Rediscovering Rizal’s Manila: Inside the Panciteria from El Filibusterismo

On Rizal Day, we revisit one of Manila’s most overlooked heritage sites: the Pansiteria Macanista de Buen Gusto, a real Binondo restaurant that José Rizal named in El Filibusterismo.

The structure—one of the last surviving 19th-century buildings of its kind—offers a rare glimpse into the Manila Rizal once walked. Though time has nearly claimed it, the pansiteria remains a powerful reminder of the everyday spaces that shaped his world and his writing.

In this episode rerun, we explore the building’s history, its connection to Rizal’s novel, and why heritage advocates are racing to save it from collapse or demolition. On this day when we honor Rizal’s legacy, we ask what it means to let a piece of his Manila fade away.

This episode was produced and engineered by Anthony Tobias. Jaemark Tordecilla is our editor-at-large.

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