First Impressions of Manila

I have now been in Manila for over a week and have been getting into the daily grind of work. Work is an interesting one, I have no computer, there is only one phone in the office and absolutely no private space in which to work. It is a very different environment to working in Australia that's for sure! I work with very bright people but there is so much to do and so few people to help. I know now what it means when we want to provide overseas development assistance to a country in a particular area and there is no capacity in-country to use the money - because of course we don't usually provide core funding to particular agencies for their work, we normally have particular requirements and outcomes that need to be achieved in order for the funding to be provided. But when the talented people are so busy doing their everyday work, there really is no capacity to do anything else. With 20% of the budget of the Philippines going directly into debt servicing, I wonder what this country would be able to do with a full budget. However, as Neil and many others bring up, it depends on what they spend the additional 20% on.

Anyway, generally it is hot, humid, and the traffic is awful here. It really isn't a walker's city (I never understood this before I came here) because with all the traffic spitting out dirty exhaust (most of the vehicles are hand me downs from Korea and other parts of southeast asia and look like they should be retired) the air pollution is absolutely terrible. Neil and I walked about 200 metres around the corner for some dinner last night at an American-style resteraunt called 'Shakeys' and 100 of those metres were along a fairly busy road. By the time we got to Shakeys my eyes were full of grit and I could feel the air pollution in my throat - it's so nice!!

But because you can't walk anywhere - it means most people take taxis, jeepneys or buses everywhere - the worst offenders when it comes to traffic pollution! Half the traffic is public transport and I wonder if people would walk more and then require less vehicles on the roads if they were cleaned up a bit . . .

The heat is very exhausting. We generally eat less, are more tired and run the air conditioner as much as possible when in the home. We're told the hot season should only last a little while longer until we hit the rainy season. While this initially sounded nice to me, I have been assured that when it rains, it pours. What's worse is that it only makes things more humid! So what it good about this place?? Well, it is pretty exciting, there is always a lot going on and the people are absolutely wonderful. And by all accounts, as soon as you get out of Manila, it is supposed to be wonderful. We have a friend, Paul J coming to visit us as of tomorrow, so we'll use that chance to get out of Manila and see a bit of the Philippines. And I promise to write more about the good aspects of this place - because despite the heat, travel time to work, air pollution and humidity - we are enjoying it I promise!!

posted by batik billy @ 11:08 am