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A Thriller in Manila

29th September 2005
The flight from Singapore to Manila was pretty uneventful. The previously cool in-flight system was now just a boring tool. I watched a movie and had some food. *yawns*

I was to meet up with Raymund from CERV Philippines at the airport, but when I left the departure gate, there was no friendly face to meet me. Things that make you go hrmmm... I did have his cell phone number handy so I gave him a call. Thank you Vodafone Global Roaming!

Raymund told me that there was a designated greeting area at the airport and he was waiting for me there. I asked an airport guard where that was and he pointed me in the right direction and I soon found Raymund holding up a "Malcolm Trevena" sign.

After some quick introductions he showed me to his car. I tried to get into the left hand side of the car, as you normally would in New Zealand, but yikes!, there was a steering wheel there!

We were soon heading off to the University of the Philippines where Raymund had arranged a place for me to stay until the official training began.

Bang! Cultural Shock! Once we were driving along the motorway I knew I was in a place far different to New Zealand.

For a start the traffic was just diabolical. Officially, I think the motorway had 3 lanes. Practically, it had somewhere between 4 and 5. Cars, buses, jeepneys^*, motorcycles, and bicycles all battled for position in the slow moving traffic. It seemed to me that we had so many near misses but Raymund was very calm about it. The only "rule" that people tend to take notice of is: If my bumper is in front of yours, then you give way to me.

Assorted highlights include:

A slow moving bus with people running beside it trying to get on .
A motorcycle with attached sidecar heading the wrong way down the motorway.
Vehicles cutting across the other side of the motorway to get an exit.
Rather large potholes

At one stage we were overtaken by a convey transporting some government official . It was lead by a police officer with signals blaring, followed by about 5 or so very flash SUVs.

But by far the most disturbing thing was the small children wandering in and out of traffic trying to sell items to help their families. One little girl was trying to sell a handful of hand picked flowers. She was probably about the same age as my niece Stephanie. Stephy is full of life. Her enthusiasm and good nature is just infectious. The little girl on the road was not full of life. She looked far too weary and old for her age.

It's just heart breaking really. Just north of Manila is the city of Angeles, where child prostitution is rampant. It's somewhere I just don't want to go to.

After about an hour and a half of driving we made it to Quezon City where the University was. We stopped at a local restaurant called Max's Restaurant, which is kinda like KFC, but a little more upmarket. I had 1/2 a spring chicken, a noodle and meat dish, a vegetable dish, an orange juice and a Filipino Lemon drink. Raymund had something similar. This cost about $NZ15.

We then headed off to the Hostel at the University. The hostel is very clean and tidy. Much preferable to the Metropole in fact.

No pictures sorry. I think I left my camera in Raymund's car. If not, then I will have to buy another one. Bummer. The Filipinos have a phrase for this. Bahala Na, which basically means God will provide, come what may. It expresses the idea that all things shall pass and in the meantime life is to be lived.