Coexistence of Religion and Commerce: Integration of Sacred Spaces within

Commercial Buildings in the Philippine Metropolis

by Marie Stephanie N. Gilles1 and José Edgardo A. Gomez, Jr.2

Abstract

The recent decades have been witness to the ever-increasing level of consumerism in highly-urbanized spaces,
particularly in the mega-cities of Southeast Asia. In the Philippines, which had been the bastion of the Spanish
empire and the cradle of Christendom in the Far East, the traditional stand-alone churches sited in the plazas as
regulated by the Laws of the Indies have been gradually replaced by chapels integrated into commercial spaces as
alternative nodes of worship. This study will endeavor to explain the socio-cultural factors that have led to this
phenomenon as embraced by Catholic Filipinos, a manifestation of the coexistence of commerce and religion, to the
point that it has become part of the lifestyle of many families residing in the metropolis. Primary data has been
gathered from direct interviews, focused group discussions and photographic material. Desk research, mapping
inventory and secondary data have been used to make an architectural analysis of the features present in
contemporary sacred spaces, particularly Catholic chapels in commercial structures such as shopping malls and
office buildings. This research shall tackle the implications of such change, i.e., of urban focus from the plaza to the
mall, the introduction of the commercial complex, its impacts, advantages and disadvantages, as well as how such
evolution would affect the religious practices in the country today.

Keywords: coexistence of religion and commerce, consumerism, chapels in commercial buildings

1Master of Architecture degree holder, University of the Philippines; Principal Architect, SNG Design Enterprise;
[email protected]
2 Associate Professor, University of the Philippines School of Urban and Regional Planning, PhD holder, Na onal
College of Public Administra on and Governance, [email protected]
ti
ti
Introduction and Approach Combining the theoretical problems of religion and
urban space, one then arrives at the larger issue of
The gradual but hell-bent commercialization of the commodification of religion, of whether there
highly-centralized urban spaces in Metropolitan remains any propriety or durability in the idea that
Manila, capital region of the Philippines, has been religion and commerce might become bedfellows,
manifested in the proliferation of shopping malls, or employ one another’s strategies in their drive to
which offer an increasingly comprehensive range of permeate the city. This may be recognizable in the
globally-competitive merchandise and services. form of the already acceptable commodification of
The spread of consumerism in such cities of Pacific the pilgrimage experience in many European cities,
Asia has taken off in the last three decades, as where the toured objects (i.e. sacred sites, oft
exemplified by the expansion of global franchises Roman Catholic) must offer both the authentic
like McDonalds, KFC and Starbucks from almost experience and yet be within reach of a convenient
nil in the 1970s (Douglass, 2006), to near ubiquity tourist amenity (Belhassen et al, 2008). Yet it may
in centers like Jakarta and Manila. Since the 1980s, also take the form of more non-traditional forms
many commercial edifices, which form the apex that extend beyond physical space to the virtual
hubs of retail trade in every Philippine city, have world, such as the usage of mobile phones,
come to incorporate churches and chapels to serve geographic information systems and internet to call
the congregants of this predominantly (about 80%, Muslims to salah, or prayer five times a day and to
per NSO, CIA World Factbook) Roman Catholic point them in the direction of Mecca, in much the
nation-state, one of the two—the other being East same way that Christian televangelists, say in the
Timor, largely Christian polities in Southeast Asia. United States, have been broadcasting their sermons
The integration of such spaces of worship seems to through television in the last three decades or so.
have evolved from the adventitious afterthought to More to the point, market rationalities appear to be
the more deliberate integration of prayer areas— increasingly employed by religious and quasi-
including in the last decade, spaces for a growing religious groups, such as in the selling of products
minority of Muslim shopkeepers in the less-upscale and services of the New Age—an extensive
malls. Augmenting sociological descriptive alternative lifestyle milieu in which an array of
method with photographs, this study spatially teachings and practices are aimed at the
analyzes the location and inter-functionality of transformation of the person in areas like
these urban spaces, which on the one hand may be spirituality, healing, affluence, relationships and
repulsive to the more conservative church-goers, environment (Redden, 2012) All these are offered
but which may be a welcome to the others who gain to consumers without a central doctrine or
from several conveniences associated with the authoritative guiding body, which may appeal to
“one-stop-shop”, such as savings from some as a practicable alternative to mainstream
multipurpose trips and the chance to use a religions, but to others as misleading rubbish, or
serendipitous place for repose. It looks as well into even spiritually hazardous material which competes
the narrative of the architects of such space, and for space and followers in the urban setting. Thus
concludes with a discussion on how such seeming we arrive at the springboard for this research: the
conflations of the sacred and profane in the question of how religion and commercial spaces are
developing world straddles the discourses on built, rationalized, and maintained in a particular
religiosity interpenetrating workaday space and the Southeast Asian setting, given the backdrop of
sensitivity of co-locating traditionally sanctified literature that discusses the different ways in which
space and the banality of shop agglomerations. the phenomenon can be viewed as either
harmonious or conflicting, or something in
Review of Related Literature between.

Problematizing the Mall and Sacred Spaces (Pahl,

2007; Fabijancic 2001; Stringer, 2008; Crouch
2010)
Historic Perspective: The Siting of Churches and the Advent of the Shopping Complex

It is necessary to touch here briefly on the migrants, and thus consumers, often from rural
historical practice of siting religious structure in the areas. In the Philippines, old market districts that
Philippines, in order to appreciate how the focus of had been served by horse-drawn carriage like
urban spaces has shifted from a church-centric to a Escolta Street near Chinatown were soon
CBD (commercial business district) centric abandoned in favor of the car-friendly Central
location. Many old Philippine cities trace their Business District of Makati City, Metro’s Manila’s
founding to Roman Catholic missionary-cum- premier business location and a haven for
military activity starting after 1565 and guided by expatriates that was developed largely by the
the Spanish colonial Laws of the Indies, which Spanish-Filipino Ayala family beginning in the
specified the layout for a plaza complex, in which 1980s and closely rivaled by the aggressive
the church was often a key anchor point and the Shoemart (SM) group of the Chinese-Filipino Sy
center of community gathering. Such colonial family. Other less prolific department stores were
settlements were often spaced a day’s march or ride also built starting in the 1960s by wealthy tycoons,
apart, depending on the ability of both missionary- often of Sinic ancestry: Rustan’s (1951, Tantoco
priest and conquistador to cover terrain—although Family), Ever Gotesco Mall (1972, Go Family),
the rapid spread of the soon-predominant Landmark (circa 1980, Cheng Family), Robinsons
Catholicism was no less than phenomenal, given (1990, Gokongwei Family) and still other malls by
that Islam and traces of Hinduism had a century’s Filipino clans, such as the Araneta Center Cubao/
headstart in the southern part of the country Ali Mall (1976, Araneta Family), Harrison Plaza,
(Corpuz, 2004). (1976, Martel Family), Greenhills Shopping Center/
Virramall (1966, Ortigas Family & Partners). By
While the spread of religion can be attributed in the 1990s, a secondary CBD had developed in
some measure to the zeal of missionaries, others Metro Manila in the Ortigas area, straddling Pasig
argue that its retention and propagation over time and Mandaluyong cities, although Makati has
were due as well in part to receptiveness by the retained its dominance. All these developments
native population, whose polytheistic beliefs, in resonate with what Douglass (2006) calls the
certain aspects, matched the folk Christianity taught “malling” of the capital cities of Pacific Asia, which
by the Spanish clerics along with mainstream he says took off since the mid-1980s, and cites the
doctrines (Macdonald, 2004). By the time the recent example of Jakarta where in 2002 alone, 20
Philippines first won its independence from Spain malls were being constructed. In a similar vein,
in 1898, and thereafter, from the United States in others have observed how the gradual globalization
1946, it could be said that the urban landscapes over the last three decades has been socially
were punctuated by nuclei composed of churches of transformative not only of economic status but of
mostly Catholic provenance, with a strong showing media and political participation as well, such that
of Protestant structures introduced largely by the new middle classes have emerged in Southeast
Americans, as well as indigenous Christian Asia, able to thrive under relatively soft
denominations that would later proliferate. By authoritarian conditions (Clammer, 2006). The
1975, the urban growth in or near the capital had same author goes on to say that the readily-
been consolidated by law into the region called observed result is a generation of consumers who
Metropolitan Manila3. wear ready-made clothing, eat at fastfood outlets,
and read fashion magazines. Anecdotal evidence
It was not too long after reconstruction from the and field observation tend to indicate that families,
Second World War that commercial districts began especially in the Philippines, spend weekends
to evolve into their modern form, given the growth strolling in the shopping malls, notwithstanding the
of primate cities—notably the capitals of Southeast presence of parks where they might otherwise be
Asian states which attracted massive influxes of exposed to the hot tropical sun outside. Because so

3
much has thus come to revolve around buildings or neighborhoods of thoroughly
consumption, it then comes perhaps as no small commercialized urban areas in the Philippines.
wonder that even religious services have been
influenced in this fashion, either to bridge the gap
or respond in innovative ways to the spiritual needs
of a growing market. It is in this context that one
can begin to appreciate how and why chapels are
becoming more acceptable to many as part of the
Findings
Of at least a dozen exemplary representatives Fig. 2. Landmark Makati Chapel
throughout shopping malls in the metropolis,
five chapels were chosen here to show the
range of integration styles: (1) Santo Niño de
Paz Chapel in the Greenbelt Ayala Center,
Makati City; (2) Mary Mother of Hope Chapel
in The Landmark [5/f],

Makati City; (3) Chapel of the Eucharistic Lord

in the SM Megamall [5/f], Mandaluyong City;
(4) Chapel of the Holy Family in Virra Mall,
Greenhills Shopping Center, Mandaluyong
City; and (5) the Harrison Plaza Chapel in the
City of Manila. The sites are referred to
hereinafter by the malls in which they are
located.

Fig.1. Greenbelt Chapel dedicated to the Sto. Nino

Fig. 3. Chapel of the Eucharist (SM Megamall) Fig. 4. Chapel of the Holy Family in Virra Mall

Physical Layout and Integrative Design

4
All these shopping malls, without exception, local parish and the shopping mall owner?
provide the requisite separation of sacred space and Apparently, there may be several reasons, not all of
spaces for normal consumer activity. This is done them related to the desire to worship. To begin
in the form of some sort of buffer or vestibular with, it is not forbidden for individuals to build
space, ranging from mere distancing and tucking their own private prayer sites. However, when they
into a second floor alcove of the mall (Harrison choose to open or share the same with the public,
Plaza), to insulation by a landscaped waterway then ideally, permissions should first be sought
planted with lush vegetal screens (Greenbelt Ayala from the pertinent Diocesan office of the city—in
Center), and to vertical separation of a dedicated this case, the Archdiocese of Manila. One of the
floor (The Landmark Makati). This is consistent authors experienced this challenge when
with commentary from the literature on the commissioned by a mall owner to design a chapel
expected designing-in of centrality and exclusivity, prior to seeking guidance from church authorities.
as well as a clear sequencing of spaces that Eventually, as the chapel neared completion, the
privileges the place where religious activities take mall owner relented and allowed for some
place (Hassner, 2003; Barrie, 2012). The different instruction from the priest under whose parish
degrees to which the space is distinguished ambit the Makati chapels were administered.
however, do not appear to be uniform, with some Interestingly, the proprietor was not a Roman
sites clearly set apart, while others share floor space Catholic, but clearly saw the need to respond to the
with nearby shops. majority faith of the shoppers. Regarding this final
sensitive issue, it was then decided by the parish
The design and positioning of the sacred space has priest in consultation with his superiors, that the
to be compliant with liturgical guidelines, such as wisest move would be to accept the owner’s offer
ideally, having a well-defined separation from for turn over nominal control of the premises to the
profane activities, and preferably the chapel should parish, rather than have him approach (or be
occupy the highest elevation or most privileged approached by) rival non-Catholic denominations,
vantage point in the site. This latter points were for instance the Victory Christian Church and the
complied with in the case of SM Megamall and Born-Again Christians of the Christ’s Commission
Greenbelt Ayala Center, though not with the others. Fellowship, two wealthy sects with growing
In terms of integration to a wider setting, it is congregations.
notable that the presence of the chapel and the
schedule of masses is always adequately posted, Other administrative considerations include the
often in more than one location—say at one of the determination of territoriality; that is, under which
mall entrances or the concierge, and of course near parish shall the chapel fall under? This is especially
the chapel. Paths and or elevators and stairs lead to important to ask in a CBD where several malls may
the chapels, and some effort is made to match the opt to build religious spaces for their weekend
exteriors to other nearby structures in terms of color shoppers—as doing so would be impossible to
or surfacing material. Although it is not the focus of attend to bodily by a single priest. Thus it was that
this paper, it will be noted that a similar physical one key informant interviewee-priest emphasized
separation is afforded to Islamic worshippers, who the need to inform the authorities early, to
often hold kiosks in the older malls. In their cases discourage proliferation of pseudo- or semi-public
(e.g. Virramall and Harrison Plaza), there are prayer religious spaces. There were at least two
enclosures provided in far corners of the malls, considerations here: (1) that a thriving community
where the Muslim men may practice salah and of worshippers had to be present, otherwise
otherwise congregate. commonly referred to as the critical mass, and
Administrative, Liturgical, and Consumerist/ consequently that (2) sufficient tithes and donations
Congregant Aspects had to be available for upkeep of the chapel. In
many cases it was apparent from the finery of the
Perhaps more interestingly, the authors asked, what spaces that the shopping mall owners were
makes these arrangements possible between the themselves willing to absorb all or a substantial
5
share of maintenance expenses such as water, not mixed with any other type of activity apart from
lighting and air-conditioning, as well as security those of a religious nature. In some cases,
services, which were routine cost items for columbaries, funeral chapels or baptisteries are
department store operation anyway, although situated at the lower floor, but never on top of the
perhaps on a higher notch in terms of security nave or altar. In cases where this is not entirely
coverage, considering the sacred nature of the possible, as when the sacred space is located below
places to be guarded. another floor, care should be taken to ensure that
the tabernacle and the altar are covered by a niche
As another significant factor, it was mentioned by or canopy as additional roofing that somehow acts
the same interviewees that the phenomenon of as a shield. The rationale of having the worship
chapel location in malls was also a means of space occupy the top floor is also representative of
reaching the faithful. He said: “If the people will the highest places of honor due to and befitting of
not come to the Church, then the Church must come God who is the Supreme Being.
to the people.” Literally, then, the chapel served as In terms of ownership and land use, informants did
a vanguard or a bridge, spreading its will through confirm that a wholly-donated property was
space, to paraphrase from Georg Simmel, as preferable to a leased or “borrowed” chapel. In the
expounded by Erickson (2001), who emphasized preceding cases, sacraments allowed to be
how Simmel saw the social and physical performed in the chapel would have to be limited to
environment shaping and in turn being shaped by those not requiring extensive record-keeping, such
spirituality of the citizens. This, as a strategy of the as the celebration of Mass or regular Communion.
Roman Catholic church in the Philippines would But for purposes of building and anchoring a
appear to be an effective means to stave of the community of worshippers, as in the case of
dwindling of worshippers otherwise experienced in establishing a parish, a permanent site would be
Europe and the United States, where an erstwhile required, which would necessarily have to be
aloof clergy saw itself becoming peripheral to the church property, especially for baptisms,
mainstream concerns and devotions of Western confirmations, and marriages.
youth. In the Philippine context, the chapel might Legally, such places for religious practice and other
thus be seen as a controlled means of popularizing charitable causes are privileged in the landscape in
the religious experience by including it in the so far as Article VI, Section 28 Part 3 of the
commercial spaces where people tend to spend their Philippine Constitution of 1987 provides:
leisure hours. “Charitable institutions, churches and personages
or convents appurtenant thereto, mosques, non-
Urban Space and Legal Considerations profit cemeteries, and all lands, buildings, and
improvements, actually, directly, and exclusively
Beyond architectural details, it is instructive as well used for religious, charitable, or educational
to situate the religious space as it functions in the purposes shall be exempt from taxation.”
larger urban context. While the design and Moreover, it was noted that the neighborhoods of
positioning of the site must always be compliant the chapels and churches themselves were
with liturgical guidelines to maintain a well-defined relatively hospitable and free from conflicting or
separation from profane activities, it must also disturbing adjacent activities. This is easily enough
preferably be at the highest elevation, as is done in regulated inside commercial districts, which are in
the case of SM Megamall, though not for the other truth subtly controlled by a variety of devices from
sites. An alternative to this is command of a central CCTV cameras to security guards and the natural
vantage point, as in Greenbelt Ayala Center, where turnover of businesses following economic booms
the chapel sits, nest-like and surrounded by and busts. Unlike in other cases, there appears to
commercial buildings. be little open conflict over land usage or religious
groups, of the kind where urban spaces are
Traditionally, churches are set apart from other contested, negotiated and expropriated by different
structures, ensuring the exclusivity and dedicated social groups—especially in prime metropolitan
space for the purpose of worship. The fact that they areas, like New York, for instance (Pae, 2008).
are single detached edifices ensures that their use is Nevertheless, in the Philippine context, the Roman
6
Catholic church must remain constantly active even and other rabble who had grown accustomed to
in the spatial sense of asserting urban territoriality, loitering by the temple steps [Book of Matthew
in order not to lose its followers to the 21:12-13]:
proselytization of various Protestant and indigenous And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who
Christian sects. sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned
the tables of the money-changers and the seats of
Analysis and Discussion those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is
The Church as a Market Player written, ‘My house shall be called a house of
prayer,’ but you make it a den of thieves.”
Looking beyond the profit-driven hosting of What is more apparent, therefore is that an
chapels by mall-owners who wish to entice the opportunity for engagement exists, and the RCC in
public to do all their weekend activities within the the Philippines has been quick to decide that
shopping area, and noting the admission of local rapprochement and gratitude is the better initial
clerics that such an innovation (or compromise, as strategy to take with the prosperous mall-owners, to
purists would argue) is necessary to reach the be followed later by more reminders and
congregants, one may realize a re-engineering of exhortations according to the more stringent aspects
traditional roles. More specifically, we see a of dogma that may require architectural
drawing in of the religious into the rules of the modification and land donation.
market game, in order to maintain its “spiritual
sharehold” over the masses. In the Philippines, In the case of the SM Mall of Asia, it was a
with over half of the population under 30 years of response of the business tycoon and owner of SM
age (NSO, 2013), the Roman Catholic Church Malls to the challenge posed by the late Pontiff,
(RCC) must indeed remain quite vigorous if it Blessed John Paul II, when he came over to Manila
would not wish to lose significant segments of its for the World Youth Day in 1995. It is a fulfillment
faithful to rival congregations. This is not the first of the Pope's dream to have a center for the young
time in its 2-millenium history that the RCC has people, which he expressed in his message that
faced this challenge, and in the modern age, its focused on Jesus as the Way, the Truth and the Life.
acolytes have had to learn different means of From this, the shrine got its name. The Shrine and
marketing strategy and “service delivery” for sacred Youth Center is a project of His Eminence Jaime
sites, as in the case of pilgrimage tourism and Cardinal Sin, the Archbishop of Manila whose love
edifice maintenance, especially in Europe, where for the Youth reflects that of the Pope. The land and
money is tight, worshippers few, and tourists many the church was donated and built by Mr. and Mrs.
(Shackley, 2000). What is being competed for here Henry Sy, Sr. of the Shoe Mart Group of
is not the consuming public per se, but that same Companies. It was consecrated and dedicated on
public in so far as it is also an actual or potential July 9, 1999 by His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin
mass of followers sought by those who proffer with the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Antonio Franco,
enlightenment and salvation—not to mention the Ricardo Cardinal Vidal of Cebu, the Archbishops
tithes that are necessary for the material and Bishops of the Philippines and the People of
propagation of any religious group. God especially the young. It was during the
Eucharistic celebration held at the reclaimed area
The preceding argument, however, begs a converse beside the Manila Bay when it was announced that
view, for the sake of thoroughness: might one not the Archdiocesan Shrine of Jesus, the Way, the
say that it is the mall-owners and businessmen who Truth and the Life was to rise precisely on that site,
are becoming religious? While it is not too far- which is now aptly called the Pope John Paul II
fetched to conjecture so, the authors point out that Youth Center at the Reclamation Area in Pasay
the physical movement is towards integration into City, a fitting monument to the unprecedented
CBDs, and not vice-versa. Indeed, as far as the attendance of the Holy Father's Mass in Luneta
RCC is concerned, accommodating trading Park, wherein more than six million people from all
activities within the hallowed ground of the church walks of life and from all corners of the world,
is anathema to worship, as recalled from the gathered to celebrate the Holy Eucharist with the
account of Jesus Christ throwing out the merchants Pope. Preparations for the design and layout of the
7
shrine were made simultaneously with the master bidding, even if it does cause more traffic as it
planning of one of the biggest malls in Asia. But swerves to curbsides for alighting and boarding
due to the sense of urgency in responding to that passengers. So it is then, with prayer life—at least
call, this shrine was built immediately and was in its more superficial forms; the average
dedicated on July 9, 1999, just four years after the congregant would prefer to have a house of worship
announcement. Majestic and elegant as it was, the nearby, as this would allow him or her to
Baroque-Czechoslovakian inspired shrine stood tall economize on trip costs, not to mention make that
against the backdrop of the Manila Bay, the lone easy mental shift from consumer to devotee, and
structure and the first stone established in this back again in time to watch a movie. There is
erstwhile commercial complex. Now, after 13 years, nothing irreverent about this spatial mingling—
a host of other structures and buildings compete for certainly it is more formal than even the earlier-
attention, e.g., the SMX Convention Center, the SM mentioned wayside shrines of Christians and
Mall of Asia with all its shops and business Hindus in Goa, or the Buddhist iconography and
establishments, and yet, the Catholic faithful m i n i a t u r e - t e m p l e s t h a t a d o r n B a n g k o k ’s
continue to flock to this Shrine to hear Mass and urbanscape. As long as the chapels are sufficiently
participate in the various sacraments and festivities separated in terms of physical space, and their
hosted there. activities marked by scheduled times, then a
functional coexistence prevails in the malls, and by
extension, throughout the metropolis. As proof of
effectiveness, an interviewed priest remarked that
during certain holidays, it is actually the malls that
become the most sacred places, as Filipinos flock to
attend to their religious duties for matins, midday,
or vespers service, and treat themselves and their
families thereafter to a good meal. Religious
practice thus becomes truly festive, as enhanced by
the proximity of the mall’s delights.

Theological Aspects: From Designing Chapels to

Fig. 5. Archdiocesan Shrine of Jesus the Way, the Embodying the Sacred Celebration
Truth and the Life (SM Mall of Asia Complex)
Weaving Religiosity into the Urban Fabric Ultimately, the authors come to the problematique
posed by Mcnamara (2005), who argued against
From a broader perspective, the phenomenon the using liturgical architecture as a mere starting point
church-in-a-shopping-mall demonstrates a weaving towards a design theology, but rather for
of religiosity, however tentative, into the urban considering the entire phenomenon from the
fabric itself. As architecture and site planning are christocentric point of view of the believer, so that a
means of cultural production and reproduction profound theological aesthetic can be derived. That
influenced by a socioeconomic context (Jones, is, if the chapel is, and really should be a
2009), its expression in religious spaces reinforces presentation in sacramental form of the Heavenly
the ideas and beliefs of the society in which it is Jerusalem and the Banquet of Christ as Bridegroom
practiced. There is, in this sense, a tacit acceptance to the faithful church-as-community rather than a
of the phenomenon, or at least no widespread mere ornamented shell, then this research opens the
violent reactions—the purists, after all, can still go door to further questioning along the lines of: (1)
to the ancient cathedrals and churches that stand does the shopping mall, by extension, become a
proudly in the cities. As a cultural phenomenon, it complementary space, in so far as it makes possible
is not unusual for the Filipino to prefer convenience the multiplication of a celebration that is immanent
at the cost of fudging boundaries; other icons, like with supernatural—if not divine character? Or does
the noisy and nimble jeepney, for instance, is an the shopping mall in any way defile or detract from
amalgamated public transport mode that drops this reality because of its inherent nature as a
passengers on and off nearly anywhere at their market space—even one that accommodates other
8
 religions simultaneously? The simplest answer experimentation in such projects, with each
would be neither; the mall is but a designed space memorandum of agreement tailor-fit to address the
with several boxes—department stores and specific needs and peculiar terms and conditions of
services, all clustered to favor the profitable one- the stakeholders, often with little regulatory control
stop-shop concept, and indifferent to whatever either from the RCC or the local or national
meanings and symbolisms may be imputed to its government, for the simple fact of its being an issue
spaces by various sects. It therefore becomes a originating from the private realm but benefitting
neutral space for potential contestation by religious and flowing out to the public sphere.
groups, at least in so far as their activities do not
transgress the limits of civil courtesy observed in
the malls (e.g. on dress codes, prohibitions against
preaching, etc.) and herein lies an entire gamut of
issues where boundaries begin to blur and collide. Conclusion
While the authors cannot authoritatively rule on the This research sought to describe and analyze
finer points of conflating theology and market spatially and administratively the phenomenon of
economics here, it is sufficient to say in closing that the integration of chapels in the shopping malls of
clearly, an interpenetration of the sacred and the predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines. By
profane has been allowed by both sides, who see comparing data on history, location, and
reasonable mutual benefits in the arrangement. The architectural/site features of these places of worship
continuation of such practices has some important in relation to commercial spaces, the researchers
implications regarding religion and urban space, at have been able to draw out certain initial patterns of
least in the Philippine context, whose trends would design and spatial relations, as corroborated by
be interesting to follow in the future; namely, (1) liturgical guidelines. By looking at the decision-
that such spaces shall continue to blend as making and administrative responsibilities needed
permitted by the society at large, in so far as for such chapels to thrive as centers of prayer
physical layout and behavior taboos are observed, amidst the seeming profanity of market spaces, the
such that shopping malls may not be the only non- authors have shown that market-like elements of
traditional sites to incorporate chapels in the future; competition and customer-orientation drive the
(2) that there is latent conflict that may become phenomenon, which interestingly preserves the
more explicit as other Christian denominations minimum requisites for maintaining the
jostle for “market” share and as the population dimensions, symbols, and approaches to a
demographics change; and (3) in response to the community’s sacred ground.
foregoing two items, there will probably be a need
to make more explicit liturgical guidelines
regarding such phenomena, as interviewed priests
have admitted that there is a quality of
Developmental State, and the Globalization of
Space in Paci ic Asia”, Paci ic Affairs, Volume 78,
Number 4, 543-558.
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