Between Poverty and Paradise
Paolo P. Mangahas


LAST night, I had dinner with a German friend to talk about her planned trip to the Philippines . She had just completed an internship program in one of the law firms here in Malaysia and wanted to take a short holiday in a nearby country before heading off to Australia to finish her studies. She wanted to know more about the Philippines and asked me for tips on making the most of the two-and-a-half weeks that she had allotted for this vacation.

We planned her trip between bites, armed only with a faded map of the Philippines that we had downloaded from the Internet. My goal was to identify all the "must-see" places in the country (her criteria being beaches and volcanoes), plot them according to distance and flight routes, and then cram them all in 17 days. A tall order indeed, especially for someone like me who has never had a sense of direction even in my own neighborhood. For the life of me, I could not spot where Boracay was on her map. So I took the easy way out and told her to go to Palawan instead.

I carried on with the task like a diligent student trying to remember my geography, starting from the rice terraces in Banaue up north, moving down south to the Mayon Volcano in Bicol and the Chocolate Hills in Bohol. It was an embarrassing ordeal nonetheless as she could see that I was struggling to find all the other attractive destinations on the map, which in turn made me realize how little I truly knew about my own country. She was very excited about the trip and was eager to learn more about the country and its people.

She imagined the Philippines to be an eternal fiesta of Spanish and Chinese Third-World flair, filled with warm and accommodating people who all speak with a clear American accent, where all men have the handsome earthy appeal of Jericho Rosales and women the heavenly mestiza charms of Kristine Hermosa (thanks to Filipino soap operas that have become so popular here in Malaysia ). It was certainly one of the most honest cultural impressions that I have ever heard and quite amusingly, one shared by many. In my German friend's opinion, the Philippines is one of the most open-minded countries in Southeast Asia . I found this view rather interesting, especially since it came from a European who has never stepped foot in the Philippines and whose only direct exposure to the country, was me.

The funny thing about cultural impressions is that they often come from a place of both acute perception and blatant ignorance, split in the middle by what is painfully true. But they are what they are ~ impressions. Quite naturally, my friend and I have come to build our own impressions about Malaysia in the several months that we have been here. Malaysia is a beautiful country that seems to be in a hurry to develop economically, but is hampered by a palpable trace of social reluctance. It seems grounded on an age-old culture that simply does not mix well with progress, or at least the kind dictated and exemplified by the Western world. I find this true for most developing Asian countries, including the Philippines.

My friend pointed out that she has never seen a beggar in the streets of Kuala Lumpur since she moved here and asked me if it is the same in the Philippines. As a matter of fact, she admitted that she has never seen a beggar up close in her whole life and asked me to explain how it is to live in a poor country like mine.

She wanted to know more about poverty. Her question struck a chord in me because I realized that apart from Jericho Rosales, this woman had absolutely no idea about the country where she was going and how it was out there. Here was someone who came to me wanting to know more about my country and the best I could offer was a geographical representation of scenic destinations, which I hardly even knew myself.

By this time, I had put down the pen I was holding, set aside the map, and got ready to explain to her details about my country. I did not know where to begin. After all, how does one explain poverty to someone who has never experienced it before? To make things more relevant to her, I started by comparing the Philippines to Malaysia. I told her that blue-collar workers in the Philippines did not have the same opportunities as the ones in Malaysia, who can afford to eat in the same restaurants where executives eat or even shop in stores where their own bosses shop. I told her that unlike the ones I have met in Malaysia, secretaries and administrative clerks in the Philippines will eat in posh restaurants only on very special occasions and can barely afford to travel to other countries. I then told her about the beggars, young and old, who parade the streets of Manila, the children who knock on car windows selling sampaguita, the mothers who have to forage for food in garbage landfills, and the unemployed fathers who waste their lives on drugs and alcohol. I told her about the shanties that bedeck highways and railroads, the unproductive traffic jams, the garbage-infested streets and sewers, and the regular typhoons that flood the country and exacerbate already poor living conditions. I told her that poverty in the Philippines unapologetically hits you in the face the very moment you step in. It is an open wound just waiting to be healed.

My friend looked shaken, as if experiencing for the first time a world she has seen only on TV. That was when my tears started to fall. I could not help it. I have never cried in front of a semi- stranger before but for some reason, I cried this time because she was still not immune to these things.

Her unawareness taught me to see poverty as if for the first time myself, which brought out a lot of pain. I have become so used to the pain that I have forgotten how it felt until I painted for her the sad face of poverty.

I then found myself having to explain to her that despite all these, the Philippines is still a beautiful country and this you will also feel the very moment you get there. It is a beauty characterized by the indomitable human spirit of a people who have seen better days and yet still have the capacity to find a piece of heaven in their lives. It is a beauty defined by the untiring faith of a people who have learned to acknowledge their plight with reverence and yet have never lost the courage to dream big dreams. It is a beauty characterized by the painful history of a people who have been abused and pillaged through the years and yet still have so much of themselves to give.

Now her tears were falling, smearing the map that I had earlier vandalized with circles and arrows. But I knew it did not matter anymore at this point.

I realized that my friend had learned all she needed to know about my country and my people. She thanked me profusely, saying that she came to me wanting to know more about how poor the Philippines is but in the end, she learned how abundantly blessed Filipinos truly are.

A beach is a beach and a volcano is a volcano anywhere in the world, but it is the people who make the difference. I learned in that moment that I may not know the geographical features of my country all too well, but I sure know its heart and its soul because it is who I am.
The real poverty lies in not knowing this.

I love this!!!! I brought tears to my eyes.

correction...the article is written by an award winner in an writing contest.

ate katz,

my husband and i have not gone back home in a long long time. while in manila last month, we were sitting at atarbucks talking about how things are...beggars, underpaid employees, no work, hard life...i was totally touched seeing mom and young kids begging and sleeping in the pavement outside our hotel room. i was also shocked at seeing young ladies ( probably in their teens) flagging at cars to offer dates while teir equally young pimps (excuse the word) were busily bargaining with men sitting in their cars....i can witness all of these from my hotel room. i talked to different people from all walks of life who are living and working in the philippines, from security guard to bank employees to taxi drivers, baristas, antique dealer, bar owners, etc....though i was bothered by all of what i was seeing, there was resignation in their voices...to them this was the way of life...i came back here in the US asking myself what i can do to help out. this is bothering me too much but i am still at a lost for answer.

but you know what, even with what i saw, i would love to someday retire in the Philippines. for now, i will be going back and forth, more often and not wait for another fifteen years before i go back. i have a lot more experiences and thoughts to share, i'll post it in myfamily.com.

thanks for listening...

tl

Hi Lyn,

I am glad to hear your stories! The experiences you had this year had been my "strength" for the past years to continue going home every year to do something very "little" that I could afford. My hubby and I started a small project to help educate little children. We have contacted some friends who could afford to spend $20 to $30 dollars for the education of some grade school children to finish their college. We sent several old computers to a barangay school in some remote places where technology and education aids are very limited. We joined ABS-CBN's project called ETV - educational materials plus VHS and TV for school children to learn more and be in the level of global learning. I collected stuff toys and other children books and vhs tapes for the children to experience what it would be "children" that all of us here were very lucky to enjoy. Why education? Because I believe that through education, the children will be able to free themselves from poverty. We could give them "handouts" but those are temporary. We feel that sending a very poor child but intelligent one to school could make difference in her family. I started in my hometown...! I got a lot of good feedbacks and everytime I go home, I see happy faces of children who are full of hopes....not desperation; full of energy to learn more not just be contented of what they are; full of enthusiasm to venture opportunities....but most of all, I have seen faces of children who have started to have "big dreams" for themselves and their families.

Lynn, you may start your project in a small scale....yet productive. You have a very good heart because if not, you were not bothered by what you have seen! You don't have to have a very grandeur task to help them.

Take care and I really believe you can make a difference in your own way!

ate katz,

i'll email you....i was thinking about this "adopt a school" program. I was just about to contact the mayor of our town to discuss with him specific needs of our town's elementary school. my gosh, you are the answer to my prayers...i am glad this subject was opened up coz i have been really bothered since i got back from manila. been rocking my brains on trying to figure out what i can do....

thanks...i'll email you.

Ay tita I am going to do a project when i go home. Actually it will be and sis Elle. Kaso sa akin more of in the street children sa Pinas. I will start small muna and ask donation. Pero siguro si sis Elle will research muna kung ano yung. If you want you can join us too.

Ay tita I am going to do a project when i go home. Actually it will be and sis Elle. Kaso sa akin more of in the street children sa Pinas. I will start small muna and ask donation. Pero siguro si sis Elle will research muna kung ano yung. If you want you can join us too.

maricel,

alam mo, elle is very nice...pareho sila ni ate kendz...i am sure you will have a good time pag uwi mo.

sana magsabay tayo ano. anyways, interested din ako diyan sa project ninyo ni elle. ano sa palagay ninyo yung mga orphanage? miss elle, what do you think?

thanks for sharing this article ta katz. very well written and just as what i thought i could describe my own homeland as well. from this side of the world, many are curious on how life is like back home. there's so much to tell but one thing that does catch their interest though is when i say that in the PI if you really want to land into a good job then you have to study real hard and complete a degree first, and sometimes you need to come from a prestigious school as some companies would only advertise their job opening to graduates from selected schools (which is not fair!). or, if your parents can't afford to send you to school then you need to find a way to get a scholarship yourself or have to rely from help from kind relatives who are far better off financially. the ordinary-living pinoys, those who aren't very lucky to be born with a silver spoon, have to go through so much - the hardship and all, before they get to where they are at now. and more often than not it's contrary to their way of life over here where one could go for an interest-free study loan to do Uni(versity), or just finish a vocational course and still land into a decent job and get a good paycheck. and with this i tell them that they are very lucky.

btw, am so proud of you ta katz, tl, maricel and elle to do something that would really help the plight of our kababayans in need. that's very Godly. it really is.

Hi Day, you are definitely right. You need some "clout" to be able to land a job. That is precisely the sad thing in our "filipino ways". However, we will begin from the starting point - be educated before you will be able to land a job! Modesty aside, some college graduates whom we sent to school on an scholarship basis landed a job and is now helping his family. He joined the Philippine Merchant Marine and is now travelling abroad. The nicest thing that happened though was that, he knew where he came from and he is helping others aside from his family. It is a small gesture and of small amount to shell out from the resources of those "blessed" that paved the way for hope and opportunity. I guess, the scholars need to have initiative and effort and most of all to have "big dreams" to reach.

Maricel, I am so delighted to know your plans with Elle. God will always be with in your good task.

Lynn, I could help you to the proper people if you are ready. One of the local newspaper publisher here in Chicago is facilitating this ETV program. In fact, he just went home and awarded 6 ETV with the local ABS-CBN people. He is form Cagayan too! His name is Orly Bernardino.

I tell you, this is the best legacy you could hand it down to your "own people"..! This is the best gift to the country where you came from...( well, for me!)

Tita diba you are going to go home this Jan-Feb. I am going home as well so siguro if you want you can join us. I need all the help we can get hehe..it's just nice to hand those gift by yourself diba? Pero we are just starting small muna then siguro if it is successful then we would so something else. I am just praying it will be.

yes, if let me know...why not? you must start with a small one.....!

I'm really proud of sis Maricel for coming up with this idea, sabit lang po ako sa project na to but i am really excited to help her plan and execute it, but atleast po i can be of help this way, its my secret wish po to be able to do something for other people like this, this is really a blessing for me...Sabi ko na nga ba im right, that my titas and sisters in TJIF are mostly kindhearted people, it's really heartwarming to prove that! God bless you all for all the good things that you do! Mmwwaah!

Ta Lyn, actually sis Cel wants to help the street children in Pampanga muna for a start, i am actually asking my officemate po for ideas kasi she has lots of projects like this, and she suggested a lot...like for one like what Tita Katz is doing, scholarship for kids, another is micro finance(for livelihood program) and another is computer literacy program...we can discuss po in details in myfamily siguro...I havent told sis Cel about this yet, will talk to her tomorrow...

I think maganda yung livelihood ano po sa tingin you mga ate's and tita's?

cel & elle,

yes, maganda nga yung livelihood...give something "to fish with" and they will take care of themselves.

let me know more about this program...thanks

Tita I have to talk to sis Elle kasi sabi niya she knows someone that knows people. Kaya siguro we have to organized everything muna. I am going to siguro ask donation sa mga pinoy dito na tita ko..I am thinking kasi parang yung logo "bottle for life" yung bibigyan natin sila ng bottle tas lalagay nila yung coins nila till Jan. So we can give them enough time to put money in there. Tita call me u have my number right?