The sense of sight, most of the time, reigns supreme in the order of the senses. It affirms the existence of the outside world. It confirms presence and assures that people and things are out there. Seeing makes it convenient for us to believe. But when it comes to heritage, we go beyond the eyes. Bordering on the intangible, it can go beyond the senses. Awareness of heritage crosses the bridge of sensory perceptions and dives deep into the soul, where there is an essential familiarity with one’s beginnings. But what happens when even our sight can be accused of betraying us? It leads to a loss. Once we start accepting defeat, we begin to forget. We see it all it around us, these remnants of our past that we are trying to piece together. Take Manila as an example. Architect Daniel Burnham envisioned it to become a city that can be compared to Venice or Paris. There was a plan; a marriage of Manila’s rich past and an efficient city plan. What happened?
It is good to hear that there is a growing movement among the youth that aims to preserve our heritage. Recovering Manila is among its top priorities. As an arm of the Heritage Conservation Society, the Heritage Conservation Society-Youth is, as they call it, starting young. Taking its cue from their elders in the society, they call for the protection and preservation of Philippine Heritage. The group pushes for a revolution, not a bloody one, but the peaceful kind that will reclaim and restore the former glory of the City of our Affections. We can call them gutsy for waging a war against forgetfulness. They are taking arms and rallying their fellow youth behind their cause by educating them about heritage awareness and preservation.
It is a great idea to revitalize Manila as a city of culture. What is even greater is involving the people on this slow process of recovery. Ensuring that Manila’s soul is given proper care will never be a walk in the park. But good things come to those who preserve and persevere. This will not just happen in our capital city, but to other places in the country as well. When we finally realize the value of this collective heritage—this pamana—then we begin coming into terms with our identity. The time will come when our pride will not just be limited to those who make it big overseas or the latest triumphs of our athletes. We shall begin this reclamation of our identity by bringing back Manila.
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