Have you ever wondered why ours is such a soulless city?’ asked Carlos Celdran, the late Filipino artist, who dedicated his life to reminding people of the majesty of Manila. I was among the privileged few who managed to attend his cultural tours through the Intramuros, the inner sanctum of Spanish-era Manila. Home to centuries-old Fort Santiago and the San Agustin Church, it represents the last and most iconic vestige of the old world in the Philippines’ bustling capital.

Born into a wealthy family of Spanish descent, Celdran was a rebel and true patriot at heart. When asked about his cultural activism, he told Tatler Philippines, ‘I knew there was more to my city than gated communities, social clubs, and mall’. After ‘roaming the streets of Intramuros and Malate’ during his early youth, he ‘discovered another side’ to Manila, ‘one that wasn’t so controlled and precious; a city that was exciting, unpredictable, and full of life and culture’.

• Tags: Issue 28, Manila, Philippines, Richard Heydarian