Philippines / Pilipinas

The Philippines belongs to the Far East. As an Asian country it undoubtedly shares certain common traits with its neighbours. Nevertheless, there are those absolutely unique features that make the Philippines so special!

I recall landing on Christmas eve at Ninoy Aquino International airport, rather worn out after a 15-hour long-haul from Zurich. There are certainly nicer things then to queue again after touching down for immigration, luggage and duty clearance, to finally flag down a taxi in the Pearl of the Orient. But there was a Filipino live band welcoming all travelers with Christmas carols. The band was great ! (almost as fine-tuned as SB19, the Filipino ‘5-head boy band’, (1918*)). The charming Filipino band at the airport paid off for the tiring long-haul and filled the dry airport air with Christmas and an authentic warm welcome.
Driving north at the time to San Quintin in Pagasinan there were many, many multi-color, blinking, private Christmas decorations. It was a good year, and people had disposable income for Christmas emblems. 90% Christians make the difference compared with other Asian neighbours.

Then there are the roughly 200,000 jeepneys – artistically refurbished by the locals after the Vietnam war, left behind by the US army – 8m registered tricycles, 35,000 buses and basically 0 railway, another legacy of the 48-year long US occupation.

There are 750 Mc Donalds, 60 Burger Kings, 450 Kentucky Fried Chicken, 800 Dunkin’, 300 Shakey’s, 106 Pizza Huts, 137 Max’s, 600 Chowkings and 1,500 Jollibee the Filipino copycat. Fortunately, there are much better options to US processed diet: homemade Lechon, Kaldareta, Bicol Express, Chop Suey, Manga, Lanka and two dozen of different Sagings.

The country’s seat on the Fire Ring is a challenge but has shaped the archipelago in most attractive manner.

Don’t expect a Swiss clock, manjana is mostly good enough. Filipinos nevertheless know how to make ends meet. There is tons of legislation, more paper tiger than strictly enforced, but everybody and every institution is experienced in making a cut.

Brownouts are as frequent as the many congregations flocking their sheep.

Metropolitan Manila, the Pearl of the Orient, with its 15m people is a magnetic metropolis, but the 82 provinces are mostly still laid-back, pristine and gorgeous.

Come and see and enjoy yourself.