The Slum

[fred]

Just watched part of a documentary on Al Jazeera quite by accident as I dont normally give the channel a second look..

Saw this and was very impressed with the general quality and production. They managed to capture the real essence of poverty and tragedy in parts of Tondo, Manila IMO.

[Michael Parnham]

Al Jazeera show quite a few documentaries about Philippines Fred!

[malolos]

Very moving documentary.

[Terpe]

Very moving. Very sad.
Wish I had an answer.

[fred]

Very moving. Very sad.
Wish I had an answer.

I was talking to the Mrs about it as once upon a time she lived in a similar area as a child..
She says that they do not want to be relocated as its all they know and living there gives them a kind of security. Its all they know.
She says that most Filipino`s dont like watching videos of the people suffering like this including the Squatters themselves.. They would much rather fantasize and watch movies about rich people with maids and servants and aspire too that.
She reckons that every now and then a squatter family have a member that manages to get out and work outside,sometimes even abroad.. When the money comes in,the family become maarte (pretentious) and look down on their squatter neighbours..
In some cases once the daughter abroad sends money and the family invest it in a sari sari store for example,the neighbours will say.."Ohh!!! Why are you working"? "Your daughter is abroad"!!

I wish I had the answer too!!
Or do I? I wouldn't want to come across as an interfering know all foreigner! I might get deported.

I suppose that Britain had the same problems until world war 2 ended as social welfare and unions began to take hold..
The poor massa in the Philippines are an extremely powerful lobby group,they just dont know it yet!
If they ever find out,then perhaps things might change and fast..
In the meantime the ruling classes and the middle class et all will keep educating them via Wow Wow Willy and showtime.
In other words..They couldn't care less.. The Yolanda disaster fiasco should illustrate that clearly enough IMO.

[grahamw48]

My son has lots of relations living in Tondo and Caloocan (my ex-wife's sister's branch of the family).

Many of them receive regular help, free holidays abroad and presents from young ladies in the family who have wed foreigners.

The ones I have met seem to be good people, and several are on my facebook friends list.

[Terpe]

I just get emotional to see folks really living on a knife edge like that.
Just a very little help would make a huge difference.
I also wish the church would change it's ignorant position on family planning and help these folks to help themselves instead of telling them contraception is wrong.

[London_Manila]

Thanks for providing that video

A side of Manila most tourists will never see

[fred]

Actually..This was the one I meant to post!!



Just saw the other though .. Very well produced also.

[grahamw48]

I just get emotional to see folks really living on a knife edge like that.
Just a very little help would make a huge difference.
I also wish the church would change it's ignorant position on family planning and help these folks to help themselves instead of telling them contraception is wrong.

Couldn't agree more. Their stance on this is a total disgrace in this day and age.

[Abigail]

My husband and I got married in Bacolod in February and now before they will issue your licence you have to attend a family planning seminar. I was kind of shocked by how little the rest of the group (including my husband knew as it was the kind of stuff we are taught in primary school here. However we also had to have an interview with the church elders who also offered us a seminar but on natural methods of birth control. They are not exactly effective but at least it was a slight move in the right direction.

[raynaputi]

What I cringe about all the time is church people like the priests giving these family planning seminars when they don't even have wives and kids themselves (well let's put it what it's supposed to be). They're not in the position to give personal and actual experiences that can support their stance, especially with family planning, and they are usually just basing everything on their Bible.

[grahamw48]

Yes. ding ding it's the 21st century folks.

[Michael Parnham]

Actually..This was the one I meant to post!!



Just saw the other though .. Very well produced also.

Just watched the whole lot Fred, thank you!

[andy222]

I feel so sorry for those people they work so hard. I take your point Rayna, but something needs to be done about the population. Those kids didn't ask to be born into poverty.

[Ako Si Jamie]

There's a documentary called Black Manila which has recently been uploaded to You Tube. I will post it here later after I've watched this.

[andy222]

It's in Tagalog.

[Ako Si Jamie]

It's in Tagalog.

Yes, but it does have subtitles.

[Terpe]

The Slum

Couple of riveting episodes there ...... Compulsive watching IMO

Very humbling but at the same time inspiring.
There is a certain beauty out of poverty.
Yes, I know that sounds perverse. But true for me anyway.

Many folks could learn such a lot by watching