Look Closer
I was riding a jeepney through Taft Avenue one recent weekday afternoon when I noticed a laminated poster hanging from the back of the driver’s seat. I didn’t pay much attention to it until a female college student, who was observing me as I looked at the poster, approached me and asked, “Good afternoon, sir. Would you mind answering a survey?”
“I don’t mind at all. A survey about what?”
“That advertisement for the National Museum,” she said, pointing to the poster. I looked closer and saw that the ad had a picture of Juan Luna’s famous oil painting, the Spolarium. There was also some colorful text (in both English and Tagalog) that provided information on the masterpiece as well as the hours one could visit the National Museum, which is located on Padre Burgos Street. According to the ad, visits – with the exception of group tours – are free of charge.
After examining the poster I began answering the survey, which the student had printed on two sheets of bond paper, clipped on a board. I realized that she was a student of the University of the Philippines, Manila campus, and that her project was to determine the most effective communication tool to promote the country’s repository of natural and cultural heritage. Riding the jeep all day, she was coordinating with a group of Dapitan Street-Taft Avenue route drivers.
It was on an evidently low budget that the poster was produced. It was too small to be noticed by passengers in the rear of the jeep. And the printing would surely fade out in time. Still, the presence of – and rationale behind – the poster made me appreciate the student’s noble efforts to bring light to one of the country’s finest – and, regrettably, overlooked – tourist attractions. Having been to the museum only once, I was suddenly terribly interested to go again. And I was made to think of other places close to me which others will fly hundreds of miles over just to see. Intramuros? Rizal Park? Casa Manila? Quiapo? My mind raced with these thoughts.
There are to be no unanswered questions now on which place to visit next, how much it would cost, and what else there is to see in Manila. Oh, how true it is, that sometimes all we need is a simple nudge – or a young idea – to make us look closer.
Hello Migs,
That’s quite true! You tend to take things for granted while you have them. I definitely missed visiting Intramuros, Rizal Park, Roxas Blvd, Timog, Central Market, Quiapo’s under the bridge stores, Ongpin, Divisoria, etc. I was born and raised in Manila, well, Makati to be exact. So used to the hazzles and buzzles of the city but from what I heard, it’s totally different now. Although I only hear about big shopping malls and fly-overs but never heard about the historical spots and other places? Are they still there? I have been away for quite a number of years and hopefully, when I come to visit, I will be able to do the rounds just like the good old days. But this time, appreciate them more than before.
Hi Veechee: You’re right. There are sprawls of modernity here and there in the form of huge shopping malls, but the “other” attractions remain. And there are tours, too, such as for Intramuros, CCP, and Chinatown in Binondo. Hope you can come visit soon!
Hi Migs, Reading this blog reminds me of how it seems to be with so many of us. When you live in a town or area for many years, especially if you have been born and raised there, you tend to so easily forget what is on our doorstep. There are so many places of interest, beauty and education and yet, it isnt usually until a visitor comes to stay and they want to look around your home town that you are suddenly reminded of all these things that exist!!
Its quite embarrassing at times too when a visitor ends up knowing more about your home town than you do - thats happened to me before!!
My first time in Manila I walked all around Intramuros and found it really interesting. Its so important to find the time to look around properly and appreciate the things we have around us.