Manila My Manila: A Fresh Look Through Food, Art and Local Communities
Manila is making a new pitch to visitors: come for its food, stay for its culture, and look beyond the places you already know.
The city government launched its new tourism campaign, Manila, My Manila, at the My Manila Tourism Expo 2026, which drew more than 13,000 visitors to Foro de Intramuros from September 25 to 27.
Organized through the Department of Tourism, Culture and Arts of Manila (DTCAM), the expo gathered hotels, restaurants, cultural institutions, artists, and community partners, with booths that let visitors experience a slice of the capital.
For DTCAM head Cristal Bagatsing, the campaign aims to draw leisure visitors to a city many already frequent for work, school, business, and errands.
“The booths here are experiential. You can build your own bouquet at the Dangwa booth, send mail to your loved ones with PhilPost, enjoy mahjong at the Chinatown booth, and do art at the Escolta booth. There’s a lot of things kaya pumunta na kayo dito and rediscover Manila,” Bagatsing shared.
The campaign takes its name from Nick Joaquin’s Manila, My Manila and fulfills a long-envisioned idea of Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso: to promote the capital as a city every Filipino can call their own.
“Where Manila goes, the country follows,” Domagoso said. He described the expo as “one way of showcasing the businesses, culture, art—ang yaman ng Maynila.”
“Inaanyayahan ko po ang mga banyaga at kapwa kong Pilipino na pumunta. Kung nakapunta na kayo, welcome back—kung first time niyo po, welcome po kayo. Our Manila is your Manila.”
Among the participating hospitality establishments were LaVie Resort & Casino, City Garden Suites, Manila Grand Opera Hotel, and Winford Resort & Casino, joining the businesses and cultural attractions featured at the three-day event.
Local creatives brought their own interpretations of the city. Kenny Tai, the creative behind AKIM and part of NILAD Community, presented Manila Girls, a satirical sticker project that turns Manila’s districts and areas into characters, drawing on the personalities associated with eachneighborhood.
The self-described “Escolta girl” said the expo “gives artists like me a platform to tell my Manila story.”
Moreover, food was high on the agenda for host, singer-songwriter, and content creator Jazper Tiongson. His first encounter with Intramuros was through a school field trip; this time, he was eager to explore more of the city’s dining scene.
“Feeling ko, tip of the iceberg pa lang ang nadidiscover ko sa Manila. Ang dami pang puwedeng puntahan at tikman, kaya excited akong mas makilala ang food scene dito. Lilibutin ko muna ang expo—bubusugin muna natin ang sarili,” Tiongson said.
Physician and Miss Manila 2014 Dr. KC Halili also found surprises in the city where she grew up. Years after declaring “Manila life happens here” in her winning pageant answer, she was struck by the range of offerings at the expo.
“Wow, we have so much good stuff,” she said.
With the expo concluded, the discoveries now lead back to the city itself: to Dangwa’s flowers, Chinatown’s food and traditions, Escolta’s creative spaces, and the businesses that welcome visitors every day. Also, for those accustomed to seeing Manila between appointments or through a daily commute, the campaign offers a reason to return with time to spare—and somewhere new to go.
For further information, you may visit mymanilatourismexpo.com or check out the official Facebook page.
