Renacimiento Manila: Reviving Manila's soul, one heritage walk at a time

MANILA, Philippines – Amid the bustling modernity that envelopes the city of Manila, there remains a hidden treasure trove of culture and history, waiting to be uncovered. 

Philstar.com recently had the privilege of embarking on a journey alongside Renacimiento Manila, an organization dedicated to reviving the soul of Manila through heritage walks.

One of the organization's heritage walks, which took place on September 23, focused on shedding light on the historical significance of the Pasig River. The journey took us along the streets of Calle Escolta in Binondo and led to a stroll through Santa Ana — two distinctive areas in Manila City linked by the Pasig River and made accessible by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority's Pasig River Ferry.

The tour, according to Renacimiento, is part of its efforts to reactivate the Pasig River as a place for tourism and to utilize the river as a connection between the city's important heritage and tourist sites.

During the heritage walk, we had the opportunity to converse with Diego Torres, the president of Renacimiento Manila.

Torres shared his passion for Manila's heritage and explained how Renacimiento Manila strives to engage locals and tourists in rediscovering the city's rich past.

As we walked through the storied and historic streets of our nation’s capital, Renacimiento Manila took us closer to uncovering the hidden gems that make Manila a cultural treasure trove worth preserving and celebrating for generations to come.