How well do you know Manila, the Philippine capital city? Did you know that Jose Rizal may have eaten at Manila’s oldest restaurant, which was established in 1888 and rebuilt in 1984? Did you know that the only all-steel church in the Philippines is located in the Quiapo area? Metro Manila is rich with history, cultural heritage and culinary destinations, all waiting to be experienced by tourists.

LRT 1 operator, Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), recognizes its role not just in bringing people from one destination to another, but also in connecting them to tourist destinations.

DEPARTMENT of Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat and LRMC president and chief executive officer Juan Alfonso form a partnership for the ikot Manila tourism campaign. RHEA VITTO-TABORA “Tourism is inevitably linked to transport,” said LRMC president and chief executive officer Juan Alfonso. “As the LRT 1 operator, we are in a unique position to connect local and foreign tourists to the city’s most important and historic places in the quickest land travel possible.”

This opportunity opened the doors to ikotMNL (ikot Manila), a tourism campaign that aims to draw more tourists to rediscover Manila’s diverse attractions using the Manila Light Rail Transit System Line 1 (LRT 1) as the main mode of transportation.

“Our mission-vision, apart from delivering service in transportation, is connecting people,” said Alfonso in a speech delivered during the launch. “We try to connect people to our past, and we are also trying to make a connection to the future–showing the Millennial, the leaders of tomorrow what the past was and what they can be potentially.”

A MAJOR landmark in Quiapo, the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene is the center of the fervid Feast of the Black Nazarene. ROEL HOANG MANIPON LRMC started the launch of the campaign on 11 August with ikotMNL Challenge, an Amazing Race-type event. There were 11 teams with two to four participants from the media and LRMC. The team raced to finish four roadblocks and the heavy downpour that day made the race more challenging and exciting.

BUILT during the Spanish colonial period, the Immaculate Conception Parish Church of San Agustin inside Intramuros is one of four Philippine churches to be listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. RHM The campaign aims to entice more tourists to rediscover Manila’s diverse attractions using LRT 1 as the main mode of transportation.

The winning team won a P50,000 cash prize, the second place got P30,000 and the third won P20,000. This writer belonged to the team who placed third in the ikotMNL Challenge.

The ikotMNL campaign was formally launched with the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Department of Tourism (DoT), LRMC and tour operator partners Tralulu, Walk This Way, Old Manila Walks and Kapitbahayan sa Kalye Bautista.

“We are not doing our own tours. We are trying to complement them (tour operators) and make it easier for the guests to go around,” explained Alfonso.

“I found the project so fantastic,” commented DoT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat during the launch. She also shared she toured some of the destinations before the launch and it was a pleasant experience.

THE Rizal Mounument in Rizal Park commemorates the patriot and hero executed in this area. rhm Ride, walk and rediscover Manila

IkotMNL offers thematic tours for family, small to moderate groups and solo travelers.

Special themed day tours include “Grand Manila: Glorious Architecture and Art” where visitors can explore architectural gems and masterpieces of fine art. Destinations include Escolta (regarded as Queen of Manila’s Streets), Rizal and Manila’s Cathedral Park and Malate.

Another guided day tour is “Mass Transit: Following Manila’s Lost Tranvia Lines.” This tour follows the city’s old tranvia line, one of the most extensive street rail systems in Asia before World War 2. The old tranvia is regarded as one of Manila’s most iconic transportation legacies. This special tour includes “Quiapo: Heart of Manila;” “Binondo: Cultural Exchange;” “Ermita: Planned Expansion;” and “Malate: Suburban Outskirts.”

THE signing of memorandum of agreement between DoT, LRMC and tour operator-partners. RVT There are also guided tours focusing on the city’s rich culinary scene. The food tours include “The Big Binondo Food Wok” by Old Manila Walks, “Halal Manila” and “Malate Food Crawl” by Tralulu.

IkotMNL offers thematic tours for the family, small to moderate groups and solo travelers. It has many special themed day tours — from food to architecture.

Discover-the-treasures-and-gems theme that showcases Manila’s heritage areas and its colorful and grand building history. Tours include “Intramuros Experience” by Tralulu, “Escolta Walking Tour” by Escolta Volunteers and “Lakbay Lakaran by Kapitbahayan” by Kalye Bautista (KKB).

Then there’s the “Travel to the Golden Years” theme, which looks back at Manila’s 450 years of history. Tours include “Walk This Way” by Carlos Celdran, “San Miguel-Malacanang Walking Tour” and “Lakbay Lakaran” by KKB.

BINONDO is considered the world’s oldest Chinatown. Here, one can discover many culinary gems. RHM Tour of Manila wouldn’t be complete without shopping, and Tralulu’s “Manila Markets Experience” is perfect for shopaholics.

Tourists may also opt for do-it-yourself (DIY) or self-guided tours to explore Metro Manila’s over 70 must-see destinations which are all easily accessible from LRT-1’s 20 stations.

For more information and updates on ikotMNL, passengers may visit www.ikotmla.com and ikotMLA’s pages on Facebook and Instragram.