Carlos Celdran is a performing artist who is also considered one of the best travel guides of Manila. He started as a tour guide for the Philippine Heritage Conservation Society and the American Women’s Club.
Charles P. "Carlos" Celdran (born November 10, 1972).
Carlos Celdran started his career in art at the age of 14, as the youngest-ever cartoonist and illustrator for Business Day newspaper, drawing a comic strip called "Bar Sins" that discussed both local and esoteric issues. A year later, in 1987 he became the youngest member of the Samahang Kartunista ng Pilipinas on the recommendation of Nonoy Marcelo. After comics, he worked as a t-shirt illustrator at a clothing store he co-founded with his sister and others.
Among his routes are the Intramuros, Escolta and the Cultural Center of the Philippines walking tours. His audience is not just composed of the normal foreign tourists or bored expatriates, but also Manileños who have to be weaned into the idea of enjoying their own city from the street up. Celdran pulls all the stops out, turning into a complete performance artist--in Intramuros he wears Spanish colonial dress or even 70s bell bottoms when he does his Imeldific CCP tour.
His performances become a tour de force, with the tourist having to admire the artistry of his acts.
His walking tours feature a variety of themes such as
"If These Walls Could Talk: Walking Tour of Historic Intramuros" and
"The North Bank: Walking Tour of Escolta and Quiapo and the North Side of Pasig River" which covers the American period in Manila.
Celdran captures the Marcos era through his
"Living La Vida Imelda Walking Tour" at the CCP Complex. The itinerary culminates with a "Do it yourself Tour" which includes an afternoon tea and window shopping through the flea markets of Evangelista Street, Bangkal, Makati City.
The idea according to Celdran is "I can’t change the way Manila looks, but I can change the way you look at Manila."
Sources:
wikipilinas.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Celdran
