Mabuhay! — culture shock and how to get over it
I’m now 2.5 weeks in Manila and as highlighted in my previous post, this blog is dedicated to my experiences in the Philippines as an emerging market and a brief summary of the assignment of my host organization.
I admit it — I am shocked. Philippine standards are just too different to be ignored or not be bothered at some point. Here are three examples I did not expect in such intensity:
- Shopping mall culture: Manila would not be Manila if there were not so many shopping malls — several hundreds (?) if google is correct. Most of them belong to one of the 13 most influential families of the Philippines (which already explains a lot). But malls do not only serve the purpose of capitalism, they are also a means of coping with extreme temperatures (24/7 air-conditioning tends to get expensive) and a good option to escape cramped dwellings and tiny, improvised huts. Malls also serve for social meet-ups and recreational purposes — so in case you’re looking for a cinema, laser tag, gym or spa, just go find the next mall and make sure to hold on to your purse.
- Traffic: I’ve been to other non-western countries before and I’ve been traveling remote areas, but Manila is next level. Last Wednesday, our host organization took us to explore their farms outside of Metro Manila. While the outward ride went per schedule, the return journey proved a big challenge: It took +5 hours to travel approx. 100 km. This was certainly an extreme case as the Filipinos seem to take Valentine’s Day seriously. But similar commutes belong to the daily routine now. This is mainly due to the poor infrastructure and urban development (river Pasig divides Manila into business districts in the north and residential areas in the south — remote work being uncommon; the general lack of public transportation options other than Jeepneys; and the fact that traffic regulations are considered more optional than strict), which is not limited to Manila but also applies to other cities (usually one main street, and if there’s traffic jam, you just need to be patient). To make the most of it, my team and I now conduct debriefs in the car, or use the time to learn about our cultures or stay in touch with friends and family.
- Funky desserts: Halo-Halo (literally translated as “mixed-mixed”) is my personal extreme when it comes to culinary experiences. A dessert made of ice cubes, evaporated milk, sweetened kidney beans or corn, jelly, coconut and other fruit, topped with ice cream and served in a large cup. Also the tolerance for sweetness is extreme, so as a European you will quickly learn to add “unsweetened” / “no sugar” wherever and whatever order. Otherwise, be prepared to eat lots of fried food and pork, or just accept to pay western prices to eat western food.
I could go on with these examples but figured it is also worth to talk about a more serious topic which is very close to my heart and one of the actual reasons for me being in the Philippines — namely children’s rights. I’ve thought about the intensity I’d like to report about it here for a while and came to the conclusion to don’t go into too much detail, also in order to avoid trigger warnings and the like. But in case you’re lighthearted, you may want to continue reading in a calm minute. For the matter of integrity I also won’t add any pictures related to children / youth or the NGO’s Manila premises but instead just link their webpage.
Let’s start with some statistics:
The Philippines Statistics Authority claims that “in 2015, 31.4 percent of children belong[ed] to poor families.” In comparison, in Germany, one in five children suffers from child poverty according to savethechildren.org. Nevertheless, I’m sure that poverty itself is defined very differently, e.g. would you never (?) see children live on streets or note child labor when in Germany.
The reasons for poverty are manifold. Early school drop outs are common (mostly attributed to marriage(!), insufficient family incomes and lack of personal interest — more figures here). But children also suffer other risks, such as teenager pregnancies, drug abuse, or — increasingly common during the pandemic — cybersexual abuse.
These are just a few examples but I think the message becomes evident — children are among the most vulnerable population groups in the society and require special attention. As my personal upbringing was not a fairytale either, I was deeply touched to be assigned to a case of the children’s rights organization, Bahay Tuluyan. This well rooted Filipino NGO aims to fulfill children’s rights and to prevent and respond to abuse and violence against children. More precisely, they run 10 different programs that provide a holistic, rights-based and empowering approach to development for young people. These ten programs are designed around our four focus areas of Resilient Children, Empowered Youth, Safe Families & Child Friendly Communities. Through the implementation of these programs, Bahay Tuluyan aims to work towards their vision of a world where every child’s rights are respected, protected and fulfilled.
After we had completed our field trip to see several of Bahay Tuluyan’s institutions (piglet and chicken farm, rice farm, local youth drop-in center, youth recreation center) the past week, I felt humbled and had deep respect for all their activities but also “obvious weaknesses” which my team and I had encountered during the first week. More so, I felt hope for the many children in poverty I have seen since my arrival. I am convinced that Bahay Tuluyan has established a
- holistic approach to support children and youth, as well as families in need
- value their anticipatory farm to table approach
- and lastly, their social enterprise concept around Makabata Guesthouse & Café — enabling the youth to find employment in the hospitality industry by provisioning of on the job training and care in Manila.
As I’m about to go back to work on the assignment, a strategy to increase the occupancy rates of MGC to help the youth learn and grow, I feel very much grounded and grateful for all the experiences so far and ahead and would like to close this blog with the first Filipino word I’ve learned: Mabuhay, literally translated as “live”.
