After nine months of rehabilitation, the Manila City government opened the newly-renovated Lagusnilad Underpass on Aug. 24.
[READ: Newly renovated Lagusnilad underpass has Baybayin signs but not all netizens are happy about it]
The underground walkway now has closed-circuit TV cameras, murals created in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and NCCA Gerilya artists and a dedicated space for one of its fixtures secondhand bookstore Books from Underground.
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Established in 2010, Books from Underground is owned by Aj Laberinto. The bookstore sold secondhand books and hard-to-find titles at the underpass before it was displaced in 2019 as part of Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso’s cleanup operations.
After securing a business permit, the local bookstore is the only business allowed to retain its spot at Lagusnilad Underpass. Bookshelves have now been erected at its old space, prominently displayed as you walk past.
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“We are allotting the only vending space here to Books from Underground. We renovated its old space to make it cleaner and easier to do business. But for others, there will be a strict no-vendor policy,” Domagoso said.
Laberinto also shared how he was looking forward to reopening the bookstore, despite not being able to see the students who regularly visited the store.
“Sayang nga lang walang pasok siguro matutuwa at maninibago ang mga estudyante na muling madadaan dito,” he added.
Header photo courtesy of Department of Tourism, Culture and Arts of Manila
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Writer: ANGELA PATRICIA SUACILLO
