Beautiful Manila

Manila is a bustling metropolis, a sprawling mega-city of almost 12 million people. It holds a very special place in my heart for many reasons. I am a Manilena by virtue of birth, and having grown, and lived there much of my life. I can say i have enjoyed almost every aspect of what the city is all about.

Historically, Manila held so much promise, it was seized by the Spanish from its Muslim rulers in the 16th century to set it up it's colonial seat in Asia. It was a flourishing, elegant entrepôt for centuries, but in recent times planning has become haphazard as the population grew. Much of the blame for poor urban management is leveled at the government. There is no coordinated policy for cleaning up garbage, and no political will to get some simple things done The pollution and traffic are horrendous.

Metro Manila is a place of economic extremes. The rich are very rich, and the poor are very poor. This is one reality i am not proud of. It is stated that 97% of the total GDP in the Philippines is controlled by 15% of the population, the majority of which is in the Metro Manila area. Most of the wealthy and upper-middle class in the country live in gated communities in places such as Forbes Park and Dasmarinas Village in Makati, Loyola Heights in Quezon City, Greenhills in San Juan, BF Homes Subdivision in Paranaque and Ayala Alabang Village, founded by the influential Zobel de Ayala family.

Other wealthy families live in urban and up-scale lifestyles and own condominium units such as those in the Rockwell Center in Makati and Fort Bonifacio Global City, while some choose to live in bayfront condos/apartments/townhouses along the stretch of Roxas Boulevard. The area is populated by many of the wealthiest people in the country has also driven up the real estate value of the properties in these areas such that they are unmatched anywhere else. Like in many Latin American countries, the residences of Metro Manila's elite live side by side the slums and squatter areas, most of which are in the outskirts of the aforementioned gated communities. It's lack of infrastructure to accommodate it has left the city exposed and vulnerable.

Manila is in turmoil and i am in great pain for it's people. I am writing this piece because of the typhoon "Ondoy,",or Ketsana. Neal Cruz of the Philippine Daily Inquirer wrote:

Storm “Ondoy” was a great equalizer. The flood treated everybody, rich and poor, equally. It didn’t play favorites, exempting no one. It made everybody miserable. Celebrities and the influential suffered along with the poor. The rich in their gated communities suffered just as much as the squatters in their shanties. The relatively well off Provident Village in Marikina was among the worst hit, with floodwaters reaching the rooftops. Many residents waited on their roofs for rescue that did not come as they watched in terror the water rise higher.

Many were angered by the slow rescue efforts of the government. It was clearly unprepared and caught flatfooted. Ondoy (international codename: Ketsana), after all, was supposed to be only a baby storm with winds of no more than 80 kph near the center. However, it made up for its lack of strong winds with plenty of rainwater that swamped almost the whole Central Luzon. If you were perched on your rooftop, with everything around you under water, and the water inching higher and you were crying for help but no help came, you would naturally be angry.

Manila's urbanization has been so rapid, but the planning process has been too slow. Last weekend's typhoon can be attributed to climate change, but, the flood was in large part the result of the capital's poor drainage and sanitation systems, neglected by several successive administrations in power. But, it doesn't help the situation right now. As Ketsana rained down upon Manila, sewers that were clogged up by plastic bags and other refuse led to roads becoming rivers and gardens lagoons. Many impoverished Manila residents live in makeshift settlements by rivers and creeks — the source of their drinking water — that overflowed and carried off their homes. "People have always been living on the edge," says Carlos Celdran, a renowned Manila historian.

I wish nothing more than to see the Filipinos rise once more from this tragedy. Gifted with resilient nature, and a deep faith in God, they will make it. The suffering may be great, the sorrows intense, and restoration will be, as usual, a long process, but, Manila will turn a new leaf. I am praying and i am hopeful.

God bless the Philippines and the Filipino people! Mabuhay!

My thanks to friends and family who shared their photos, which i have used.