Though I have been living in the Philippines for many years, my hometown in Italy is Rome. Every year, thousands of people visit Rome, the capital city and the center of Italian tourism, architecture, and culture. Rome’s City Center has been restored based on specific plans, which heightens its attraction to visitors. The effect is further enhanced by restrictions for safeguarding consistency in the pedestrian-friendly ambience. For example, very few cars are allowed inside the center of Rome. This leaves plenty of room for walking, which is really the best way to enjoy the place. On foot, one can appreciate the city’s features better.
In Singapore, part of the Clarke Quay area, Clarke Street, has been converted into a pedestrian mall. It’s a fantastic place to get lost in, like the night markets of Taiwan where food, music and sights have turned it into a tourist destination. I can see similarities between these night markets and the Philippines’ Divisoria.
Here, everyone seems to enjoy walking the streets of Chinatown, Divisoria, and (more recently) Barangay Poblacion in Makati, because these streets were designed for that–walking. The size of the streets is based on human proportions– or, historically, for smaller vehicles but not for full-sized ones. The distance between houses and buildings, the length of the roads, and so on–these were all considered in designing the streets for the people. As you walk down the streets, surprises greet you at every turn. Walking then becomes quite exciting as pedestrians are rewarded spontaneously by the vibrant streetscape and social life of the neighborhood.
With foot traffic, local businesses prosper, including small creative enterprises at street level. Open air malls are popular because walking is made comfortable in these places. Appropriate shading and other smart solutions can be incorporated to improve pedestrians’ experience so that people will visit and linger. While the pandemic may limit our movement at the moment, walking in open air locations while observing safety protocols is said to be much safer than gathering in closed-in public spaces.
Aside from better known areas like Intramuros, many other parts of Manila have enormous potential to be converted into unique and highly valued tourist centers. There are troves of unique and impressive things to feature locally: beautiful architecture, historical highlights, diversity in local culture, and so on. I believe it is only a matter of time before more and more unique neighborhoods are discovered by local residents and tourists alike, to be viewed in a different perspective so that these assets are better appreciated.
When a place gets to discover (or rediscover) its uniqueness in terms of culture, food, music, art, structures, etc., then it would have found something special to offer to the world. Under the umbrella of globalization, many things have become comparable versions of themselves everywhere. This is why people will always look for original things, and why they will go out of their way to enjoy unique or original experiences.
Manila is a city like no other in the world. It was a globalized city, joining Europe, Asia, and the Americas through the galleon trade, long before the word “globalized” even came to be. With the legacy of this history, as well as the growth and energy that are sure to return post-pandemic, it has all the potential to be among the most desired travelers’ destinations in the world.
About Architect Romolo Nati
Romolo Valentino Benedetto Nati known as Romolo Nati or RVN, is a multi-awarded Italian architect and businessman with interest in sustainable development (energy and real estate). He is the current Executive Chairman and CEO of Italpinas Development Corporation (IDC), an Italian-Filipino real estate development firm that specializes in the design and development of sustainable buildings. He is also the Vice Chairman of the Philippine renewable energy company Constellation Energy Corporation (CEC) that focuses in acquiring, financing and developing small to medium-scale renewable energy projects across the Philippines. Follow Architect Nati on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.