In a time of floods and traffic, Manila gives its residents much to complain about. But Diego Torres loves it enough to give free walking tours to show what history and beauty in the city remain and must be preserved.

Efforts by heritage activists like Torres have stopped demolitions and restored the grand dame of Manila, the Metropolitan Theater, an art deco marvel.

He also shares personal connections to the city, like how his grandparents met while both were working in Escolta when his future lolo spied his future lola through an office window.

He explains why the proposed Pasig River Expressway could rob the city of its famous vistas and offers an alternative vision — one that is pedestrian-friendly with a revived streetcar network called the tranvia and museums devoted to Manila’s fashion, architecture, and military history.

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