About The Philippines

"I knew my affections for the Philippines was equally telling: a democracy on paper, apparently well-ordered, regularly subverted by irrational chaos. A place where I'd felt instantly at home."
              -- Richard, The Beach by Alex Garland

I would like to think that many share the sentiment.

The Philippines, by media accounts, may seem like daunting terrain. There's the unending threat of coup, either by "the people" or by the military -- often after every disagreeable
move by a supposedly corrupt government. Some tourists got kidnapped a couple of years back while vacationing down south. Muggers and pickpocket are regulars in some areas. Metro traffic is hell. There seems to be no road rules; jeeps, buses, and cars run amok.
And who do you turn to? The supposedly corrupt (again) police and politicians?

Too much for a vacation, no?

Seathing underneath is what I believe to be the real Philippines. Because, yes, we've got all these "anomalies" -- day-to-day reminders that 'hey, we've got a long long way to go,' corruption, chaos and despair. Yet, look at what we have -- our resources, the rich seas,
lush mountains and forests, our ecologically diverse land and oceans. And look at who we really are: a people sturdied by revolutions, history and poverty, happy and enduring, smart, kind and hospitable.

That's the true Philippines I see whenever I travel around the country -- or even when I just stay at home in Metro Manila. And I will repeat that to any traveler I meet on the road or in some bar here. Masarap pa ring mabuhay sa Pilipinas.