"One night in Quiapo, Manila"
It was last night when yours truly was walking down the road and raised off my camera just to take some pictures about the daily life in Manila.
And as usual, ranging from the streets full of automobiles to the plastic full of waste placed illegally near the sidewalks, Manila is a place wherein life is entirely both lively and sad to the eyes of everyone cuddled in Manila's bosom.
But, one place in Manila seemed to be a good example of a livelier scene despite rampant poverty: Quiapo.
Commonly known for its very famous Quiapo Church and its Black Nazarene, -Quiapo became well known, or others may think of as infamous, for its vendors selling pirated DVDs and even gagetry (like cellphone chargers from China). And as expected for a sightseer, he just raised off his cam and had some photographs of it-and of course, having it discreet and careful in order to prevent being snatched away!
For sure as an individual living in a third world country would think that despite the rampant poverty prevailing, of increase in oil prices and commodities while decreasing our monetary value, having this kind of life makes us both immerse into our realities and also to escape from it-that we ought to look every vendor desperately selling to earn, beggars to beg, even seeing garbage around while at the same time offering us an escape through its DVDs being sold before reaching an ire of an enforcer resorting it to shutting every store down and its discs confiscated.
And speaking of the DVDs, whether it is porn or not, it's like having an alternative "film center" in the metro: Ramones' "Rock and Roll High School" everyone?
"Silip" feat. Maria Isabel Lopez?
"Snake Sisters"?
Old movies of Tito, Vic and Joey?
"John and Marsha"?
"Sisa" feat. Anita Linda?
For sure most of people, whether rich or poor obviously would choose buying a cheaper one, 20-25 pesos each or 3 for 100 and even plead for a bargain rather than buying a DVD that costs 250 0r 450 per disc! Otherwise, in regards to the DVDs featuring very old movies (Like "Sisa" and "King Khayyam and I"), where will someone who took interest in those movies afford to buy it? For sure he/she couldn't know how to buy it online or thinking it twice in spending 450 pesos just to buy it!
Well, no matter how the stench we tried to resist, the valuables trying hard to keep, and the people ought to deal, going to a place like Quiapo or any part of Manila summarizes in two sentences: "how to be a street smart" and "want to know the reality behind the curtain." For sure some of the people around may have tired of Makati and Mandaluyong and instead going to Quiapo, Binondo and Divisoria both for curiosity and a round of adventure. But at first try to act like a common person for the sake of not getting targeted by those thinking everything as an opportunity to grab valuables.