Manila’s Celebrity Tour Guide

Known as the Pied Piper of Manila, Carlos Celdran has built an internationally recognized brand from his walking tours of the city’s classic downtown. Frequently seen taking celebrities on private multi-media cultural tours, Carlos has become quite famous in his own right. He’s even a product endorser these days.

Instead of ignoring the surrounding poverty that other tour guides might find inconveniently jarring, he’s decided to incorporate social advocacy into his tour. He’s been distributing free contraceptives to anyone on the streets who’s wanted them since 2003. This is a politically gutsy move in a city where the Catholic Church has so much clout.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer reports:

The women Celdran comes across are aware artificial contraceptives are not allowed by the Catholic Church but they insist it is not only impossible for them to practice natural methods of birth control but also to ask help from the church to feed their growing families. “The previous mayor of Manila stopped the health centers from giving free ligations and contraceptives,” laments Evelyn. “Most of the husbands in our squatter community don’t care if their wives give birth yearly as long as they have sex whenever they want. They don’t involve themselves with child rearing or family planning. All these are left to the women.”

[via Philippine Daily Inquirer]