Saving Escolta

MANILA, Philippines — There’s something tragic about the ongoing demolition of the Capitol Theater along Escolta. Somehow, the gradual process of tearing it down is like a reenactment of the district’s demise — slow, painful, but definite.

A lot has already been written about how Escolta, Manila’s Queen of the Streets, transformed from a bustling financial district to a has-been. As I zigzag my way through double-parked cars along the already crowded street, I could imagine how it looked like decades ago: in place of jeepneys and SUVs were calesas picking their way as they shared the road with a tranvia. Well-dressed patrons flocked Berg’s Department Store in the Perez-Samanillo Building (now called First United Building), making a beeline for the latest sartorial finds. At night, the glitzy Capitol Theater hosted events that could give Jay Gatsby a run for his money.

When the city of Makati found its footing as the new commercial district, Escolta was eventually forgotten. And with the many other commercial districts thriving in the metro, to bring back Escolta to its former glory seems like a silly and grandiose endeavor.

That challenge is clearly recognized by 98B COLLABoratory, a group of artists who took residence in the First United Building (FUB) in 2012.  “Escolta may have seen better days, but we can rediscover it through new lenses,” says Marika Constantino, 98B’s executive director. Art is one of these new lenses, but such change in perspective was, of course, not immediately palatable to those who had been well-acquainted with Escolta’s past. “Escolta was a financial center. It was not easy for us to accept how Escolta can change. Even now that we at FUB are quite involved, sometimes we have to still remind ourselves to be open to new ideas,” admits Lorraine Sylianteng, who co-owns and co-manages FUB with her husband Robert.

The couple did more than keep their minds open — they lowered the rent in their building in order to attract more creatives to move in, and they did. The Syliantengs have also been working closely with 98B and with the Escolta Commercial Association Inc. (ECAI) in implementing programs and activities that aim to inject a different flavor to this historic street.

2013 saw the inception of Saturday X Future Market @ESCOLTA at the ground floor of FUB — a very good example of how a heritage building can be preserved through adaptive reuse. This monthly event brought together local grassroots brands. Three years later, the Future Market gave way to The Hub | Make Lab, an “incubation” space for creative individuals and groups to showcase their works to a wider audience.  Since then, more and more activities centered on art and culture have been organized. The Panpisco Building occasionally plays host to installation art; the quarterly Escolta Block Party that started in the latter part of 2016 transforms the entire street into a huge shopping and food park; talks and art exhibits are staged as a means to foster an open exchange of ideas (the ESCAPE Bi-annual exhibit is opening this February). The Drawing Room’s “satellite” gallery at The Hub is currently showing Fil-Danish artist Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen. Another notable initiative is Everyday Escolta, which aims to build a better relationship among everyone in the neighborhood. Pedicab drivers, building administrators, business proprietors, and street vendors all played models for a day, donning and toting merchandise sold by the local brands found in The Hub. “Our initiatives should be a continuing engagement of the neighborhood, the influence it imparts to us, and [we should, in turn, be] responsive to its needs,” explains Gabriel Villegas, 98B’s operations director.

But it’s not only the artists who are doing their share of the work. New businesses and a number of citizen-led organizations, all of which champion the same things that Escolta represents — heritage, culture, and art — have found ways to give back to the community. Such as Manila Who: a tour group that lets you (re)discover Escolta through exciting stories. Coffee shop The Den holds events and exhibits that promote local products like Kalsada Coffee, which is also stationed in FUB. Fred’s Revolucion, a popular bar in Cubao Expo, has made Escolta its second home and also hosts exhibit openings and launches. Viva Manila, a non-profit organization that aims to “revitalize Manila through arts and culture,” has also been active in promoting the area.

Other buildings, too, have been taking in more artists as tenants, according to Sylianteng. “These kinds of events and initiatives are very valuable contributions to efforts here because they impart to the neighborhood a special energy and vibe that attracts people to Escolta,” says Villegas, who also co-owns The Den.

This newfound attention, in turn, made the local authorities more cooperative. Brighter street lights have been installed, and it’s now easier to ask the City Hall to close the street when there are events. “I think that we are learning to trust each other, and that makes for a better relationship,” quips Sylianteng.

But an endeavor as daring as revitalizing this once illustrious street is, of course, not a walk in the park. Both Sylianteng and Constantino agree that the area needs more financial support for its upkeep. Constantino adds, “As long as the appreciation of the street is not widely spread, then the goal is still far from reach. Moreover, if the perceived activation and energy is not felt by all stakeholders of the street — from building owners, employees, residents, vendors to transients — there is still much work to do.” And therein lies a bigger challenge: How do you sustain this new identity of Escolta without compromising its soul on which all these endeavors were built? The answer, perhaps, lies in whatever is left of Capitol Theater.