Silahis Center

By: Lance Angelo E. Argel

Overview

Further down southeast of General Luna Street from San Agustin Church sits a historic three-story souvenir shop. Silahis Center is a well-known source of local handicrafts and furniture in the city and is a tourist attraction in itself. It inspires a deeper appreciation not only of the local culture and artistry but also of the indigenous communities. Silahis Center is a multi-storey shop that sells antiques and Philippine arts and handicrafts. With its wide selection of artefacts, an entire floor serving as an art gallery and its location in a beautiful old building in the Walled City of Intramuros, the shopping experience is more like visiting a museum than a store. Entrance to the store is free and you’re welcome to browse around.

Sales staff are not aggressive and won’t make you feel pressured into buying anything. If something does catch your attention, you can call one of them over, at which point you’ll find them to be polite and attentive. Silahis Center aims to provide an insight into the lifestyle of the Filipino people, especially during the Spanish colonial era. You’ll find a huge collection of intricately woven baskets made from rattan and wood, fashion accessories crafted from freshwater pearls and shells, household items made from indigenous materials, wooden furniture, and a lot more. If you're looking for souvenirs to bring home or just anything to remember your trip by, this is an excellent place to shop. Silahis Center also has sections featuring old publications and prints, paintings and sculptures, textiles and ceramics, and other cultural knick-knacks. Make sure to also include Silahis in your Intramuros tour!

First floor products

The first mostly contains wooden products such as a kamagong .

Second floor products

The second contains antiques and ornaments such as this WWII era typewriter which cost about 50,000 ₱ .

Third floor products

The third contains mostly books.

History

Established in 1966 as Silahis Arts and Artifacts, the business produces a wide variety of locally-made products which showcase the heritage of the Philippines and its peoples. Silahis Center was built in Intramuros in 1985 for the purpose of making Filipino heritage known throughout the country and around the world through various arts and crafts. The culture and tradition of the indigenous people greatly reflect on the products of Silahis Center, which are mostly made of traditional materials, like wood, bamboo, and plant fibers, and manually designed with intricate patterns.

Reviews

Manilatraveler

"All of the products inside the Silahis Center are interesting, a mix of a little bit of the old, the traditional, the conventional and the modern. These are the kind of stores that we really should have more of. Places where every nook and cranny has something to tell, a surprise to give and an interesting experience to share. I guess, these are really those places where Manila still keeps a tight hold of the past and reminds us of our heritage."

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Silahis Center