Manila in 50mm
By Richard M. Reyes
27 Sep 2009
What city do you live in? What neighborhood?
We live in Valenzuela City which used be part of the province of Bulacan. However, since the City has grown, it is now considered part of Metro Manila.
What are some adjectives that describe your neighborhood?
Our neighborhood is classified as mostly industrial since there are a lot of factories. Economically, there are a lot of poor to low level middle income residents. It is suburban, however, it is close enough to some rural farmlands that a lot of fresh fish, meat, produce and fruits are accessible at the local wet and dry market.
How long have you lived there, and what brought you there?
We have been renting a house there for the past four years.
What is your favorite thing about this place? Your least favorite?
I really like the fact that in this neighborhood our home still has a lot of green around it. The only negative is that since there are a lot of factories, sometimes, there is a chemical odor and fumes from the processing.
Do you feel that you belong there?
This has been our home and will be our home in the near future. Our children have spent the early parts of their lives here.
What is the most common misconception about where you live?
The most common misconception is that we are too far away from Manila. While this may be true when it is raining very hard or when there is much traffic; the new LRT (Light Rail Train) will shorten the time it takes to commute.
What is a special fact about your city that you have to live there to know?
My wife's previous employer, Splash Corporation is only across the street. This is one of the largest Filipino owned personal care manufacturer that was started in a garage with a budget of around $20. The current spokesperson for Splash Corporation is Kim Chiu, a top Philippine actress and singer.
What aspect of your city do you secretly love?
I love that there is fresh meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit available here. Not everything is necessarily unavailable to residents of a third-world country.
