Visit to the Red Cross

A visit to Quezon City’s Chapter of the Philippine Red Cross involved another serious conference setting and a presentation including all their volunteers dressed up in uniform. Kindly arranged by a Rotarian I met at one of the meetings a long presentation didn’t even begin to cover the amazing work they do in the Philippines.

I think sometimes we forget in the UK how spoilt we are. If we have an emergency, a fire or a car accident we call the emergency services and know they will come. In Manila that might not be the case. While the Chairmen wasn’t critical of the government provision of emergency service it was clear that these were not meeting the need and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) were filling in the gap.

In addition to the services that are remarkably similar to the British Red Cross (BRC) in terms of support for the homeless, first aid training and family tracing to name a few, there is also an additional massive scope to their work in Manila. As well as the disaster relief, a vital service with the Philippines being the top most disaster prone country, there is massive work in capacity building for communities as well as filling in for the emergency services. If this wasn’t impressive enough the fact that there are almost no paid staff and this work is carried out by volunteers should do it.

Although they do have an emergency number and a call centre is manned 27/7 they are also called out by the Philippine National Police when they attend emergencies. But the main point of contact with the public is through their astonishingly comprehensive network of volunteers. Ambulances, dinghys and fire engines are donated by their supporters.

Recognising that the usual support systems we rely on in the UK might not be available or affordable to most of the population the PRC, like the MMDA and other organisations we’ve seen focus on training people to help themselves in an emergency. Thousands of members of the public are trained in not only first aid but disaster preparedness an water rescue and they have a great volunteer retention rate with the volunteers around the table averaging a seven year involvement.

Each chapter fundraises and is given a target and a budget. Quezon City’s is 65m pesos and they regularly exceed fundraising expectations. Each chapter has its own board of trustees and paid staff and the national PRC sits over the top with its own board. Interestingly this board includes 6 representatives appointed by the president perhaps representing the key role the organisation plays in the country. However the staff we spoke to were keen to assure that they didn’t see this as compromising the independence of the organisation as with them representing only 20% these six could not have a majority vote.

Following the visit to the Quezon City Chapter we were lucky enough to be able to visit the national headquarters where after the rest of the group made it clear my list of questions was too long the briefing session was cut short and we went for a look at their monitoring centre where everything from the levels of La Mesa Dam to the levels of deportees from Saba. All this work is done on simple excel spreadsheets regularly updated by staff.

To put into context the severity of the risk the PRC are facing an overflow at La Mesa Dam could kill two million people if evacuation is not quick enough. 

Like most organisations we’ve seen whilst we’re here this type of risk gives so much more significance to their work. With so few resources the work done here is stunning and I’ve written in previous posts really simple, practical economic solutions go so far to mitigating these risks.

Printing, waste management and kids. Just another day at the office

Our final ‘proper’ day starts with a trip to a publishing company owned by one of the members of our host club and an introduction to their integrated approach from printing the books to training the teachers. The visit included our shortest drive yet – the previous record was set driving across the street – maybe 70 yards. This was into the van, out of the gate and into the gate next door. To the same building.

Next in true  varied form it was off to the city dump for some briefings.

Its easy to think that waste management might not be that interesting but as with all these visits once someone starts talking we suddenly become fascinated with the talk. Work on the site began after 250 people were killed in trash slide 11 years ago. The city council got involved and engineering solutions were put in place to ensure this wouldn’t be repeated. As with every initiative here the work being carried out is founded on extreme necessity and the risk of loss of human life giving each project an urgency that might not be found elsewhere.

Despite this there are ambitious plans for the future taking the project forward and including incorporating the government tree planting programme, an eco park and a housing scheme.

A large proportion of the waste is processed by hand with 490 trucks a day coming into the plant from around Quezon City. 8 groups of 75 scavengers  go through the waste sorting for reusable or recyclable materials. The workers are not paid and instead split the income from the materials that are sold from their work.

A savings scheme endorsed by the government is a rack of tiny piggy banks where once a week workers put in 15 pesos or more if they can afford.

Another income generator is the refuse derived fuel produced from the organic waste. James from Harrogate showed us round the plant in which the material is autosegmented before the metal is manually picked out. Organic waste is then baled and sold as fuel for use in place of fossil fuels. When James arrived in August last year the plant was non existent and has been designed, built and made operational in this time in an indication of how quickly things move here.

Similarly the Biogas project began 2008 and now has 90 gas wells over the site producing electricity for 3500 families and generating income for the city.

Although this is a government project there is still a CSR angle. This covers all the key areas and is delivered in partnership with their private sector partner. As with most we’ve seen so far there is a holistic approach covering education, livelihoods, housing and disaster management as well as healthcare and nutrition through the Patayas Poverty Alleviation Foundation.  

Welding courses are offered with employment opportunities with the private secor partner after completion and ‘jumpers’, the kids that climb onto rubbish trucks looking for things to sell have been organised into a football team to get them off the streets.

Another massive lunch and then onto a feeding programme (ironically) where the Rotary club hosting us have created a community corps with resident to create a partnership and feed the local children. Having picked up some tricks from the Aussies we took along sweets, pens, chalk and bubbles and were mobbed by the children once they realised what we had. After some awkward conversation where I tried miming to the kids and writing and drawing in chalk on the pavement they revealed they actually spoke perfect English and I think were laughing at me a little. Or a lot. Basically at four they can speak two languages and I couldn’t even remember the Tagalog word for pretty. 

Off to Baguio and a defeat for Dan's van

After the heat of Manila we're off to Baguio for the district conference. After some logistics by Dan G (our co-ordinator) and an extended breakfast in McDonalds we piled into his van with our luggage for the six hour drive. Always making use of our very scarce spare time we all got out or laptops, iPads and phones to get on with some blogging, photo sharing and work on the presentations.

After some stops for snacks and to use the 'comfort room' along the way we unloaded the extra Aussie team members into alternative transport so we could stretch out and headed for the mountains. The landscape here is spectacular with the steep mountains rising quickly out of the flat flat fields. As we'd all had a quick nap the sight of the mountains increased the enthusiasm although the 'cold' weather had not yet showed itself.

The mountain roads proved challenging to the van and despite a stirling effort it finally gave up and broke down  9km from Baguio. Luckily it chose a picturesque spot which handily had a snack stop and a store selling furniture which was an ideal place to have a light lunch (probably a snack by Filipino standards) provided by Marby, Natalie's host. As Dan G and the driver poured water into the overheated engine we made some attempts to befriend the child sorting runner beans and a younger observer. Sharing our lunch with them didn't seem to work neither did playing peekaboo or our attempts at Tagalog. Dan G explained that they didn't speak Tagalog (possibly why that wasn't  working) and that they were part of the indigenous population.

After our impromptu picnic the other van came to pick us up and we 'negotiated' Baguio's complex one way system with some complex moves including a three point term on a two lane one way street and some indecisiveness at a sign saying 'Turn right only' which involved a little reversing. The narrative throughout the journey was about the lack of a comprehensive driving test or licencing system in the Philippines and the possibility of paying for your licence if you fail the test. We also encountered what we thought to be our first roundabout - I hope it wasn't as we went round it the wrong way...

Instead of arriving at the hotel as we were expected we were delivered to a 50's diner for some mango shakes and confusion over transport arrangements with the Aussie team. Not wanting to miss out on the new 'set' we did some quick filming much to the amusement of the staff.

Arriving at the hotel the cooler weather made an appearance although our bags did not for some time. Always working hard we began filming and work on our presentation and worked long into the night albeit with a few beers to keep us company.

Special action forces and cheese

A change of pace today from housing to the Special Action Forces (SAF). Natalie and I got in a jeep driven by two uniformed police officers making us feel like celebrities and set off on the long trip the Philippine National Police camp where the SAF are based.

I don’t know whether it was our uniformed escorts but we were admitted to the camp with no checking of our identities or bags. There’s a law here making joking about terrorism an offence but it is difficult not to at times. The presentation on their work was a bit overwhelming for someone who knows very little about the SAS at home. Again the questions were tricky as we were presented with an impressive array of uniformed officers but thanks to Dan and Natalie we managed a good showing before getting off to some presentations of their skills.

First presentation slightly uncomfortable with some serious guns displayed on a table including a grenade launcher and some machine guns. Although it’s really interesting it’s easy to forget what these are actually used for and the situations that these people face in their routine work. It’s also difficult to forget some of the human rights issues I’ve heard discussed around the PNP and their practice although this seems ungrateful to the people who are giving up their time to show us around.             

 Next was the explosive sniffing dogs, their first ‘trick’ was finding the explosives under plant pots. To ensure a fair test the dog was taken away whilst the little pot (probably of actual explosive here!) was hidden. The dog was quick and efficient but even more impressive was the trick where he was able to pick out the pot that had had the explosive in it previously.

On to the unit shows and a great effort with a tank on show and two units in full uniform standing in the baking sun. Each team member introduced themselves and their roles – one of which seemed to mainly involve wearing an outfit resembling leaves. He seemed a bit bashful – I don’t know if they have to draw straws or something to decide who gets this position. Getting in next to them for the photos I asked one of them whether his assault rifle was loaded. He nodded smiled and encouraged me to stand closer. When he turned his back I did quietly step back a step away from the muzzle whilst the pictures were taken.

Photos taken with the tank and then off to the shooting range where they’d discussed letting us shoot all manner of weapons making me really nervous. Having never been to a shooting range before I don’t really have a point of reference but I would say security was lax. Bearing in mind they’d checked no ID there were guns, unloaded but with bullets on the table ready for loading. One alarming moment was when one of the Rotarians we were with picked up an M4 and started pretending to fire. I’m going to pretend she was sure it wasn’t loaded but I’m not sure that’s true.

Having expressed an interest in shooting I decided a handgun was as far as I was going and after no instruction I was pointed towards a target by a guy dressed in gym kit and given 17 shots. After realising I wasn’t going to accidentally shoot myself or anyone else it was quite fun although better if you try not to think about what they’re actually used for.

A quick round of burgers and then back in with our policemen for a trip to an organic farm. One of them Robert, had been on a the return leg of the GSE to the UK and understood how we felt so after showing us some sights told us to get a much needed hours sleep on the drive. At the farm our second lunch was organic  and accompanied by some slightly dubious medical advice. Its common here to not really know what in your food but the fruit salad at the end of the meal had something very strange in it. Waiting for a break in conversation to ask about this new and ‘interesting’ fruit I tried to work out what it was until Dan piped up with ‘Is there cheese in this?’ to which our host replied ‘Yes its organic cheddar’ as if it was completely expected. Getting down to the bottom of the bowl there was something that looked suspiciously like squid. Deciding that might be too much of a surprise I waited to check it was coconut before eating it!

Then off to a local police station where again open access to photograph logs of reported crimes, their paperwork and people in the cells. You haven’t felt uncomfortable until you’ve stood in front of prisoners in cells whilst the custody officer tells you what they’ve done. Basically within touching distance I wasn’t sure how close to get and was picturing the scene in Silence of the Lambs when she’s grabbed through the bars of the cell.

Anyway on from that mixed day to a lovely meal with my amazing host family who I’ve had such a good time with. It makes such a difference being able to come home, chat and feel able to relax and I really appreciated the chance to do this at Jorjie’s house with her family. 

Close encounter with nature

Another amazing day out with Sally and Homer and their kids. This time we went for a more relaxing take on volcanic activity with a trip to the Hidden Valley Hot Springs. We were warned there would be a hike up to the waterfall but as Filipino style hiking goes this was along a signposted walkway and only about half a kilometre easily done in flip flops, or slippers as we've now all begun to call them.

As you can see from the photos the scenery was stunning and jungle like bar the lack of any nasty creepy crawlies. The waterfall was worth the walk and we made our way up to underneath rescuing stray flip flops a they cam off on the rocks and got washed downstream. At this point Richard left the group and after few minutes of playing 'Where's Richard?' it was agreed we he's probably wandered off rather than perishing in the foot deep slow moving water. On the return journey was a bit of an 'incident' and some shrieking from Harvey and Sharney. Startled by the sudden attack by nature there was much commotion and thrashing of bags to remove the killer cockroach from Sally's back. Water bottles went everywhere and sun cream flew off the bridge until Dan stepped in to remove the completely harmless insect with his hand. Following his success he saved the empty sun cream bottle from the wilds of the grassy ditch and we carried on along the path unscathed.

After this deeply traumatic expedition we were forced to spend the rest of the trip relaxing in the many pools nestled in the forest. Starting in the unexpectedly warm 'cold' pool we moved on to the 'soda' pools, which to Richard's disappointment didn't taste like Fanta (Thanks again to Dan our resident taste tester of water pools) and finally to the 'warm' pools where little plumes(?) of warm water rose through the volcanic gravel of the pool floor. If you've not experienced it its a little like someone's had a wee in the water. But nicer because you know there is good bathroom provision and this is not the case.

As always we were delighted to see salad at lunch and stocked up on vegetables - before a quick dip and then back to Quezon City. Returning home to my host family the statue of the Virgin Mary was being decorated in preparation for the 4am procession followed by my first Catholic Mass. Looking forward to dinner with the family, karaoke and hopefully an early night before the early start tomorrow!

Planes, trucks, jeeps and boats

Off to Boracay for our mid tour ‘break’. Billed as paradise the reality was a long drive to the airport, an hour on the plane, an hour and a half driving and a boat ride to reach the island. This was followed by a cosy drive in a small van type minibus and a walk to the hotel. If you Google Boracay you’ll see what we were expecting and in reality the stunning scenery is set off by a strip of shops (including Starbucks and McDonalds) and music blaring from stalls along the front.

Children begging along the front remind you that you are still in a third world country and add that element of guilt at how privileged we are generally and to be here and treated so well by our hosts.

As with many of the things we do here there was a cloud of mystery around the plane / check in / airport protocol. The first checkpoint made sure you weren’t bringing guns into the airport. At check in it was decided we would not check bags and have two as hand luggage. A quick boarding pass check and we were in security. Where aerosols and liquids over 100ml were not allowed. Unless you had two aerosols in which case only one was confiscated or if you pleaded your case for being able to take shower gel and sun cream in which case you were told it wouldn’t be allowed next time.

I think we were all relieved at the plane being to quote the Aussie team ‘a proper size’ having heard some rumours about their airlines and talk of a ‘small plane’.

An inspirational vist to a Rotary housing project

All housing today with a trip to see Brookside, a joint development with the Rotary and Kawad Kalinga. Worlds away from the estates we see in the UK the exotic plants and palms were carefully planted between brightly painted houses and people worked alongside children playing in the street.

Residents pay around 300 pesos (£6) for their property and the land is owned by a church group.  There are community facilities on site with a library and boards in the public space showing the photographs of the area before the construction, through the build and now.

Work with the residents is continuous and residents can be removed for ‘antisocial’ behaviour. From what I understand this is largely governed by the religious principles of the site and grounds for eviction would be activities such as drugs and prostitution.

The school overlooks a wooden chapel and basketball court in the main area and is well kept. I was shown around by the Grade 6 teacher who had a great passion for the children and the work of the school later breaking down when she described her gratitude to the Australian team for their solidarity in the problems faced in the school. A great emphasis was placed on getting the children a good standard of education and parents pay a reduced 50 pesos a month (£1) and help out with cleaning and the cooking the breakfasts provided to give the children a good start to the day.

In 2009 the area flood waters rose over the roofs of the houses and families came to the first floor of the school for shelter. But the water rose higher and reached that level and children had to be passed along a rope to the community centre up the hill where they were safe. Families belongings brought to the school for safe keeping and the schools books and records were all destroyed. I notice now there are no offices on the ground floor. The local Rotary club worked with a sister club in Singapore to provide food for families over the two or three days it took for the floodwater to subside.

The teacher was genuinely proud as she told me how the solid construction of the houses in this project had meant that there had been no deaths from the flooding as there had been in other areas.

Like in Bolton work is being done to provide employment opportunities and income for families on the project. Following the flooding the sister rotary club in Singapore was keen to do more and with RC Holy Spirit they developed a scheme where women in the project were provided with materials to do quilting, candle making and sewing and now produce items to be sold in Singapore. This is a fantastic example of what rotary is like in Manila.

Projects here are targeted to meet specific needs in local areas and inventive sustainable schemes allow the work they do to have great long term effects. In principle they focus on the basics as we do, education, training and employment to allow people to lift themselves out of poverty. When they walk through the estates they are greeted by workers and the residents recognise the badge demonstrating what looks like a really meaningful relationship with the communities and their beneficiaries. 

Links are also maintained with the children through the Rotaract club within the school which is partnered with the club that supports the project.

If anyone does want to know more about this my driver from the host club, Angel, has offered to answer any questions I might have about their work. 

Philippine National Housing Authority, tree planting and a much needed night out

Our first all female club were a stylish group and we went to the National Housing Authority to find out about their work with the housing projects.

I have to say when I got back to my host family for a one hour ‘rest’ before heading out to see some nightlife (which I have to say I did request) I was struggling to write this post. Even though what we’re seeing here is amazing it feels like writing doesn’t do it justice. Either that or I need a few beers and a quick dance before I can write.

So on the way home from the bar with Dennis and Karen he asks how my day was at the National Housing Authority. As he works there he knew when I described my hosts office that he was in fact the head of the organisation. When he mentioned him having he trust of the president further questioning revealed the man I had been given more than two hours with was actually the man for housing in the Philippines.

Sadly not being armed with this knowledge and having already been to see the city planning authority a lot of my enthusiasm was used up and although I managed to cover the causes of housing issues, their work, architecture, social mobility, customer engagement, planning legislation, rent collection, partnership working, breeze blocks, welfare reform and incest I wish I’d had some more intelligent questions.

As everyone here is too polite to wind up a conversation when your time is up by the time I left there was a queue of five people outside waiting. Still I managed to go from the economics of urban migration to the provision of piggy banks so feel I’ve at least got the main points.

After the first vegetarian meal of the trip and some heated discussion around whether my job was pointless and the major issues facing the recruitment problems Rotary have in the UK (maybe related to people thinking my job is irrelevant?) we went on to meet someone in the Department for the Environment and Natural Resources. Again slightly underprepared as a group we managed to pull together what I hope were some passable and meaningful questions. As always the conversation was fascinating despite the pressure to come up with intelligent points on a subject I’d struggle to discuss in the UK. Richard of course saved the day after seeming not to be listening he piped up with questions that sounded well prepared and thoughtful. 

A brief trip and presentation at the tree planting headquarters allowed us to do some planting of saplings in the type of token gesture / photo op sequence favoured by politicians. Some shaking of muddy hands later and our duty was done. 

On the way home I went for my first pearl milk tea with the ladies from RC Acropolis and then off for some drinks at the Rotary Centre with my host family (adults only) and then to watch and try some salsa dancing. Try being the operative word for everyone except Natalie! After our brief and slightly inept performance we went outside for pictures to discover that footage from the dance floor was being streamed throughout the hotel... one to remember for next time!

Mobile surgery, home for 'foundlings' and spa

A move away from housing and tourism to some of the projects today’s host club are involved with; a school, mobile surgery and home for abandoned children.

After feeling very guilty about not being able to finish the second breakfast of the day provided by our hosts at the school we had a tour. Children are on summer break now but we met some by the gate and Richard was able to get his politician’s handshake out. Not sure the handshake went down that well with the baby!

A great innovation from the club is a mobile surgery housed in a shipping container. Two patients can be treated at once using a special local anaesthetic and we were invited into the operating room to see how it works. Not all of us were that comfortable watching the live hernia surgery especially as the child was awake and not looking all that keen to have us there. Her sister was in the waiting area looking very well especially as it emerged that she had only just left surgery herself for the same thing. The type of hernia is apparently common in malnourished children and there is a lot of need in the area for this type of operation.

Another quick stop to get involved in some campaigning going on behind the theatre and yet more photos taken.

Boystown, the home for ‘foundlings’ was a trip back to Marikina City where my host family live. Rundown but well kept and clean I think meeting these children has had the biggest impact on everyone so far. Following Dan’s lead we got in and talked to the kids who were shy at first but then keen to ask questions although sometimes in Tagalog and I’m not sure they understood why we couldn’t answer. Getting the camera out was the biggest hit and my deputy photographer did a very good job despite wanting to get me in the pictures.

More photos and a demonstration of their superiority in doing  Gangam style we had a quick tour of their sleeping quarters and the work the Rotary have done in improving the home.  There are around 40 children living in the area for boys under 6 and a home of this type in every city around Manila. In total around 300 children live in this home. Back in the car I think we were all fighting back tears as we pulled away but luckily Dan was there to make us laugh or in my case just confuse me.

Our schedule for the afternoon changed and instead of visiting their centre for children involved in criminal proceedings we went to the spa. Not sure we felt entirely comfortable with the contrast but were soon distracted by a very vigorous Thai massage which involved being hauled over the head of the masseuse and suspended over the floor. A bit of a shock when all she’d said she was doing was stretching my arms!

A much appreciated opportunity for beer, shower and change of clothes before the club meeting with the day’s host club and their baby club, that of my host Dennis. A lively meeting and a much improved presentation with the inclusion of some of Natalie’s zumba moves to give people a break from endless powerpoint. 

Flag raising, meeting the major and Rotary Hour

Our first proper day began with a very early start. (although apparently 5am is normal to allow Filippinos to get through the traffic to begin work at 8). The flag raising ceremony at City Hall was attended by hundreds of workers in their purple shirt uniforms and we were ushered onto the stage as the mayors guests with our host families.

This ceremony takes place every Monday morning and included and address from the Chairperson on Women and Family Relations which I think was linked to women’s month being celebrated here at the moment. A documentary filmaker was awarded a scroll and the best performing TB task forces were presented with certificates. As the ceremony was almost entirely in Tagalog it wasn’t always that easy to understand the standing up / sitting down / applauding ettiquette but as we were on the second row I hope the crowd didn’t notice our confusion.

When the mayor arrived on stage I think he was slightly overlooked by the UK team who were expecting him to be older and more formally dressed. No suits, chain or minder here, just a youthful looking man in his early 40s happy to be sorting his own chair out for the signing of a paper on TB. Perhaps our mayors could pick up some tips here although perhaps it is representative of the younger demographic; 40% of the Quezon City are under 20.

After a short breakfast where I managed to knock the table and spill four cups of coffee simultaneously onto the white table cloth it was off for tours of the memorial and museum (I’ll get Dan to write something interesting about the architecture here as he completely outdid me on this)

A whirlwind tour with our host club South Triangle included a drive round the university where there was a student demonstration about tuition fees following the suicide of a student over this recently and lunch in a rice restarant where we has (I later discovered from my host) what basically is pork scratchings in blood. I’ll have to check the details on this but tasted good before I knew what it was!

It was then off to UNTV to film a segment for the ‘Rotary Hour’ programme. It was the first outing for our formal group uniforms (yes that is the blazers and no there are no pictures) and I think given that we weren’t given any advance warning of the questions I think it went pretty well. Dan the ‘media face’ of policing and Richard’s smooth policians answers definitely helped us out.

Final trip of the day was to the mall and for a type of exercise I seem to remember being described as ‘mall walking’ in Modern Family. The malls are endless and include every shop you would see on the British high street and I imagine every chain you’d find in the US as well. If you’re struggling on scale think of the Trafford Centre stacked over 5 floors with a fairground in the top.

Tomorrow a lie in for a 9am start and a cultutural tour. 

Meeting people in supermarkets

As it is now just over two weeks until we leave for Quezon City, Manila it might be a good time to explain how all this came about...

So...  in August I spent three days standing in the foyer of Morrisons collecting for the charity. If you've never done this before I can't explain how incredibly boring it is and how it saps your enthusiasm for both your cause and human kind simultaneously.

If you have done this you can imagine how nice it was to meet someone who had time to stop for a chat, and was both interested and interesting. Peter turned out to be a member of Bury Rotary club and as we stood in the way of people getting their trolleys he gave me some tips and shared experience from his time managing the Rotary shoebox scheme.

It was a few weeks later Peter got back in touch and introduced me to the Rotary Group Study Exchange. This is to quote the website 'a unique cultural and vocational exchange opportunity' a chance for people working under the loose remit of 'local government' to stay in Manila for a month, make visits to work places similar to their own and gain an understanding of a new working culture.

After completing the forms and Peter securing the sponsorship of Bury Rotary club for my application I was put forward, interviewed and accepted for the exchange in December.

There's been a lot to do since then, with minor panic around my having to apply for a new passport, then visa and only getting the visa through this week, and the departure date has really crept up quickly. Still I've had almost all the jabs I need, have put my shiny new passport in a safe place and am beginning to think about what it might actually be like.

Again through Peter I've been able to meet a lovely couple who have lived and worked in Manila and get tips on what I need to do and see along with advice about what to take with me which has been great. The vocational visits are lined up but with no social housing as such it will be interesting to see how it all works.

Visits include the Quezon City Urban Planning Department, National Housing Department housing projects and the International Red Cross along with UNTV for Rotary Hour.

Having never been that way before I'm not sure what to expect but I'm going with my normal plan of do no research and hope for the best. I have however been promised excellent 3G signal so am hoping I'll be tweeting and blogging throughout.

If anyone does have any 'must see's in Manila please let me know.