the 20-minute documentary on one of the esteros in manila entitled slums 101 shown on BBC news channel presents nothing shocking, to me of course, poor old third-world country girl me. yes, people in the esteros live in such stinking squalor, mr. economist. they just do. they wouldn't have to exist in such dire conditions if they would take a survey and see what keeps them from upgrading to live in a proper and legal tenement.
but it's the luck of the draw. developing countries do not have the caches of the world's top economies. we don't have state welfare in the Philippines, if you will not work, you will go hungry. if you grew up in the slums, i don't know what does it take to uproot oneself from the area; find a job, work hard, carefully plan the number of progenies.
the suggestions to combat poverty, are merely, words. a hollow collection of letters that mean nothing to the powers that be, who only remember the masses during election years. it's still a new administration. there might be hope.
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