"Remembering Carlos Celdran"
At first, this writer hath been acquainted that Snr. Carlos Celdran, talked about his getups and his love for Old Manila. From there he just trying to replicate the Manila he cherished most: of a gentleman wearing an early 19th century barong, a baggy patadyong pants, alpombras, and a top hat that became his personal image as a tour guide and an artist. - that for some people would say a weird, bizzare kind of personality that he tries to rekindle the past with costume, theatrics, all to amuse people who wishes to see history through his version of sightseeing and urban adventure.
But despite that, this person will remember him as just trying to rekindle the past he wished to see. But also remember: that behind that nostalgic, picturesque Manila or Philippines was the same Manila or the Philippines that's brewing with the dissent he criticised about. The Manila of Intramuros, Insular Ice Plant, Old Luneta, was also the same Manila of the Tabaquerias whose workers had enough of hardship rolling tobaccos for a pittance- that end forcing to strike, make protest, face prison, or gone to the mountains of Sierra Madre.
In reading his posts one would truly say that since he carried history and heritage althroughout, some of his posts really smacked of elitism despite he himself professed as a liberal, "left of bourgeoisie" that speaks heavily about freedom and personal responsibility. At one time he criticised activists for the vandalism or the "outdated ideology" that continues to haunt his old Manila; yet on the other hand, he himself, let's just say having a chivalric streak, did afford to visit a poet-turned-political prisoner who once freed due to pressure from the cultural sector and recuperated in the hospital bed. How chivalric then but doesn't mean condone his sometime bullshit.
Anyway, you may sleep eternally Carlos. Most people may recognise you as a tour guide, some as a guy in a weird costume, others as an Imelda apologist, if not an elitist who wishes to revive the Manila of an old, rigidly heirarchical past, and the resr as a guy who gone shouting in the cathedral during a mass and end imprisoned while he himself criticising the protesters for spraypainting political slogans in public walls.
Or even the man who wished the representative of this old order to die. - only to be boomeranged towards the sender. Sorry for the words, just trying to evaluate what comes from the commons the impression of the man who tries to be a living, walking, personification of Manila.
Again, sleep well. Rest in Pleasure.