| 01.30.2020 – Thursday afternoon had a fine weather in Manila as people come and go you see just another normal day in the capital city of the Philippines. But there have been quite a struggle in the news with the volcanic eruption, an earthquake in another country, the viral epidemic, and tragic deaths all over the world that includes one of the greatest basketball players on the planet.
But like most people all over the world Filipinos are resilient and will try to make the toughest day might not be the best. But a silver lining in appreciating everyday such as some images taken on a random walk throughout the commercial can give you an idea how Manila is coping from the news these past few days. |
At SM City Manila alone you’ll find people now in their surgical and protective masks due to the news that coronavirus has been reported that one of the affected that arrived last January 21 has been reported being diagnosed with the said virus. There has been tension in some parts of the city due to the surgical masks being sold out.
But the local mall is still packed with people going in and out of the shopping centre going through another day. This mall has been around since the late 1990s and the foot traffic never cease to amaze me despite the small floor space compared to other SM Supermalls like in SM City Makati or SM Megamall in Manadaluyong.
Kobe Bryant Tributes
I was about to head out of the shopping centre and just saw this part of SM City Manila. There have been tributes for the late Los Angeles Laker Legend in the past days and celebrating the greatness of Kobe Bryant with his daughter and 7 of his friends that also perished in the tragedy continues on social media.
The signature wall has been filled by walk-ins while a memorabilia like a pair of Nike shoes based on the ones he had worn during his 20 years playing in the NBA can be seen on display and one of his famous quotes is printed in this mocked up wall.
Shrine Refurbishments
After exiting the mall the large area of the Andres Bonifacio Shrine that includes the park behind it is started to look like an actual city park than what it used to be six months prior to the newly elected mayor in Isko ‘Moreno’ Domagoso, who promised that the redevelopment of the areas will focus on the greenery.
The new mayor certainly kept his promise as one of the changes that is sweeping Manila that also included the upgrade of Jones Bridge and other parts of the city. This part located just beside of the Manila City Hall has become busier than ever. Now that the Bonifacio Shrine is getting a facelift with the grass surrounding the hero’s memorial monument as well as the façade facing Lawton.
Underpass Renovations
Since the shine is being renovated there was no sidewalk pathway heading to Sta. Cruz so I decided to take the route around through the underpass. This one has been old and getting a major facelift and it also included significant changes on the aesthetics that is slowly taking shape.
Under the passage way changes have been significant with the external and internal changes can be seen as construction is underway and you will see the walls have now different surface as well as the ceiling has better look that can challenge the underpass aesthetics of the ones in Makati that also had upgrades last year.
Although changes has been felt in the structures and areas that people see every day. The only thing that doesn’t change is the behaviour of the people that dwell in this city. The lack of standards and ethics can be seen on how they conduct themselves. I still see men taking a piss on broad daylight when they can go to toilets that are a just a few meters away and you can see how primitive their thinking that it is ‘normal.’
The Good, Bad, and the Primitive
Walking along Lawton you can see how some people are just not behave and still act as if they’re doing is ‘normal’ in their perspective of standards. You can see people trying to get a ride in the middle of the street that is inappropriate even though it is dangerous that they don’t even care until it’s too late.
On my last route heading to Escolta I took the wrong underpass it had to be the last one prior to Jones Bridge, but I took that route anyway and this is the biggest underpass among the ones in the area. This one has received renovations, but the route going to the Manila Post Office is still littered with informal settlers. You’ll know because the human stench is familiar.
I almost caught a lady pissing just behind a government truck surrounded by the kids in the area. It would be traumatic for those who don’t experience this every day the way I see this that is not normal for a person who’s educated and had lived in developing country for almost two years. To think this adventure was surreal is an understatement, but the Philippines are still considered way behind the times.
It is not just about the technology is the majority of the masses who conduct themselves how they behave or act like taking a piss on broad daylight in public or throwing up while driving a transportation vehicle seems the stuff you see in movies or television saying the word “primitive” is not being use often as I say it here, but it is not worth a random snap though if you are in my shoes you’ll have that experience nightmares are when you sleep I see it every day and it is here in Manila.
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