Nostalgic walk thru Manila's landmarks

By the GO NEGOSYO team

Through the labyrinth of historic Manila, Carlos Celdran and his continuous unraveling of the mystery behind the former Muslim settlement immortalize the beauty of the city that has seen it all.

With a black top hat, a headset, a collection of photographs of colorful personalities who have contributed to Manila's lasting legacy and a CD player that croons feel-good music in the background, Celdran is suited up for his performance of the day. With several tourists in tow, he starts his “class” by welcoming foreign day-trippers at the parking lot of the San Agustin Church. Despite the scorching sun, his flamboyant personality, wit and humor immediately impart a sense of comfort and excitement for those who will be Manila-ized for the first time.

“First and foremost, I am a performance artist,” Celdran said when asked about what exactly he does for a living. That explains the in-character costumes and entertaining quirks on his tours which have earned him a great following over the years. Having gone through prestigious schools like the Rhode Island School of Design and internship with the Blue Man Group, a well-known theatrical act in New York City, arts and theater have become signatures of both his chosen field and his very existence. He also worked for the Philippine Heritage Conversation Society which has influenced his putting history and culture on top of his tour agenda.

Today, he's a one-man ensemble for his “Walking Manila Tours” business, bringing his own personality and his love for “everything Manila” to the fore.

“Without much capital investment, really, only charisma and ‘people skills' can help make a difference in this line of work,” Celdran noted. “Eventually, you can also make great change in the society even if you're just one person.”

A control freak, as he admits, he has progressed for so long without having to shell out big bucks and without having to depend on anyone but himself.

In his online journal, Celdran defines Manila as “a city of extreme contrasts that it's easy to see how it can become an intense personal experience.” He deemed that Manila can be “chaotic and spiritual, dirty and divine, gritty and gorgeous all at once.” And if nobody can recognize the city's splendor and poetry, “you will never find it anywhere.”

“The more I talk about Manila, the more I talk about myself,” he said. “Manila has become my passion, my art. I wanted to create something that would really define it and I'm lucky to be given that chance to do so.”

His most celebrated tour, and admittedly his favorite, is walking the remarkably nostalgic grounds of Intramuros. Replete with stories and memories of significant events in the past along the many architectural ruins and preserved structures, Intramuros best embodies Celdran's meaningful mission of highlighting forgotten tales and mysterious beauty laid underneath mounds of rubble, bringing about the richness of our country's culture.

The Spanish influences that have become a prevailing atmosphere in the Walled City underline the city's uniqueness that was once, and forever will be, Ciudad Insigne y Siempre Leal (“Distinguished and ever loyal city”).

Other itineraries and destinations of Celdran Tours are Escolta and Quiapo and the North Side of the Pasig River, and the Do-It-Yourself Tour: Evangelista Que Linda, an afternoon tea and window shopping in the flea markets of Evangelista Street in Bangkal, Makati.

Celdran also noted that since the Philippines is always portrayed to be poverty-stricken, pathetic and ugly in most films, theater productions and other art forms that make a huge mark in the eyes of the world, Celdran strives hard to strip away the negative representations by unveiling the country's beauty and strengths.

“We have a beautiful culture that we can be proud of,” he said. “The problem is they think of the Philippines as a product that needs to be sold. No amor. They don't think of it as an overall structure that people can enjoy without having to pay a package deal,” he said.

Treading the historical path, then, was his way to go. For just P300, one can experience a worthwhile historical trip far from the humdrum classroom environment. There are no strict or boring professors, only a jolly and funny tour guide well versed in the legacies of the Spanish conquistadors Miguel López de Legazpi, Juan de Salcedo and Martín de Goiti.

For his unique and “exploratory” contribution to Manila's strong entrepreneurial force, Carlos Celdran will be awarded as one of Manila's Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs, to be given by the Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship (PCE) at the Go Negosyo sa Manila slated on Sept. 7, 2007 at the Philam Center for the Arts, UN Avenue, Manila. The Go Negosyo sa Manila is part of the ongoing Go Negosyo Caravan spearheaded by Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Jose Concepcion III.