Travel to the Philippines

---

In the summer of 2006, I travelled to the Philippines, which is where I was born. I stayed mostly in the Greater Manila area, but also made a day-long travel to Laoag, Ilocos Norte by riding on an air-conditioned bus. The bus fare was around eight hundred pesos one way. To experience the ambiance of this lovely country, I usually walked around the city and mingled with the crowds of people in shopping centers, public markets, sidewalks, promenades and public parks. I also visited a neighboring town, San Nicolas, which is the birthplace of my father. One thing I observed was the number of vendors in the public market. They were selling groceries, fruits and vegetables, household wares, fast foods and other items. Because of difficulty finding salaried jobs, most of the people have resorted to vending in public markets as an honest way of earning a living. The political situation in the country was still unsettling, as it is today. In Manila, there were always rallies and demonstrations being held near Mendiola Bridge and Liwasang Bonifacio. In contrasts to rallies held many years back, today's rallies and demonstrations were generally peaceful. If you take pictures of demonstrators, you would be questioned by rally organizers and their security people. You have to give a reason or show your ID. There was one rally where I was questioned when I was taking photographs of the event. As a consequence, I stopped taking pictures and just watched and listened to speeches and stage presentations.

---

Photos

Protest Rally
People demonstrate for various causes in the Philippines. Rallies are generally peaceful.