Rain Rain Go Away. . .

When people expect raindrops, they expect flooded roads and suspended classes. People are often inconvenienced by rain that whenever raindrops fall we feel exasperated. But not all people are sad and annoyed when the clouds starts its downpour mania.  For street children, flooded roads are public water parks that brings them momentary enjoyment and amusement. These children do not have any concept of dirt or even danger. For them these murky waters are big swimming pools and the jeeps their playmates. They don’t mind the danger of infection and traversing vehicles. For them the rain is a joyous occasion, an escape from the monotonous scene of honks and noise. This is a picture of street children taking a dip in this very dirty water flooding the roads near Manila City Hall. Only children with colourful imagination can truly find beauty in a sticky predicament such as this.  

Shackled Freedom

No doubt you’ve already encountered different kinds of vendors. Some of these people belong to the most resourceful breed in this world. Their resourcefulness is born out of necessity. They have the ability to seize the moment just to make a quick buck for a day’s survival. Shown in the picture is a vendor selling flag because June 12’13 is the Philippine’s Araw ng Kalayaan, or Independence Day. To get into the spirit of nationalism, he sells flags to onlookers and participants of the celebratory event; even he can’t stop himself from being amazed at the band corps musical show. People like these are true testament of the luxury of freedom or even the lack of it. They have the luxury of freedom because they are not bound to pay sales taxes and they get to be mobile when it comes to places where they are going to make a sale; yet they are not free because they are bound by the shackles of poverty. This picture is taken in the grounds of the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, Philippines during the 115^th Independence Day celebration.

Smoky Silence

We are consumed daily by our need to earn a living. From time to time, our busyness in life is stilled by moments of empathy and sorrow, not for ourselves but towards people around us. I have been living the city life for a long time now; long enough to know that amidst the self-serving declaration by the government of progress, there are just too many people who cannot relate to the same. Whenever we see people who are struggling to earn meagre money just to get by, we consider ourselves lucky. In that moment, we feel grateful for the things that we have and these things are usually the ones that don’t bring us satisfaction (or so we think). Yet, our empathy towards street people does not compel us to reach out and help them. For the most of us, our concern only reaches as far as our mind; no material execution is ever extended. Perhaps, in our little way, we should bring awareness to poverty; enough awareness to reach the right minded people who really have the responsibility to take care of them. 

On my way home, I saw this woman lying in the concrete barrier, presumably taking an afternoon nap. She endures the noise of engines and honking horns. For her, these noises are lullabies drowning out the thoughts of hunger.  As the jeep gets closer, I noticed that inside the blanket, she was hugging her pet dog. In her poverty stricken situation, she finds solace in the comfort of a four-legged friend who will unquestionably be there for her especially during the darkest of night. This photo is taken in the streets of Taft Avenue, Malate.