Brother Miguel pays touching tribute to Carlos Celdran

A captivating eulogy for cultural activist, performance artist, and tour guide Carlos Celdran has been making the rounds on social media.

The eulogy was written by Miguel, Carlos' elder brother, and posted on Facebook by their sister Denise Thursday.

Miguel detailed Carlos' enduring influence among people who knew him.

"Carlos was many things to many people. It always amused me how people or the media struggled to define him. Cultural activist, tour guide, artist, actor, provocateur par excellance," Miguel said.

"Carlos never held an elected position yet he somehow had a mandate that commanded the attention of many. People listened to his opinions like they were constituents. I tried very hard to understand why. I can only surmise it was his brutal honesty and genuineness that endeared him to many. Anyone who has taken his tour will leave with a changed mind on how you view Manila, our country and our history. He had that power. He was a romantic who believed you should see Manila and our country the way he did."

Miguel also paid tribute to Carlos' convictions.

"Like Quixote trying to duel the windmills, he took on institutions with an idealism uncommon to many. In the interest of his self-preservation, many times I pleaded him to end his relentless campaign. You’ve made your point bro, now just shut up already and just be a bloody tour guide slash artist. But he wouldn’t have it. He possessed a conviction I have read about in great men. He embodied the phrase - this world was not made a better place by those who watched on the sidelines. He had his supporters but his detractors pilloried him daily which was an agony to witness. Ultimately, all the battles wore him down," Miguel wrote.

He also added Carlos also had his imperfections, but praised him for never apologizing for being who he was.

"Carlos was Carlos," Miguel said. "Whether you thought he was right or wrong, he made you think, and think again. He had the conviction to stand up for his beliefs despite the cost. He made me question my own limited beliefs as to what was possible.

"History is littered with failed stories of men challenging the norms, and only time will tell how much exactly he made a difference. But what is indisputable is the difference how he made us all feel. I believe history will treat him kindly, much better than when he was amongst us," he said.

Carlos' wife, Tesa, confirmed in a Facebook post last October 8 that he passed away of natural causes at the age of 46.

Carlos was popular for his tours of Intramuros that bordered on performance art. He was an advocate for reproductive health and was critical of the Catholic Church's stance against legislation promoting the use of contraceptives in the Philippines.

He also gained notoriety for his "Damaso" stunt at the Manila Cathedral in 2010. —Ma. Angelica Garcia/JST, GMA News