Five years ago, during the early days of the site, the Urban Roamer wrote about the Christmas spectacle at Policarpio Street in Barangay New Zaniga in Mandaluyong, Being my first time to visit the place, I was amazed at the spectacle some of the houses there showcased there, undoubtedly done with such meticulousness and dedication for the love of the season.
With so much that has happened to the Urban Roamer since then, this Christmas season was a good opportunity to revisit the neighborhood and see what has changed, if any, since that last visit.
It did not take long to notice those changes the moment the Urban Roamer was in the neighborhood as there is now this lighted neon sign at the street’s end welcoming visitors which has been called now the “Pasko Pasko sa Policarpio.”
Another noticeable change now is the presence of a bit more commercial activity, as there are now some food stalls and some toy vendors in place.
There is now a sort of a fun area along the street where visitors get to have their photos taken with Mickey Mouse.
And of course, the brightly decorated houses, (still the same participating houses as the last time) including the good old “house of lights” and the “House of Santa” right across it, which is now inhabited by more Santas now than I remembered the last time.
It’s nice to know that the Christmas tradition along Policarpio Street has showed no signs of fading, despite the challenges the community has faced. That should leave an assurance that the Christmas tradition in Policarpio Street would be around for more Christmases to come.
