I have so many friends who have moved back to Manila or have never left...and I realize that there are many wonderful things about the county (my homeland!) but on my last visit I see so many things that is really hard for me to ignore.
On Ortigas Avenue, before reaching our hotel, these kids are wandering the streets, begging for money. One small boy sat on top of a concrete block and started peeing. Juxtapose this with Manila's high rise and community enclaves of the ultra rich. Just doesn't seem right. Or if its reality, then it's a hard pill to take. Not unless you have compassion for your fellow human beings. Do you just turn away?
When one gets out of the country, it is a little bit better. The people are not any richer, but they're a bit better off because most of them have their homes (humbly) (I have seen families living underneath a busy highway overpass in Manila.
