of Manila itself you will never run out of malls. Try Harrison Plaza (the capital’s original mall) or Robinsons Ermita. Both feature boutiques and department stores with a varied selection in every product category. And Rustan’s and SM Shoemart have excellent Filipiniana (local handicrafts) sections. The more adventurous may want to wander off to Divisoria and its neighbouring air conditioned cousin Tutuban Mall. Here you will find clothes, toys, cosmetics and home accessories at flea market prices. Go early in the morning when fresh inventory deliveries are made.

Manila’s Pasay City and Paranaque districts now have a whole new axis. What was formerly the South Area Reclamation Project has emerged as Bay City, the metropolis’ latest business, dining and shopping hub – and above all “cultural center” of shopping.

Take a taxi to the SM Mall of Asia (MoA). Or catch LRT 1 or MRT 1 to Taft Avenue station then hop on a jeepney headed to MoA along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and the new EDSA Extension. Alight at the roundabout with a giant bronze globe patterned after the Universal Studios theme parks in the USA. Cross the street and enter the mall, which, at 60 hectares is Asia’s largest shopping complex and the world’s third largest .

After checking out the hundreds of shops and restaurants move on to the Olympic sized ice skating rink or catch a movie at the IMAX theater. The daily mall footfall is around 200,000 and if you tire there is always the little tram which ferries passengers around. Two concierge desks will help you find your favorite store.

Next be sure to check out the program schedule at the open-air Music Hall or visit the Science Discovery Center. If you have kids in tow they will love the Dinos Alive World Tour, a recreation of the Jurassic Period with over 30 life-sized robotic dinosaurs. Here the young ones can also enjoy fossil hunting, games, quizzes, rock climbing and a dino inflatables playground.

After all that activity it is time get outdoors and stoll along the Esplandade fronting the Pacific Ocean. Known as Miguel by the Bay, the restaurants of this corner of Manila have recently become popular for dining and snacks. Choose from Balanghay, Uno Pizzeria, Chang Mai, The Original Hawaiian Grill. The latter is my favorite as it offers inexpensive Filipino dishes such as sinigang na hipon (shrimp soup) and Arabic style chicken with rice along with lots of salads and vegetarian dishes…plus Tex Mex staples.

In Makati property developer Ayala Land has redeveloped the upscale ayala Centre with five distinct sections incorporating open spaces and gardens with the original Glorietta and Greenbelt malls. Along with fancy designer shops such as Prada, Louis Vuitton , Bulgari, Ferragamo and Burberry you will find department stores such as Debenhams, the Landmark SM and Shoemart. Plus brand name boutiques including Espirit which this year brings back animal prints, ethnic patterns with a handmade feel in tunics, blouses and maxi dresses. Rustan’s flagship store can also be found here with brands such as Cartier, Tiffany. Nina Ricci, Ralph Lauren and Lacoste.

One of the most popular apparel brands in the Philippines is Bench. Locally owned, it caters to both men and women with clothing and accessories. And prices are affordable at for example $10 for a blouse. Designer Cora Jacob does excellent bags made with native materials. Another local brand Kamiseta retails fashionable casual apparel, footwear and accessories for the female 16-34 age group. Tyler too is another local clothing name with quality items at great prices. All can be found at the Ayala Centre.

And while in the area hop over to PowerPlant Mall, housed in – you’ve guessed – a former power plant. Its four level complex in a green city within a city has lately become popular with the growing south Korean community and offers a mix of speciality brands both local and international. Look out for Kenneth Cole, Mango, DKNY and Crabtree & Evelyn. And the latest star on the Manila’s shopping circuit is Eastwood Mall which boasts a Filipino movie star Hall of Fame. Don’t miss it and be sure to take or buy an extra suitcase. Happy Shopping!