English: There is more than one arches in the place now, aside from the aforementioned. The new Chinatown arch, having been established in 2015, is a tall landmark just a block away at the foot of the bridge. Often symbolic of the entry to the world’s most ancient Chinese community outside of China, the Filipino-Chinese Friendship Arch also stands to represent the harmonious assimilation between two Asian cultures.
The Binondo district of Manila is the oldest Chinatown in the world. Its beginnings can be traced back to the late 16th century when Chinese traders were pushed to isolation from the Spanish colonists in Intramuros. This led not to their downfall, but rather the complete opposite—the Chinese immigrants have since flourished and completely integrated into the Filipino society.
The Archs represents a strong cultural and historical ties of Filipinos and Chinese, whose streets boast an unmistakable ambiance of an ancient town filled with feng shui stores, drug stores, and delicious restaurants.