In a time of floods and traffic, Manila gives its residents much to complain about. But Diego Torres loves it enough to give free walking tours to show what history and beauty in the city remain and must be preserved.
Efforts by heritage activists like Torres have stopped demolitions and restored the grand dame of Manila, the Metropolitan Theater, an art deco marvel.
He also shares personal connections to the city, like how his grandparents met while both were working in Escolta when his future lolo spied his future lola through an office window.
He explains why the proposed Pasig River Expressway could rob the city of its famous vistas and offers an alternative vision — one that is pedestrian-friendly with a revived streetcar network called the tranvia and museums devoted to Manila’s fashion, architecture, and military history
Efforts by heritage activists like Torres have stopped demolitions and restored the grand dame of Manila, the Metropolitan Theater, an art deco marvel.
He also shares personal connections to the city, like how his grandparents met while both were working in Escolta when his future lolo spied his future lola through an office window.
He explains why the proposed Pasig River Expressway could rob the city of its famous vistas and offers an alternative vision — one that is pedestrian-friendly with a revived streetcar network called the tranvia and museums devoted to Manila’s fashion, architecture, and military history
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Good day, Podmates! Howie Severino again,
00:03 with a guest who wants to revive Manila
00:07 as the president of the advocacy group, "Renasimiento Manila".
00:12 It's Diego Torres.
00:14 Is his mission an impossible dream?
00:17 Good day to you, Diego Torres!
00:20 Good day to you all.
00:22 Good day, Sir Howie.
00:24 Thank you for joining us, Diego.
00:26 "Renasimiento" means "renaissance" in Spanish,
00:31 or "rebirth" in Tagalog.
00:34 Your Instagram account states that
00:38 "Renasimiento Manila" aims to usher in
00:42 a cultural rebirth in Manila.
00:44 The Pearl of the Orient, Queen of the Pacific.
00:47 That's the brand he used before.
00:51 He still uses it.
00:52 Now, both of us know Manila, Diego.
00:55 You work there. I've lived there.
00:59 So we and millions of others know what we suffer.
01:04 It's not easy to live and work in Manila.
01:06 But let's start with something positive for a change.
01:10 So, I want to ask you a question, Diego.
01:12 What is there to like or even love about Manila?
01:17 What is it that we love or I love about the city of Manila?
01:22 Well, basically, first and foremost, you have the history of the place.
01:26 Especially if you're well-read or you know much about history.
01:30 Today, there may be mundane or dinamic buildings.
01:34 But there used to be significant places there.
01:36 For example, if you're just passing through Loton,
01:40 it's just a crossing of traffic, for example.
01:43 And yet, if you know history, you can imagine it in the 1600s
01:46 as the Chinatown area of Manila or the Parian.
01:49 Or if you walk to Binondo or Avenida, imagine the parades that went there.
01:54 Another is the rich tapestry of architecture.
01:59 So from historical events, you have your architecture of the place.
02:04 Meaning, preserving these buildings are physical stories of a city,
02:09 its cultural exchanges, its growth, the passion of men and women
02:14 and everyone who were part of the development and progress of the city.
02:19 And then, of course, there's the environmental beauty of the place.
02:24 Of course, sometimes Manila is gray, we imagine it like that.
02:27 But if you know where to look, you can see the Pasig River, for example.
02:32 The parks, the trees, the avenues, and the walkways, especially in Ermita.
02:38 The Ermita area, where you have some areas, UN Avenue, for example.
02:42 You still have patches of those areas with trees.
02:45 And there's a character.
02:48 Diego, people listening might be snickering a bit at your observation
02:54 that Manila has environmental beauty.
02:56 And so, maybe some are asking, where is the environmental beauty of Manila?
03:00 I mean, where do they go to see it, specifically?
03:04 Specifically, in terms of to see that beauty of Manila,
03:07 you have actually parts of Fort San Diego, for example.
03:11 It's one of the greener areas of Intramuros.
03:14 And then you have the gardens, actually, around Intramuros.
03:18 Because you have the walls, yes.
03:20 But there are gardens there, the Asean Garden, for example.
03:24 Even the three-line pathways which surround the golf course.
03:29 Actually, it's like a tree that surrounds the golf course in Intramuros.
03:33 Or like a secondary frame to the walls when you're passing by.
03:38 But another area where you get to see that is the Pasig River.
03:42 Taking the ferry going north, going east, for example, from Escolta.
03:47 You realize the islands there, the birds living in those areas,
03:52 like Isla de Provisor, Isla de Convalescencia.
03:56 These are two islands near the Malacanang Palace compound.
04:00 So you get to see the greenery of those areas.
04:02 So, what made Manila distinctive?
04:07 Why was it so popular back then?
04:10 Now, globally, no one will say Manila is such a beautiful city.
04:15 But back then, it was called the Pearl of the Orient.
04:18 Jose Rizal, who was very critical of a lot of things,
04:21 would wax poetic about the Pasig River in particular and Manila.
04:27 So, what made Manila special?
04:30 I think because for the most part in the Southeast Asian region,
04:35 we already have population centers by that time, important trading ports.
04:39 However, Manila develops as a global trading port from the 1600s onwards.
04:46 So, it cements itself in terms of knowledge,
04:49 not only to some Western counterparts of Europe, for example,
04:53 that they get to know, yes, these goods,
04:55 these Asian goods that are coming from them to the Americas
04:58 or from the Americas towards Europe,
05:00 are coming from port city known as Manila, in the East.
05:04 And then Manila develops as an entrepôt, a mixture of influences.
05:10 We have the Asian, you have the European aspect,
05:13 and then of course, you have the American,
05:15 more or less the Latin American,
05:18 and then later the North American influences mixing in.
05:21 So, it's a cosmopolitan city.
05:24 So, not just the architecture, but in the food, for example,
05:27 in the music, the literature, everything.
05:32 And gradually, as the world becomes more open to international tourism
05:39 and international trade in the 19th century,
05:41 Manila was already at one of the developed cities in terms of its ports,
05:46 its facilities, its capacity of taking in and welcoming, actually, tourists.
05:52 So, it was one of the main stops going around Southeast Asia,
05:55 going around the Asia Pacific region.
05:57 So, it became a place in the eyes of the world.
06:05 The American period, for example, you get the development further of the city.
06:12 At that time, yes, Hong Kong was also developed,
06:16 but Manila had a longer history in terms of connection to the international world.
06:22 And then you have other cities, as well, Singapore, they're developing.
06:25 That was only during World War II,
06:28 cuts to the history or cut short the development of the city.
06:31 But up until that point, from the architecture, the business opportunities,
06:35 it was like a window to the West for many of the Asian countries that surrounded it.
06:41 So, what are your favorite parts of Manila, personally?
06:45 Well, of course, number one would be Intramuros.
06:49 Without Intramuros, I wouldn't be in love with Manila itself
06:54 because that's where I lived with my father before, and my family before.
06:58 And that's where my interest in history started.
07:01 So, I like it the most because if you see that it's one place where you have those old stone buildings
07:08 and the old churches, the character of the area.
07:11 And when you have someone who could tell you history and bring it alive,
07:16 it becomes very interesting.
07:18 You imagine, for example, that this wall used to look like this.
07:24 So, it's there too.
07:26 To the stories of my family, that's how Intramuros came to life.
07:32 Aside from Intramuros, another place I like is the Pinondo area.
07:37 Because there, the character and flavor of the place is different.
07:41 You have architecture and food as well.
07:43 One of the friends of Finesimiento told us, Dr. Fernando Chalcetano,
07:48 the melting pot, the element of cosmopolitan nature of Manila in the Pinondo area.
07:55 So, as a child, you were told a lot of stories about Manila by your family,
08:03 your older family members.
08:05 So, what's the story of Manila that stuck with you or that you'll never forget?
08:11 Well, although our family was living mostly near Manila, like Pasay,
08:16 Mandaluyong, work and life brought them to the city.
08:20 So, for example, to my grandmother, I was able to hear the stories about the pre-war city.
08:28 How, for example, crossing the Pasig River to the Colgante Bridge,
08:32 which was still around during her childhood.
08:35 The wooden bridge, it was a suspension bridge, one of the first in Asia.
08:40 So, looking down, you see the river, the water of the Pasig River to the slots of the wood.
08:45 And then the tranvias as they go around the city.
08:48 And she also told me the stories about the Second World War,
08:51 or the hardships of being stuck in the city during the Second World War,
08:55 the scarcity of resources and the destruction that you could see from afar.
09:00 They were one of the lucky few because they were able to leave Pasay,
09:02 they moved a month before the fighting happened in Sampaloc.
09:07 So, when the fighting did take place, Sampaloc was liberated.
09:11 Then, of course, through her, and stories of my father,
09:15 the escort that I met my grandfather and grandfather,
09:21 actually, they were looking out of the window of two buildings that were still there,
09:25 the Don Ramon Santos building and the Regina building.
09:29 So, my grandfather was able to see my grandmother from the other side,
09:31 and eventually, my grandfather went to the other building and invited my grandmother for lunch.
09:37 That was their start.
09:38 What were they doing in those buildings?
09:40 Well, they worked there.
09:42 My grandfather was working with an advertising firm.
09:45 He had graduated during 1942 from UP.
09:50 He was in Fine Arts.
09:51 He didn't have a distinct career at the time.
09:54 My grandmother was a secretary for a congressman from Pangasinan.
09:59 So, she was working there.
10:01 And then, she was there sometimes, looking out of the window.
10:04 She didn't know that she could see her grandfather from the other building.
10:08 Then, eventually, my grandfather went to the building.
10:13 He was looking out of the window.
10:14 He was getting my grandmother's attention through a signage that had her number on it.
10:19 And then, afterwards, he went over to invite her to lunch.
10:25 That was their story.
10:27 My grandfather, my grandmother, were on my father's side.
10:31 And I'm lucky enough to hear that story because my grandmother was still alive.
10:36 So, she was 94.
10:37 So, I already knew all of the stories from her.
10:41 Yeah.
10:42 So, Diego, one reason why I asked also, aside from being gossipy, is this happened in Escolta.
10:53 In Escolta, of course, most people, most Filipinos now don't know the significance of Escolta.
11:00 But before, during that time, it was like the commercial center of Manila.
11:07 Wala pa yung Makati noon, Ayala, BGC was still science fiction pa noon.
11:13 Or if people were even imagining it.
11:16 But Escolta was the reality for people who wanted to shop.
11:20 Panahon pa ni Rizal.
11:21 That's where people went to buy a lot of maybe luxury goods at that time.
11:29 So, ano yung significance ng Escolta, Diego?
11:33 Well, the great significance of Escolta was its development as the primary commercial
11:38 address of Manila.
11:40 The Americans actually called it the Main Street.
11:43 Kasi parang sa mga old towns ng America, siya the Main Street, which is basically yun yun
11:47 nandun yung mga major establishments.
11:49 And the development of the Escolta was spurred in part by actually the Pasig River because
11:55 nandun yung ports.
11:56 So, it made easier yung selling na imported goods, as well as locating your shops there.
12:03 Kasi kung mayroon ka shop doon, it was close enough to the ports so some of the businesses
12:08 like the British, for example, and the French would locate themselves dun sa calle Escolta.
12:14 And since nandun yung commercial activities, the banks, the insurance companies would eventually
12:18 also locate themselves nearby, dun sa Juan Luna Street, which was just a stone's throw
12:23 away from Escolta.
12:25 And then, the other commercial establishments like yung mga theaters, yung mga movie houses,
12:32 they would locate themselves dun naman sa Avenida.
12:34 So, connected siyang lahat.
12:36 And it is because of Escolta in Binondo that you have the downtown area of Manila.
12:42 And dun sa Escolta, bebenta yung mga, for example, the first bicycles, you have the
12:47 first showing na moving pictures, as well as yung mga first cars.
12:51 So, dun the first ice cream parlor was located dun din sa Escolta.
12:56 Pero ka-important yung street na yun.
12:58 So, nung panahon ni Rizal, pinupuntahan ni Escolta for some of those things, no?
13:04 Yes.
13:04 Yeah, alam ko, nauso yung bisikleta nung panahon ni Rizal.
13:08 So, we can imagine Rizal walking over to Escolta from his school in Intramuros and walking
13:18 around like parang dumama siya, like a typical high school or college student now would do.
13:25 So, kailan ba yung heyday or golden age ng Escolta?
13:30 How long was it like the center of commerce in Manila?
13:35 Well, actually, as you mentioned, sir, si Rizal has witnessed it.
13:39 And because during their time, the bridge, hindi pa dun yung bridge, eh kung nasin Jones
13:43 Bridge, the bridge directly went to Escolta itself.
13:46 And in Nolli, may kita nyo kung ganoon yung kakabisado yung lugab kasi he mentions, for
13:50 example, yung mga buildings that used to be located there.
13:53 So, by the time that Jose Rizal was writing in the 1880s, he was talking about Escolta
14:00 primarily in his childhood, 1870s, it was already an established address.
14:04 So, it started becoming an important place around the early 1800s with the opening of
14:11 the ports, so international trade, so you have people coming in.
14:15 And then, diret-diretsyo siya hanggang Second World War.
14:19 Hindi naman automatically pinatay ng World War 2 yung business sa Escolta, but its days
14:25 were numbered.
14:25 From the Second World War up until the 1960s, mayroon pa rin namang mga new construction,
14:31 business could still locate themselves in Escolta.
14:34 However, with the development and opening of Makati, dun sa Ayala Avenue, Makati Central
14:40 Business District, it provided our businesses kumbaga better area to build new offices.
14:47 Kasi yun yun man, limited yung space nila talaga sa Manila and masikipun naman talaga
14:53 because you're talking about streets that are 300 years old.
14:56 So, they started moving there.
14:57 So, anong condition ngayon ng Escolta?
15:00 What's happening there now?
15:01 Because I know some of these old buildings are still there.
15:06 Well, to look at Escolta now, for example, from what it was during the 50s, even the 1930s,
15:12 tahimik actually yung Escolta.
15:15 Ipang wala ka makita yung activity that took place before.
15:18 And many of the establishments, the primary establishments are gone.
15:23 Wala na dun yung mga talagang mahalagang stores.
15:26 Most of them have moved out.
15:28 Ang pinaka-active lang na building dun sa area is the first United Building because there's
15:32 the presence of the artists there and due to the owners of the buildings, the Silvian
15:37 Teng family, very supportive of rehabilitating the building and reusing it for other purposes
15:45 and their offices there.
15:46 But aside from them, the rest of the street, tahimik and some buildings are endangered
15:52 like yung Capitol Theater, which since last year has been in the center of a battle kasi
15:58 gusto i-demolish yung entirety of the structure.
16:02 Based on the condition beforehand, because it was the work of a national artist, it was
16:06 done by Juan Napil.
16:08 He was the one who designed the building.
16:09 Kailangan i-preserve yung tower of the structure.
16:12 Pero the developer last year started demolishing the entire relic inside the tower in violation
16:20 of agreement with the National Commission of Culture and the Arts.
16:23 So apparently nag-appeal sila and then of course nag-usap kami naman.
16:27 And ang gustong pagawin ng NCCA is of course i-preserve nila, i-restore nila or ayusin yung
16:33 sinirahan nila tapos i-gawin part pa rin ng building na itatayo nila.
16:39 So yun yung pinaka-init, yung sa Osa Peninsula, yung Escolta.
16:44 Pero just a few blocks away from Escolta, which we still consider part ng Escolta area,
16:51 is yung El Hogar building.
16:52 Binubulok actually yung building doon, which is sad kasi yung dalawang katabi niyang building
16:57 bine-restore.
16:59 At yung isa na-restore na, yung 1919 Cafe, yung sa former HSBC building, and yung first
17:04 City Bank of New York building na bine-restore to be a, they said, going to be a hotel.
17:09 So nakakalungkot na yung isa sa major buildings, which by the way is one of the first skyscrapers
17:14 in Manila, ay nagti-decay na siya.
17:17 So yun yung dalawang major buildings na binabantayan namin sa area ng Escolta, at saka to some
17:25 extent yung Juan Luna side.
17:27 Q: So what does it take to preserve and restore these old buildings versus just allowing them
17:37 or watching them get demolished?
17:39 A: Yung great challenge of course on our part as advocates is first and foremost to educate
17:45 people about the importance of the buildings.
17:48 Kasi dahil di, dahil maganda silang tingnan, matanda na sila, automatically para sa mata
17:54 ng mga tao it's worth saving yung mga buildings na ito.
17:58 Then talagang pagiging mapagmatsyag, vigilant in terms of developments in this structure.
18:06 So yun yung isang ginagawa talaga namin to our networks, kasi di lang kami nasimuyan
18:10 ito Manila yung 3K, we have other partners such as the Evitage Collective, Manilenos
18:15 for Heritage, among others.
18:17 We have that network of concerned individuals who report to us or report to each other whenever
18:23 there are developments.
18:24 So these are also volunteers, advocates, passionate individuals na who know the values of these
18:30 places.
18:30 And then once we monitor these developments, approaching the cultural agencies about what's
18:37 happening in order for it to be either studied or to be demolished, or if there's a demolition
18:44 to stop sila yung mga agencies natin.
18:48 So we could also talk to the developers kasi di necessarily ready, makipag-usap yung mga
18:52 owners, mga advocates for example, kahit pa wala naman initially talagang panggaan.
18:58 Of course, sinasabi nga namin natin na hindi naman natin automatically kalaban ang mga
19:03 developers because we have to remember these buildings were also part of the process of
19:07 development ng Lungsod ng Manila in the past 200 years.
19:11 However, we want to preserve as much of the identity of the city as a shrine in these
19:16 buildings na hindi siya magbura in the face of new construction.
19:20 So finding a balance, yun yung mahalaga.
19:24 And ready naman yung mga advocates, makipag-usap to educate and inform ito mga developers if
19:30 they're ready to listen as well.
19:32 Yeah, kasi a lot of money is at stake here.
19:37 Developers, they're business people, right?
19:41 So how would you convince them that preserving a building would be more lucrative for them
19:48 than demolishing it and building a much higher building where they could make much more money?
19:56 Gano'ng kalaking challenge yun?
19:58 Ito yung gusto namin makita kahit sa field sa heritage advocacy, making heritage economically
20:05 viable and attractive para sa mga developers.
20:09 So for us, developing a framework and a plan in terms of heritage-based development, key
20:15 areas of the city that you could develop, for example, na may mong heritage character
20:20 and culture and tourism.
20:21 Of course, yung di mo naman siya may implement sa lahat ng parts ng city.
20:26 May areas talaga that you have to give to the developers in order for to balance nga
20:31 yung development.
20:32 But there are important areas like yung Quiapo, Escolta, Intramuros secured naman naniya
20:38 yung samili niya.
20:39 Pero may maibang eras, San Nicolas, for example, wherein a certain balance could be done.
20:45 For example, where it's feasible to save the entirety of the structure, we must save the
20:51 structure.
20:51 Where it's possible to reuse the building, reuse the building.
20:55 But if there are conditions, for example, based on surveys done as well by our cultural
21:00 agencies na talaga kailangan magkawang na either partial demolition of the buildings,
21:06 dun buka pass ko yung sapina what do we save and once we do it, how respectful can we be
21:13 to the history or the character of the building.
21:15 It's not ideal for an advocate.
21:18 But as an advocate, we also need to see yung compromises without compromising the key philosophy
21:26 and principle of what we're trying to do.
21:28 So, kasi mayroon talaga realities na kailangan ibabalan siya.
21:33 Although ibang usapin, for example, kung mayroon ka mga condominiums na tinatayo, malapit
21:36 for example sa mga simbahan, sa mga heritage zones, for example.
21:40 Kasi ano na yun, yun yung mga zones na talagang hindi na laga muna for protection.
21:46 Ibang usapin siya kung gray areas pa yung mga lugar na yun.
21:50 Case to case basis siya kung baga.
21:52 But yes, the importance of dialogue naman yun nasa heart.
21:56 One primary means of educating by your group are these heritage walks that you also lead.
22:04 How effective do you think those have been, yung heritage walks ninyo?
22:09 The heritage walks started in 2021, primarily actually as part of the campaign regarding
22:15 the Pasig River.
22:16 So, because it was the one thing that we can do, is to bring people to this area so they
22:23 get to experience the places themselves and makita na ma-appreciate the place.
22:28 So, may mga iba iba kami mga targets for that.
22:31 First and foremost is bringing people to these places, getting a large number of people to
22:38 those places.
22:39 Secondly, to sustain a level of tourism activity in those places.
22:45 Kung baga gagawin mo siyang facet and part ng buhay ng community na may tours na regular
22:52 na umiikot sa mga lugar na yun.
22:54 Parang laying the foundation na ay, those are tourists.
22:58 And we've seen yung effect niya sa Quiapo as well as of course yung Pinondo area.
23:04 In Tramuros, given na yun kasi in Tramuros is a hub for tourists so sanay na sila.
23:09 But in the Quiapo area, for example, when we do our tours, for example, because as much
23:14 as possible every month kami may walks sa Quiapo, kahit yung mga tano doon, yung mga
23:20 barangay officials, yung mga bahay, pag dumaban yung group, alam nila agad na, "Ah, yan yung
23:26 nagtundur dito sa Quiapo."
23:28 So, hindi lang siya para sa outsiders, para rin siya sa locals.
23:32 Tapos ikatlo, where possible talaga, we link up with local organizations and establishments.
23:39 For example, in the Tondo Walk, we link up with Liberty Food Mart or the bakery sa may
23:45 tondo na may stop doon tapos yung guests, and sila, we encourage them if they want,
23:51 they could buy products from the bakery.
23:53 The same with Quiapo, doon sa Bake Ride bakery as well as bahay na Phil Bautista naman yung
24:00 isang stop doon.
24:01 So, yun yung mga ginagawa namin ways by which slowly sinusubukan namin maramdaman din o
24:07 community.
24:08 Pag may tours, for example, may kaya mayroon din gain sa kanila.
24:12 These are just small steps at the moment.
24:15 Pero yun yung mga ginagawa namin, at least for these areas like yung sa Quiapo, sa Tondo,
24:22 San Nicolás, atsaka sa Santa Ana.
24:25 Yung ibang areas like Santa Cruz, for example, of course, sobrang dami ng tao doon.
24:30 Kaya really does not make much of a dent pag dumadag yung group doon.
24:35 But in those communities may may malaking residential population pa, mamdam mo talaga
24:39 yung mga from the people may kita nila.
24:42 Minsan nagekwento rin sila mismo.
24:44 Doon sa Quiapo yung pinakamaraming ganun eh.
24:46 Mga bata nasasabihin na, doon sa may pagoda house, yung o kampo pagoda mansion, yung mga
24:51 bata mismo magshishare na, "Ah nakita na namin yung loob niyan, ito yung tiyurat ng ganyan."
24:56 Tapos sasabihin rin nila na, "Ay sila kuya!"
24:58 Maga yan.
24:59 So, familiar para sa kanila na makita yung mga groups.
25:02 Diego, you've mentioned the Pasig River several times already.
25:05 May pinaplano kasing Pasig River Expressway.
25:09 An elevated highway over the Pasig that would enable motorists to travel from east to west,
25:20 west to east in Manila.
25:22 Anong posibling impact niyan from your point of view?
25:26 From what we've studied and with the help of other allies doon sa Ilug-Pasig Lahin,
25:35 found formation, a loose network and alliance of groups.
25:39 Yung ilang major effects niya, first and foremost, possible structural effect niya,
25:44 doon sa structures located along the Pasig River.
25:47 Isang mahalagang building na nandun sa luta is first and foremost, Fort Santiago.
25:54 Yung Fort Santiago kasi will be located doon sa on and off ramp sa may R10.
26:00 And based sa kanilang design, kasi mayon siya yung papababan, maghahag yun near the walls
26:05 ng Intramuros, thus threatening the stability of the building.
26:09 We have to remember that the foundation of that fort was laid down in the 1580s, 1590s period.
26:15 So any drilling, any boring, any pile driving, paggawan wa caissons in those areas,
26:22 would have an impact doon sa building.
26:24 So already suffering from flooding due to high tides more recent years.
26:29 Pero ano pa yung pwede maging damage once mayro ka nang ginawa doon?
26:33 Not to mention, as you move eastward from Fort Santiago, mayon ka dyan yung mga bridges
26:39 na kailang i-clear nung tulay.
26:43 For example, yung Pilondo Intramuros Bridge, one of the newest bridge in the river.
26:47 Ang taas nung arch noon, yung tulay na yun.
26:49 So, saan mo i-puposition yung bridge?
26:51 Saan mo siya ilalagay malapit?
26:53 Kasi kung gusto mo siya ilagay sa part nung bridge na gusto nang wala yung arch,
26:58 malapit yun sa Aduana Building.
27:00 A structure from the 1820s naman, located on reclaimed land from the river.
27:07 And then as you move eastward, you have Jones Bridge, Post Office Building,
27:11 kung sa kabila side mo siya itatayo, yung Calvo Building, Mojito Building.
27:15 So, ang dami doon sa part na yun ng Manila.
27:18 So that's one structural effect.
27:20 Next is yung effect niya doon sa vista or the character of the place.
27:24 Minsan kasi we take that for granted.
27:26 Most people, okay lang yan, ano ngayon kung empire structure doon.
27:30 Vistas are still important.
27:32 Actually, they are part of the character of a place.
27:35 And if you put an expressway on top of the passing river,
27:38 haharangan niya yung vista na yun.
27:41 It will disturb the entire vista of the river.
27:43 Like yung Post Office Building, Metropolitan, yung Theater,
27:47 Quezon Bridge, as it goes all the way east.
27:50 Not to mention, tatayo mo siya doon sa area na may mga...
27:53 Sa Makati, Mandaluyong area, may mga high-rise na doon,
27:56 may condominiums na mga bago.
27:57 Tapos may expressway na dumadaan doon sa bayilog.
28:01 So, malaki yung effect niya doon sa vista of the place.
28:05 And this is a vista that has been experienced by people like Jose Rizal and everyone in the past.
28:12 The character of the environment, the land on the side may have changed,
28:17 but it is the same vista naun na nakikita niya.
28:20 And to put expressway on top of that is to disturb that and deny that
28:25 the character of the place for the next generations.
28:28 And of course, nato yung environmental factors.
28:32 Like if you put a bridge over that area, yung emissions that it will create.
28:36 So we're talking about noise as well as yung carbon dioxide,
28:40 o yung mga bubugan ng mga sasakyan.
28:42 Not to mention yung possibility na damage caused by this structure
28:47 in the event of forces that we do not have power over with.
28:51 Like for example, yung mga earthquakes.
28:54 Kasi it is a river.
28:56 And although we may have some confidence in our technology,
29:00 we must never ever belittle the power of nature.
29:04 Kasi yung yung stove na lunsud na Maynila, sa simula mga tao magteyo sa Maynila.
29:09 Yung adjusting and adapting to natural forces.
29:16 Hence, we have the bahay na bato, for example,
29:18 is an adaptation against earthquakes,
29:20 as well as other materials that we try to build with.
29:23 So may lang tayong kung ano na confidence sila in the purpose of it.
29:29 If we build a bridge there, diya masasima sa earthquake.
29:32 Walang earthquake proof in the long term ng mga buildings.
29:36 There's always some sort of damage that we have to await.
29:40 And if you have a bridge that spans over other bridges that cross the river,
29:45 it has the potential of cutting those, the north and south access to the metropolis.
29:50 So yun lang ilan sa mga aspects na magiging effect.
29:58 Not to mention sa navigation.
30:00 Since sometimes nasabin nila, kung tinidred siya man natin yung Pasig River,
30:03 so magagamit pa rin siya for the ferry or shipping.
30:06 Kasi marami pa yung ships na dumadaan.
30:08 But we have to remember that if you start building structures on the river,
30:12 it will start affecting yung mismo flow ng river.
30:15 Meaning hindi naman siya backflow anything.
30:18 Pero if you're a boat, kasi may kita mo kahit yung ferry,
30:21 niiwasan niya talaga kung nasan ngayon dumadaan yung San Juan,
30:24 yung connector, yung skyway connector,
30:27 yung patong sa iba mo ng San Juan River, or where there are bridges,
30:30 talaga may niiwasan sila.
30:31 And sand and soil builds up.
30:33 Kung nasan may mga pylons,
30:35 kung saan may mga solid na pwedeng kapitan,
30:37 nagkakawin niya ng mga lupa.
30:40 So in the long run, if you build on the river,
30:43 may igi-untenable siya,
30:45 unless tuloy-tuloy mo siyang iti-dredge,
30:47 which is unsustainable.
30:49 Kumbaga kapag lagi mo siya, kailangan iti-dredge mo siya
30:52 para making navigable siya for the ferry.
30:55 So aside from your group,
30:56 marami pang ibang group na nag-advocate for heritage and heritage preservation.
31:03 So may mga victories recently.
31:06 What kind of positive results have already been achieved by the heritage movement?
31:12 Right before the pandemic, may yung mga attempts by heritage groups
31:15 to preserve, declare some of the structures in Manila, for example.
31:20 And recently, with the help ng mga local groups sa Quiapo,
31:26 may yung pinupush na bill, legislation,
31:29 to declare yung area ng Quiapo centered around the church,
31:33 Plaza Miranda, Calle Hidalgo, Calle Belividviejo,
31:37 that area, may bill by Congressman Joel Chua,
31:41 3rd District of Manila,
31:43 na declare yun as a heritage zone.
31:47 It's a big movement, so just one of those are moving for that.
31:52 Yung isa pang major na for us, isang win,
31:57 is yung pagkakamon ngayon ng mga proliferation unti-unti
32:00 ng mga networks and youth na involved dito sa mga heritage advocacies.
32:06 Before kasi pang nakikita mo lang siya sa realm for experts
32:10 or those who are educated well enough in the field.
32:15 Pero based on inquiries on our side,
32:18 and yung mga nakakatabaho namin,
32:20 may mga new faces in the heritage field,
32:23 and mamami mga interested din naman.
32:25 Just need to take the time to educate people
32:29 regarding dun sa importance,
32:32 kung baga, what they could do first and foremost.
32:36 So, yun yung ilat.
32:39 Siyempre may mga challenges.
32:40 First so far, yun yung wins.
32:41 And with the help of pressure from individuals
32:45 and with the government slowly seeing yung merit ng tourism,
32:50 for example in 2019, refurbishing Jones Bridge,
32:53 mayroon yung mga pagkasayos ng mga landmarks,
32:56 yung City Hall itself now has its own museum,
32:59 yung Clock Tower museum niya,
33:01 within the revitalized Clock Tower of the Manila City Hall.
33:05 And those are small victories,
33:07 but they're ways by which we could move forward
33:11 in promoting the heritage of Manila.
33:13 - Recently, I watched a show at the Metropolitan Theater
33:18 na for the longest time, nadadaanan ko yan.
33:21 Na it was boarded up,
33:23 parang talagang it was in a really bad state of decline.
33:28 And then at the show, parang sobrang na-impress ako
33:32 doon sa kanyang restoration.
33:34 It was refurbished, yun yung ganda.
33:37 It was comfortable, ang ganda ng acoustics.
33:40 It's a classic design, no?
33:42 And it's been preserved.
33:43 - So, yes.
33:44 Yun yung kitatatap na lahat na parang ano siya.
33:47 Well, noon, abandoned na.
33:50 And niwasan siya talaga before na landmark.
33:52 And here it is now.
33:53 Reborn as a, once again, taking its place
33:56 as the grand dame of Manila as a site for theaters.
34:01 And nakakaliw din naman na dahil nga inaayos pa ngayon
34:04 yung Cultural Center of the Philippines.
34:06 It's also being refurbished, yung nga doon sa CCP.
34:09 Maraming sa performances na dati doon ginagawa,
34:12 dito naman ginagawa sa Metropolitan Theater.
34:15 And sa mga ibang tours namin, yung Loton Araceros tour,
34:20 pinapasok actually din namin yun.
34:22 And yung expression, actually, ng mga tao ay priceless
34:26 once pinapunta mo na sila doon sa theater.
34:29 Because yung awe, seeing that kind of space and architecture,
34:35 yung yung makikita mo na if we could do this, no,
34:40 for some of the areas of Manila na mga rich inheritage,
34:45 like Escolta, for example, yung Hidalgo and parts of San Nicolas.
34:48 Imagine yung food traffic that it would bring
34:52 and the experiences that it could provide.
34:55 Hindi lang yung foreigners, no.
34:57 Of course, foreign visitors are important.
35:00 However, you have to always remember yung ating mga mamamyan
35:03 because sila yung unang-unang dapat makinabang
35:05 doon sa mga heritage treasures na ito.
35:08 Meron kayong Digital Manila Project, no?
35:12 In a nutshell, ano 'yon?
35:13 The Digital Manila Project started in 2020,
35:18 primarily by one of our members, Che Yon,
35:20 she's based in General Santos.
35:22 She's one of the earliest members.
35:24 And what we try to do with that is use yung modern technology,
35:29 3D modeling ng mga buildings,
35:31 in order to do two kinds of digital models.
35:34 One is to give people a glimpse of the possibility
35:39 for modern day Manila.
35:40 We call that the vision model, no?
35:43 Basically, gumawa kami nito for Intramuros na, for example,
35:47 kung may tranvia ulit sa Intramuros,
35:49 or kung, for example, nandiyan yung Santo Domingo Church
35:52 where it used to stand,
35:53 or nandiyan yung former compound ng USD,
35:56 ang ito, ano itong area na ito,
35:57 and kung pedestrianize, for example,
35:59 'tong parts na ito na Intramuros.
36:00 And then, yung aming continuous na ginagawa ngayon
36:05 is the pre-war or the Commonwealth period Manila.
36:09 So what we do is based on research,
36:12 photographs, and all of these things.
36:14 And partly, last year, we were able to have funding
36:18 from the NCCA to mount an exhibit,
36:20 and which allowed a large part of the Escolta area
36:23 to be completed.
36:23 We now have, we're trying to recreate the cityscape
36:28 of pre-war Manila, no?
36:30 And out of this model, we wish to have mga 3D renders,
36:35 both videos and photographs,
36:36 and we're trying to study paano siya pwede magi-accessible
36:39 to the public.
36:40 Na pwede mong e-explore yung model itself,
36:43 to explore digitally yung mga plaza ng Manila before,
36:47 pang-lakawid yung Manila, no?
36:49 But for now, kinatapos namin yung model.
36:51 And once we're done with that,
36:53 walak rin namin gumawa ng paatras naman, no?
36:55 Iban time periods.
36:56 For example, Manila in the 1700s,
36:59 based on the Antonio Rojas map,
37:01 and what we could find pa na material
37:04 para makita ng mga tao.
37:06 'Cause we already have these pictures,
37:07 we already have blueprints,
37:08 mayamamin naman tayo nitong materials,
37:11 to give them, to breathe new life, no?
37:13 To these materials in the form of this digital model.
37:16 Lagi naman sinasabing nga,
37:18 we're not replacing old photographs,
37:20 we're not replacing videos of the old Manila.
37:23 Actually, we're using them,
37:24 augmenting the experience by showing people,
37:27 syempre, this is a generation na sanay sa mga video games,
37:31 sanay sa mga 3D ng mga models,
37:33 showing them the city's past in a different light.
37:37 So accessible ba itong digital models ng Manila online?
37:42 We release it as renders or videos.
37:44 We post it in our page.
37:46 The model itself, nasa amin pa lang siya,
37:49 because we're still in the process of creating a version of that
37:54 na pwede nilang maikot, ma-explore.
37:58 Hampered pa kami of course,
37:59 no amin mga technological and financial restrictions,
38:03 in terms of developing it further.
38:06 Okay. Ang Manila used to have streetcars called the "trandiya"
38:11 and then nawala sila nung gera,
38:14 but they operated since the 1880s,
38:17 all the way until the 1940s.
38:20 Gusto niya bang ibalik 'yon?
38:22 Well, partly actually, yes.
38:23 Pero of course, we know the limitations currently
38:26 na streets ng Manila,
38:27 in terms of taking additional traffic,
38:30 without removing some existing flow ng traffic.
38:34 Kasi yung isang advocacy side ng Manila,
38:36 kaya we package ourselves most as a cultural organization.
38:40 Kasi mayroon kami side that promotes mass transit.
38:43 Hence, for example, we have mass transit tours,
38:47 wherein we use the LRT as well as the other areas,
38:50 and for example, the Pasig River Ferry,
38:52 to visit places in Manila.
38:54 So in terms of the "trandiya",
38:56 may potential kasi to bring it back in stages.
39:00 Kasi yung "trandiya" to be completely a "trandiya".
39:04 In a classic sense, kailangan kami-release.
39:07 Rail-based siya, because it's a rail-based transit.
39:10 Or maybe kay Katinavi,
39:12 kasi yung may mga electric poles niya, system.
39:17 So mayroon naman trolley buses,
39:18 trolley trams kung tawagin,
39:20 na nagkukumuha ng koviente mula sa cables,
39:23 pero walang release.
39:24 So yun yung ilang mga possible options.
39:26 Actually, nag-a-avalan siya ng ibang members namin
39:29 kung saan siya pwede gawin.
39:31 They could function as feeder lines, no?
39:33 Kasi currently, you have the LRT
39:35 serving your main north-south axis.
39:38 And interestingly, yung siniserve ng LRT
39:41 was once served by the "trandiya".
39:44 Dumadahan sa Apenida yung "trandiya" noon.
39:46 Tapos mayun din sa ruta sa San Marcelino,
39:49 although nasa Taft Avenue, of course, yung LRT currently.
39:52 But it's serving that.
39:54 So the tram could serve certain areas as feeder lines.
39:58 Of course, ang magiging problem with that
40:01 is yung traffic currently sa kalye.
40:03 Well, as it operated before,
40:05 hindi naman siya exclusive na kanya lang yung daan na yun.
40:09 It shares the road with other vehicles.
40:13 Pero of course, if you have that,
40:15 that's traffic sa Manila.
40:16 Well, Diego, I wanna point out, no?
40:31 Kasi many of our listeners have traveled overseas.
40:43 And you see streetcars in major cities,
40:45 and you see them in the streets.
40:47 And you see them in the streets.
40:49 And you see them in the streets.
40:51 And you see them in the streets.
40:53 And you see them in the streets.
40:55 And you see them in the streets.
40:57 And you see them in the streets.
40:59 And you see them in the streets.
41:01 And you see them in the streets.
41:03 And you see them in the streets.
41:05 And you see them in the streets.
41:07 And you see them in the streets.
41:09 And you see them in the streets.
41:11 And you see them in the streets.
41:13 And you see them in the streets.
41:15 And you see them in the streets.
41:17 And you see them in the streets.
41:19 And you see them in the streets.
41:21 And you see them in the streets.
41:23 And you see them in the streets.
41:25 And you see them in the streets.
41:27 And you see them in the streets.
41:29 And you see them in the streets.
41:31 And you see them in the streets.
41:33 And you see them in the streets.
41:35 And you see them in the streets.
41:37 And you see them in the streets.
41:39 And you see them in the streets.
41:41 And you see them in the streets.
41:43 And you see them in the streets.
41:45 And you see them in the streets.
41:47 And you see them in the streets.
41:49 And you see them in the streets.
41:51 And you see them in the streets.
41:53 And you see them in the streets.
41:55 And you see them in the streets.
41:57 And you see them in the streets.
41:59 And you see them in the streets.
42:01 And you see them in the streets.
42:03 And you see them in the streets.
42:05 And you see them in the streets.
42:07 And you see them in the streets.
42:09 And you see them in the streets.
42:11 And you see them in the streets.
42:13 And you see them in the streets.
42:15 And you see them in the streets.
42:17 And you see them in the streets.
42:19 And you see them in the streets.
42:21 And you see them in the streets.
42:23 And you see them in the streets.
42:25 And you see them in the streets.
42:27 And you see them in the streets.
42:29 And you see them in the streets.
42:31 And you see them in the streets.
42:33 And you see them in the streets.
42:35 And you see them in the streets.
42:37 And you see them in the streets.
42:39 And you see them in the streets.
42:41 And you see them in the streets.
42:43 And you see them in the streets.
42:45 And you see them in the streets.
42:47 And you see them in the streets.
42:49 And you see them in the streets.
42:51 And you see them in the streets.
42:53 And you see them in the streets.
42:55 And you see them in the streets.
42:57 And you see them in the streets.
42:59 And you see them in the streets.
43:01 And you see them in the streets.
43:03 And you see them in the streets.
43:05 And you see them in the streets.
43:07 And you see them in the streets.
43:09 And you see them in the streets.
43:11 And you see them in the streets.
43:13 And you see them in the streets.
43:15 And you see them in the streets.
43:17 And you see them in the streets.
43:19 And you see them in the streets.
43:21 And you see them in the streets.
43:23 And you see them in the streets.
43:25 And you see them in the streets.
43:27 And you see them in the streets.
43:29 And you see them in the streets.
43:31 And you see them in the streets.
43:33 And you see them in the streets.
43:35 And you see them in the streets.
43:37 And you see them in the streets.
43:39 And you see them in the streets.
43:41 And you see them in the streets.
43:43 And you see them in the streets.
43:45 And you see them in the streets.
43:47 And you see them in the streets.
43:49 And you see them in the streets.
43:51 And you see them in the streets.
43:53 And you see them in the streets.
43:55 And you see them in the streets.
43:57 And you see them in the streets.
43:59 And you see them in the streets.
44:01 And you see them in the streets.
44:03 And you see them in the streets.
44:05 And you see them in the streets.
44:07 And you see them in the streets.
44:09 And you see them in the streets.
44:11 And you see them in the streets.
44:13 And you see them in the streets.
44:15 And you see them in the streets.
44:17 And you see them in the streets.
44:19 And you see them in the streets.
44:21 And you see them in the streets.
44:23 And you see them in the streets.
44:25 And you see them in the streets.
44:27 And you see them in the streets.
44:29 And you see them in the streets.
44:31 And you see them in the streets.
44:33 And you see them in the streets.
44:35 And you see them in the streets.
44:37 And you see them in the streets.
44:39 And you see them in the streets.
44:41 And you see them in the streets.
44:43 And you see them in the streets.
44:45 And you see them in the streets.
44:47 And you see them in the streets.
44:49 And you see them in the streets.
44:51 And you see them in the streets.
44:53 And you see them in the streets.
44:55 And you see them in the streets.
44:57 [Music]