Food and Travel
FeedNFeet
TERESA: Proud Place for PUP!
Teresa Street, a connecting lane to PUP Santa Mesa’ s main campus, has always been an all-around site for student’ s needs and everyday meeting place.
The street is said to be named after the wife of Don Gonzalo Tuason( or Tuazon) from landed Tuason family which owned wide tracts land which happened to include Santa Mesa. And yes, it is also known as the maternal bloodline of the former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo.
Teresa St. is also notable for being the only remnant of Manila’ s street pedestrianization program initiated by former Mayor Lito Atienza. Originally it was intended that the street not to be opened to any vehicular traffic. But somehow the rules were somewhat softened as vehicles ply along the stretch of the street from time to time. Besides, there is not much a regular flow of vehicles in this street, save for some pedicabs passing by. Teresa St. has always been mostly a street for foot traffic.
Given its proximity to PUP, it is not surprising to see various businesses that have put up shop in this part of town. Internet shops, food stalls, school supply retailers to name a few. Given also the market, mostly students coming from the middle or lower classes, it is a good place to find cheap food fare as well.
There used to be establishments located just right across PUP that have now been demolished as part of the modernization plan of the Philippine National Railways. These“ homes along da riles” may have long gone but the iconic image of the train passing along Teresa St. still remains a part of the everyday life not only of the residents but also of the students, faculty, and employees of the campus who pass by this quaint little street.
Charlene Anne Lauchengco: September 28, 2013
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