ONE of the things I find inspiring in our youth today is seeing their heightened appreciation for our history and culture.
Most of them are into reading, crafting, traveling, shopping and more with this love for our country in mind, and they do so with pride for everything that is tied to our rich heritage. For quite some time in the last two decades, it seemed that the first things many Filipinos associate with this country’s colorful past were Intramuros and Rizal Park.
However, the more recent times saw more of our youth discovering and mapping out lots of our remaining heritage spots within and beyond Manila. From this awareness emerged calls for conservation, which, as I mentioned in my previous posts, led to either restoration or repurposing.
Heritage sells now more than ever
Today’s generation of travelers no longer want to be the typical sightseeing tourists. What they’re drawn to now are immersive experiences that introduce them to the culture, history and identity of a place.
A welcome added value would be if these locations can inspire them to “make a difference,” so to speak. Places of cultural and historical relevance naturally serve this purpose, and the greater inclination toward the unique experiences they bring tell us that heritage sells now more than ever.
In a May 2014 forum, entitled “Nurturing Cultural Heritage Tourism in the Philippines,” the consensus of the experts was that preserving heritage and cultural resources promotes the economic growth of a place.
Case in point was Vigan, which is home to the postcard-worthy Heritage Village, a Unesco heritage site. According to Vigan Mayor Eva Marie Singson-Medina, the local government was able to capitalize on its rich history and culture through architectural structures and heritage sites. Heritage tourism has enabled Vigan to move up from a second-class municipality earning P27 million in 1995 to a first-class municipality earning P329 million by 2013. Today the charming Ilocos Sur town remains one of the most visited places in the country.
Likewise, Manila has been alive with conservation efforts to revitalize, reintroduce and revive its heritage spots. Escolta, in particular, has been steadily evolving into Metro Manila’s hip historical district, thanks to young creatives who are converting some of the old buildings into artist-run spaces. The famous Walled City of Intramuros shines anew in the advent of the Intramuros Pasyal Sunday by Viva Manila, a nonprofit organization that has been revitalizing the Philippine capital through arts and culture since 2014.
Finding heritage in and out of Manila
Despite Metro Manila’s sinister reputation of toppling down one historic building after the other, iconic landmarks still dot the mega metropolis, as I have mentioned in one of my previous columns. Some of them are easily discernible, such as the newly renovated Luneta Hotel; the elegant Manila Hotel; the neoclassical Manila Central Post Office Building and National Museum; and the soon-to-be restored Manila Metropolitan Theater.
Others are hidden from plain sight, some even rotting away and forgotten at worst. Many of us are only starting to learn about the rest of Escolta’s architectural wonders, such as El Hogar Building, Don Roman Santos Building, Natividad Building and Calvo Building. Not a lot have been inside Bahay Nakpil-Bautista, one of the ancestral houses drowned out by the chaos of Quiapo’s streets. It’s not even limited to old buildings and houses that appear to be under the threat of being demolished. Unknown to many, there are a number of beautiful ancestral houses in Metro Manila repurposed into upscale restaurants, such as La Cocina de Tita Moning, Casa Roces, Café Ysabel and Chef Laudico Guevara’s.
Luxury redefined by heritage
Because of their colonial charm and colorful history, Henry Hotel Manila in Pasay, Hotel Luna in Vigan and Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bataan exude a unique brand of luxury that both local and foreign tourists are looking forward to experience. Through an opulent mix of modern comforts and old-world architectural appeal, guests can peek into a bygone era while also enjoying excellent hotel service. As for the houses-turned-restaurants,
heritage goes beyond the history of the place. Diners are also enticed by family histories passed down through preserved interiors and heirloom recipes handed down from several generations. This growing interest for heritage in our country makes me envision our own brand of luxury, one that is founded on our rich culture. Hubert de Givenchy said luxury is in each detail, and I believe our heritage brings us plenty of details that lend an interesting touch to leisure.
Image credits: Asia Travel from Asia Travel, Las Casas Filipinas de Acuzar website, Agoda