This tour guide turns Manila’s streets into history, heritage lessons

Jing Ordoña, a seasoned tour guide based in Manila, has transformed the city's streets into a living classroom of history and heritage. His walking tours, under the brand Manilakad, offer visitors an immersive journey through the city's past, revealing hidden narratives and cultural treasures. One participant recounted their experience during a New Manila walking tour, noting they had taken over 32,000 steps by the end of the session. What struck them most was the depth of history embedded in a neighborhood they believed they already knew well. Ordoña, who is in his 60s, began his career as a tour guide in 2000 but recently renewed his license and pursued accreditation from the Department of Tourism. Alongside this, he discovered a passion for travel writing. His path to becoming a walking tour guide was unplanned. Before dedicating himself to guided tours, he taught English at Speechpower, served as a swimming instructor, and volunteered with the Red Cross rescue team. He also worked with Haribon, an organization focused on environmental conservation, where he coordinated swimming and scuba-diving classes and managed an ecotour in Marinduque. Ordoña’s fascination with travel began in childhood. During Holy Week, his family traveled to the beaches of Bauang, La Union, before heading to Baguio. As he matured, he embraced mountaineering and scuba diving, which deepened his curiosity about the histories and cultures of the places he visited. While backpacking with his wife and friends, he explored lesser-known regions, further fueling his desire to share travel experiences with others. “The way I guide or organize is also the way I travel,” he explains. “It’s mostly storytelling. No gimmicks. It’s merely sharing a wonderful experience to as many people as possible.” In addition to general walking tours, Ordoña offers specialized tours such as a cemetery tour that includes visits to the St. Pancratius Chapel, known locally as the Lumang Simbahan. Located within La Loma Cemetery, this historic site was once a mortuary chapel and later designated a National Cultural Treasure. Conservation efforts led by Escuela Taller have helped preserve its legacy. Before launching Manilakad, Ordoña was already organizing adventure trips across the Philippines. He introduced travelers to destinations such as Siargao, Siquijor, El Nido, and Coron, which were still relatively untouched by mass tourism. He even organized tours to Marawi, reportedly being the first to do so in that region. However, the Abu Sayyaf kidnappings in the early 2000s disrupted the tourism sector, prompting Ordoña to shift focus to teaching English and swimming. Despite this change, his connection to travel remained strong. Manilakad emerged from observing the evolution of tour guiding in Manila. Inspired by the late artist Carlos Celdran, whose performances drew large crowds with theatrical flair, Ordoña sought a different approach. Rather than following the established guides in Intramuros and Binondo, he chose to explore areas like Ermita and Malate. His original flagship tour integrated elements of heritage, history, food, culture, and even Manila’s red-light district. Though it gained attention through a major newspaper feature and attracted numerous participants, the initial popularity waned. To sustain interest, Ordoña expanded Manilakad to cover other parts of Manila and Metro Manila, including Old Makati, Pateros, Quezon City, and New Manila. “I didn’t want to be a copycat,” he emphasizes. This commitment to originality continues to define Manilakad. Instead of focusing on iconic landmarks, Ordoña seeks out stories tucked away in neighborhoods that many overlook. Walking remains a core element of his philosophy, offering both practicality and environmental benefits.