Cultural activist Carlos Celdran, who once made headlines when he protested in front of the Manila Cathedral with a placard that read “Damaso” during a service attended by Catholic Church leaders, has passed away.
Aside from being a cultural activist, Celdran was also a performance artist and tour guide.
Celdran’s wife Tesa said in her Facebook account that her husband died of natural causes. She did not provide additional details.
As a tour guide, Celdran became popular for his tours of Intramuros that bordered on performance art.
Celdran launched his protest in 2010 against Catholic leaders, who he clashed against on the issue of reproductive health. He had criticized the Catholic Church for supporting legislation promoting the use of contraceptives in the country.
Two years after that infamous protest, Celdran was declared guilty in 2013 for “offending religious feelings” under Article 133 of the Revised Penal Code by the Manila Metropolitan Trial Court and was sentenced to spend between two months and one year in jail.
In 2018, the Supreme Court upheld the decision against Celdran.
Last year, he led the staging of Manila Biennale, a month-long art exhibit all through Intramuros, which urged visitors to experience the old Walled City.
Early this year in January, Celdran made waves for performing a one-man play “Livin’ La Vida Imelda.”