Recommended Video
Through this Birkenstock initiative, Filipinos get to experience culture while getting their steps in.
To truly know the Philippines is to walk it. It is an experience found in the uneven stone of colonial-era streets, the chaos of the morning commute, and the soft, shifting sand of our coastlines. For Filipinos, walking is entirely instinctive. We do it to survive the daily grind, but we also do it to savor the rare moments when time slows down.
Yet, this collaboration looks beyond the physical act of moving to ask a more meaningful question: How do we turn a daily necessity into something people actually long to experience?
Inspiration beats instruction every time. We don’t move simply because we are told to. We move because we want to see what is around the next corner, to feel the ground beneath us, and to connect with the world in a way that ground ourselves in the present, and to belong to a movement that matters.
Recognizing this, global footwear icon BIRKENSTOCK has partnered up with the Department Of Tourism (DOT) and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) to launch “The Philippines by Foot” campaign.
This is a nationwide movement of monumental scale, an invitation to explore the sheer grandness of the Philippines from its 7,641 islands to its thousands of walkable streets and storied heritage sites.
By grounding BIRKENSTOCK’s legendary German orthopedic heritage directly into local ground, this initiative invites an entire nation to re-examine how we move. It is a collective call to embrace the philosophy of Walk Naturally, relearning how to navigate our world exactly as the body was designed to: balanced, supported, and completely at ease.
From Kilometer Zero to Historic Streets
The movement took its symbolic first steps at Kilometer Zero in Rizal Park (Luneta)—the exact geographic benchmark from which all distances in the archipelago are measured. Officials from the Luneta administration, Tourism Promotions Board, media friends, VIP guests, and the BIRKENSTOCK community gathered for an inaugural walk, turning a point of transit into a destination.
Beneath the towering Independence Flagpole, the group began a contemplative route that honors the very core of Philippine history. They paused at the iconic Rizal Monument for a collective group photograph, before moving silently past the solemn grounds of The Martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal and the historic Gomburza Marker.
The outdoor stroll then shifted into moments of reflection amidst the landscapes of the Chinese Garden, the Musical Dancing Fountain, and the Japanese Garden. Winding their way toward Agrifina Circle and the Sentinel of Freedom, the journey culminated at the steps of the National Museum complex. By pausing to study the narratives that shaped the Filipino identity, the community experienced firsthand what it means to truly discover it on foot.
As day turned to evening, the narrative shifted to the mid-century halls of The Henry Hotel Manila. There, Maria Margarita Nograles, Chief Operating Officer of the Tourism Promotions Board, alongside Evelyn Chua, BIRKENSTOCK Managing Director for Southeast Asia and Jimmy Thai, CEO of the Primer Group of Companies, laid out the grand scale of the project. Their collective vision is expansive: to chart the country’s most walkable destinations, celebrating the intersection of pedestrian advocacy, local heritage, and regional culture.
The momentum was immediate. By the next morning, the campaign partnered with the Just Walk PH community, taking over the historic streets of Intramuros. The group embarked on a route that wound past the storied facades of the Manila Cathedral and San Agustin Church, before breaking for reflection at Villa Immaculada Park and Plaza de Roma.
The walk transformed into an active exploration of heritage, taking participants through the creative halls of Silahis Art and Artifacts, and along the rugged, stone fortifications of Baluarte de San Andres, Baluarte de San Francisco de Dilao, Puerta Del Parian, and Baluarte de San Gabriel. The message was clear: our history is best absorbed slowly, on foot.
The Anatomy of a Community: The BIRKENSTOCK Museo
Inside the mid-century halls of The Henry Hotel, the evening took the form of a museum-style gallery dedicated to the Filipino BIRKENSTOCK community. Rather than relying on glossy, staged photography, the exhibition served as a living archive, charting the personal histories of nearly 50 local BIRKENSTOCK wearers. The curated portraits spanned generations, documenting the exact models and the years, sometimes decades, spent in the same pair of cork-and-leather soles.
The gallery juxtaposed the everyday routines of regular commuters with the extraordinary paths of cultural icons, proving that good design belongs everywhere. Among the featured stories was that of legendary master tattooist Apo Whang-Od, whose pairs have traversed the rugged mountain terrain of Buscalan. Nearby, the worn footbeds of Chef Jordy Navarra spoke to the intense, relentless hours spent on his feet commanding the kitchen of the Michelin-acclaimed Toyo Eatery.
The exhibition also highlighted legendary craftsmen like Edward Sibunga of e/lou furniture studio, alongside everyday individuals, showcasing how a single silhouette gracefully molds to completely different lives, vocations, and terrains over time.
A Country Worth Discovering on Foot
The geography of the Philippines is vastly diverse, stretching from tightly packed urban corridors to quiet, remote shores. Yet, too often, these places are treated as mere backdrops to a frantic daily rush. The Philippines by Foot is a collective effort to change that perspective, inviting people to actively engage with the ground beneath them.
Led by BIRKENSTOCK but fueled entirely by the authentic stories of local communities, the movement will partner with regional provinces across the Philippines. The ultimate ambition is simple yet profound: to give Filipinos a reason to step outside, slow down, and view their home regions not through the numbing lens of daily routine, but with a renewed sense of wonder and discovery.
Join the Movement
The map is laid out, and the invitation is open. So where to next? The Philippines By Foot calls on Filipinos everywhere to step outside, seek out the country’s most walk-worthy corners, and become active participants in our shared culture.
Learn more about the movement and join the upcoming walks at thephilippinesbyfoot.com.
Images courtesy of Birkenstock Philippines.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Philippines By Foot is a nationwide movement launched by BIRKENSTOCK in partnership with the Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board, inviting Filipinos to explore the country’s walkable streets, heritage sites, and coastlines on foot as a form of cultural discovery.
The campaign was launched by global footwear brand BIRKENSTOCK alongside the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), with representation from the Primer Group of Companies and the local BIRKENSTOCK community.
The inaugural walk began at Kilometer Zero in Rizal Park, Manila, passing the Independence Flagpole, the Rizal Monument, the Gomburza Marker, and the National Museum complex, before a second walk the next day covered Intramuros.
The BIRKENSTOCK Museo is a museum-style gallery held at The Henry Hotel Manila, documenting nearly 50 local BIRKENSTOCK wearers — from everyday commuters to figures like tattooist Apo Whang-Od and chef Jordy Navarra.
Filipinos can learn about upcoming walks and regional partnerships through thephilippinesbyfoot.com, where the campaign shares details on its expansion into provinces across the country and its ongoing schedule of community walks.
Related Stories
