MANILA, Philippines -- Each day, uncounted thousands commute South on EDSA, a Grand Canyon of concrete, glass, and billboards with hunks and babes extolling underwear, fast food and face lifts.  MMDA is busily planting saplings on cement sidewalks and palms under the MRT, but relief comes with the Pasig River and Guadalupe hill just beyond.

The giant billboards and beer joints formerly adorning the hillside are gone, revealing the pretty sight of swaying trees—now lush with the recent rains—and a statue of the Blessed Virgin with arms open as if in welcome to the Makati CBD.

Augustinians, the first religious order to arrive, must have boated up the Pasig and claimed the best site for a monastery.  Block out buildings, thicken the woods and today’s Guadalupe must be close to what Augustinians saw 400 years ago, a forest on a colinita (little hill) in the place they baptized San Pedro de Makati.

From monastery windows, one could see all the way to Intramuros, Manila Bay and the mountains of Bataán and Cavite; to the East and South, the Sierra Madre, Laguna de Bay, Talím Island and Mt. Susong Dalaga, Mt. Makiling; and possibly even Mt. Arayat to the North.

The monastery church was first dedicated to Spain’s Nstra. Sra. de Gracia and later to Mexico’s Nstra. Sra. de Guadalupe to whom was credited Latin America’s conversion.  Miracles were attributed to the patroness and the shrine attracted multitudes for 300+ years.  In the 1800s, it was center of an elaborate Chinese community fluvial festival in honor of San Nicolás de Tolentino and/or the August Moon that took place at about the same time.

The complex went up in flames in February 1899 in one of the early battles of the Filipino-American War.  Tropical jungle took over the ruins until the 1950s when its stone blocks were recycled for the Manila Cathedral.  The Augustinians built a new seminary on the site, replaced the roof of the old monastery church and re-dedicated it to Nstra. Sra. de Gracia.

The Heritage Law allows for “heritage zones” defined as “historical, anthropological, archaeological, artistic, geographical areas and settings that are culturally significant to the country …”  No one seems to have remembered the Colinita de Guadalupe.  It obviously is not historical enough with just one battle, anthropological enough with the long-ago devotions to La Guadalupana and San Nicolás, or geographical enough as high spot along the Pasig.

Planning authorities must have decided Makati needs more high-rises, less greenery and heavier blockage at the mini-cloverleaf that straitjackets traffic from and to EDSA from Makati and Pateros.  A giant tarp has therefore come up by J.P. Rizal, announcing condos coming “because you love the city.”

When these wondrous goliaths arrive on EDSA’s Grand Canyon, Guadalupe’s colinita and trees (i.e., whatever are not chopped down) may forever be out of sight.  Forced to choose between buildings and billboards, I’d say billboards.  At least you might see hot pics before the day’s grind—with luck, maybe boobs today and butt tomorrow.

Comments are cordially invited, addressed to walalang@mb.com.ph.