The exact date was August 13, 2005, a Saturday, and it was the first time I met Carlos Celdran. I wanted to walk the streets of downtown Manila at the time, and a friend who knew Carlos said I could sign up for his tour of Escolta. Tours devoted to this specific district of the capital’s core were rare, as other guides wouldn’t brave its inner streets. It piqued my interest that someone was actually conducting a thorough tour of the area.
We entered the building’s community museum. Surrounded by news clippings, old soda bottles, and photos of prewar structures in the area, I suddenly felt a strong connection to the street. It was as if I had lived or worked there. It felt uncanny to be drawn into this particular place, yet I also felt grounded and secure as I stood there.
We walked further towards Plaza Sta Cruz. He said we just had to enter the Monte de Piedad, the old building that stood at the end of Escolta. When he described it as formidable, I asked what made it so. “The guards already know I bring in people who have no business to be there.” It had been converted to a grocery store at the time, and so I thought that maybe we could buy something. We entered the building and went straight to the beverage section.
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