Makati...

As you can see from my photos, Makati... at least the part where I live is similar to any major city, but if you walk a few minutes away from the main street and malls, you will have a very different view. A few minutes walk from my condo is Makati Medical centre and directly opposite it is a squatters area, using the word "squatters" sounds negative but these are people that simply don't have many choices in life. Remember there is no benefit system here, to eat on a daily basis you have to work or find some other way to obtain money to buy food.

Every little space along the roads can be made into a business, it may only be selling little home made sweets or cigarettes, some sell refreshments. This is just one person standing by himself with a cardboard box of sweets/cigarettes but selling enough will mean that he can eat for that day.
Taxi drivers, as much as I dislike them at times don't have it easy either. Their cab rental cost per day is 1500 pesos then gas is another 750 p per day, that's 2250 pesos that they have to make per day just to break even. On average in Makati that is 45/50 pick ups per day before they make any profit. They all work in 24 hours shifts (the cab rental time ) they grab sleep during quiet times, I sometimes worry when a cabbie drives me home is just about falling asleep as it may be nearing the end of his 24 hours in this cab.
As the saying goes.... needs must, I think that is one of the things that I admire most about Filipinos is that they are prepared... you could say that they have no choice.... to do whatever is necessary to eek out a living in difficult circumstances.

One of the negative sides of that is, they become used to only planning for today. If one comes into some money, instead of saying that's great I can eat well today and save the rest and eat well for the next few weeks. They may have a party or give family and friends a hand out but it inevitably it means that they are back to square one. At the lower level of society some workers will work for you but then when they get paid you won't see them again until their money runs out, so instead of working continious and saving some money for the difficult times, they just live for today.. eat today then worry about tomorrow. Who am I to argue with that.

I hope you have a positive day today wherever you are viewing from. And can you believe it..... the sun is shining here in Manila !!!