Philippine E-Journals

A Preliminary Construction of the Optical Mediascape of Quiapo (Manila): Integrating Actual, Virtual and Augmenting Realities

Brian Saludes Bantugan

Discipline: Information Technology

 

Abstract:

Quiapo is a well-known district of Manila, Philippines. It is famous for its historical landmarks, such as the Quiapo Catholic Church and the center of other cultural activities.

Nowadays, Quiapo is now linked to media and digital economy. The emergence of this activity is regarded as the biggest problem underlying the district.

This study however, aims to redirect attention away from such prejudicial modes of thinking about Quiapo. Recognizing that with the Internet new ways of knowing have become available and digital technology has created a new economy that is bound to affect culture, new areas of investigation have now become apparent in studying a place, such as the optical media landscape of Quiapo. This also goes with the image of Quaipo which aggravated the stigma of Muslims.

To accomplish the said goals, this research aims to describe Quaipo at two levels—its physical dimensions and its cyberspace extension and the processes that make those descriptions possible.