Hard To Live In Manila
Just looking at the majority of the residents of the cities here in Manila, you can immediately say, it’s hard to live in Manila.
There was a time that I went to Cubao to buy for a tool in Electrical wiring. I tried to ride a jeep with a route Fairview-Kalayaan-Cubao. I was not familiar with the streets. The jeep went through a place where every side of the streets was full of squatters’ barong-barong. Even under the bridge, still many barong-barong were built under it.
Last 2003, there were many families along the Commonwealth Avenue who were affected by the road-widening program of the Quezon City government. Even on the Commonwealth Market area, a block of squatters’ houses were demolished.
I know there are many places here in Manila which are occupied by the squatters. But let’s try to forget them, just consider me.
I went here last 2001 with the help of a friend who putted up a business. I thought at first, the said business was located at a place like mall, but it surprised me because it was actually located in a squatters area here in Quezon City.
I rented a bed space in a small boarding house. We were 6 in the room. I can’t actually sleep when I wanted to rest for it was so warm here. The room has a small window and it was not enough to cool down the room. During rainy times, rain comes in through the holes in our roof and our way out into the street became muddy. And if we would wash our clothes, we have no place to hang it to let it dry, so I decided to bring it to a laundry shop. We even have no kitchen, so we all just buy some foods at the karenderia for our meals.
To let you know, I was just earning a hundred pesos a day, but I almost spent more than I earned. Everything I am doing here needed money to spent for. You need to pay for the tricycle, food, house or anything. Even a piece of kangkong leaf, you need to pay for it.
There was a time that I went to Cubao to buy for a tool in Electrical wiring. I tried to ride a jeep with a route Fairview-Kalayaan-Cubao. I was not familiar with the streets. The jeep went through a place where every side of the streets was full of squatters’ barong-barong. Even under the bridge, still many barong-barong were built under it.
Last 2003, there were many families along the Commonwealth Avenue who were affected by the road-widening program of the Quezon City government. Even on the Commonwealth Market area, a block of squatters’ houses were demolished.
I know there are many places here in Manila which are occupied by the squatters. But let’s try to forget them, just consider me.
I went here last 2001 with the help of a friend who putted up a business. I thought at first, the said business was located at a place like mall, but it surprised me because it was actually located in a squatters area here in Quezon City.
I rented a bed space in a small boarding house. We were 6 in the room. I can’t actually sleep when I wanted to rest for it was so warm here. The room has a small window and it was not enough to cool down the room. During rainy times, rain comes in through the holes in our roof and our way out into the street became muddy. And if we would wash our clothes, we have no place to hang it to let it dry, so I decided to bring it to a laundry shop. We even have no kitchen, so we all just buy some foods at the karenderia for our meals.
To let you know, I was just earning a hundred pesos a day, but I almost spent more than I earned. Everything I am doing here needed money to spent for. You need to pay for the tricycle, food, house or anything. Even a piece of kangkong leaf, you need to pay for it.
I Hate Manila
Living in Manila was not my plan. I really hate Manila, because I already had the conception that Manila was the home of criminals.
We had neighbors who live in Manila for long years. When they leave our place, their houses were just made of bamboo and nipa. But then, after a year, they started to build a concrete house and even purchased expensive home appliances. When they went home, they only had stayed for a week, and then NBI agents came and confiscated everything that they owned and arrested them for a kidnap for ransom case.
I even watched on the TV about the robberies, murders, and crimes happened in Manila.
We had neighbors who live in Manila for long years. When they leave our place, their houses were just made of bamboo and nipa. But then, after a year, they started to build a concrete house and even purchased expensive home appliances. When they went home, they only had stayed for a week, and then NBI agents came and confiscated everything that they owned and arrested them for a kidnap for ransom case.
I even watched on the TV about the robberies, murders, and crimes happened in Manila.
Stepped Into The Land of Manila
Actually, I haven't planned to live here in Manila. I really like to live in the place where I was born, simply because, I wanted to stay there with my parents.
But last October 1997, for the first time, I stepped my feet on the land of Manila. Our field trip and seminar activities were held in different power plants in Luzon.
Manila was just the same as the cities I already had passed by. There were many busy people walking on the sidewalk, window-shopping on malls and department stores, recreating on parks, and working their different tasks on different offices. The only difference was that, Manila was really polluted whether in air, in water or in land.
But last October 1997, for the first time, I stepped my feet on the land of Manila. Our field trip and seminar activities were held in different power plants in Luzon.
Manila was just the same as the cities I already had passed by. There were many busy people walking on the sidewalk, window-shopping on malls and department stores, recreating on parks, and working their different tasks on different offices. The only difference was that, Manila was really polluted whether in air, in water or in land.
Rainy Wednesday
It’s Wednesday.
At 2:00 am, I was still repairing one of my computers when the heavy rain poured. It didn’t stop even until the time when I went to sleep at 5:00 am. When I woke up at 7:00 am, rain slowed down but the wind struck from any directions.
I tried to prepare my self for our class at 11:00 am but I was late to know that classes here in Metro Manila were suspended. Maybe that was the reason why students stayed at our cafes utilizing their time in surfing the internet or chatting with their friends online.
At 11:00 am, I went to Gilmore Computer Shopping Centers at Gilmore-Aurora Avenue in order to buy computer supplies and peripherals for the Jam.Net Computer Centers. I feel bored while riding jeepney because we're stuck since there are streets which are affected by the flood caused by the heavy rains. So after shopping, I walked from Gilmore Avenue to EDSA, since, there were no jeepneys coming.
As to this time, rain has stopped already.
At 2:00 am, I was still repairing one of my computers when the heavy rain poured. It didn’t stop even until the time when I went to sleep at 5:00 am. When I woke up at 7:00 am, rain slowed down but the wind struck from any directions.
I tried to prepare my self for our class at 11:00 am but I was late to know that classes here in Metro Manila were suspended. Maybe that was the reason why students stayed at our cafes utilizing their time in surfing the internet or chatting with their friends online.
At 11:00 am, I went to Gilmore Computer Shopping Centers at Gilmore-Aurora Avenue in order to buy computer supplies and peripherals for the Jam.Net Computer Centers. I feel bored while riding jeepney because we're stuck since there are streets which are affected by the flood caused by the heavy rains. So after shopping, I walked from Gilmore Avenue to EDSA, since, there were no jeepneys coming.
As to this time, rain has stopped already.
The Start Of My Journey
It was 1993 when I started to live my life away from my parents. I went to Tacloban City to pursue my college education financed by my elder brother.
The first month of living alone was so hard for me. I don't even know how to cook, wash my clothes, prepare things for me, and even to sleep without my mother on my side. I found my self crying at night, looking for the cares of my parents and even for their caress .
I missed the convent and the church where I served for years. I missed the choir. I missed the organ I used to play after the mass. I missed the scrab I was using in cleaning the altar. I missed the Overhead Projector I was operating during mass. I missed the bell I rang during the consecration of bread at mass. I missed them all who were once part of my life.
There were many times, where I met the day sleepless and let the night passed by restless. I tried to lie down on my bed but I couldn't relax. I tried to close my eyes, but things beyond still showed in front of me.
And then, when my favorite instrumental music played on the radio, tears flowed down. For those music reminded me the life that I have when I was still with my loveones.
Through the hardship that I met, still my life must go on.
The first month of living alone was so hard for me. I don't even know how to cook, wash my clothes, prepare things for me, and even to sleep without my mother on my side. I found my self crying at night, looking for the cares of my parents and even for their caress .
I missed the convent and the church where I served for years. I missed the choir. I missed the organ I used to play after the mass. I missed the scrab I was using in cleaning the altar. I missed the Overhead Projector I was operating during mass. I missed the bell I rang during the consecration of bread at mass. I missed them all who were once part of my life.
There were many times, where I met the day sleepless and let the night passed by restless. I tried to lie down on my bed but I couldn't relax. I tried to close my eyes, but things beyond still showed in front of me.
And then, when my favorite instrumental music played on the radio, tears flowed down. For those music reminded me the life that I have when I was still with my loveones.
Through the hardship that I met, still my life must go on.
The Language
I am a man who travels from my home land, the land of Kamayo speaking people, to my mother's home, the land of the Surigaonon speaking people, to my father's home, the land of the Leyteño-Bolanon speaking people, to Imelda Marcos' home, the land of the Waray-waray people, to the oldest and first Catholic island of the Philippines where people speak cebuano, and to the Capital of the Philippines where people speak Tagalog.
I can speak and write the languages of the different places I passed by. And I can express better what ever in my head using our National Language which is the Filipino, but I will try to use English in blogging here. I am not good in English. I can't even express well my feelings using this language, but I will try my best, just to let the visitors of this site understand its content. It may contain wrong grammars, but from time to time, with the help of the visitors comments and suggestions, these will be corrected.
I can speak and write the languages of the different places I passed by. And I can express better what ever in my head using our National Language which is the Filipino, but I will try to use English in blogging here. I am not good in English. I can't even express well my feelings using this language, but I will try my best, just to let the visitors of this site understand its content. It may contain wrong grammars, but from time to time, with the help of the visitors comments and suggestions, these will be corrected.
The Purpose of Blogging
This blog is created in order to share my experiences to you as I live here in Manila.
The term Manila, may refer to the City of Manila or to the National Capital Region. But on this blog, it will refer to the Region, where Manila City belongs.
The term Manila, may refer to the City of Manila or to the National Capital Region. But on this blog, it will refer to the Region, where Manila City belongs.
