Extreme conditions fail to dampen spirits of Philippino people

Day six in the Philippines provides further evidence this is a country of extremes.

The description ‘third-world’ probably does not do justice to this country, with many parts possibly more aptly described as ‘fourth world’.

This goes in part for the hotels – including one that I stayed at in Angeles City that had probably not had a makeover since the 1970s.

The reality of this hotel was certainly very different to the attractive-looking photographs I saw on the website when booking online two weeks ago.

The bathroom for example, was a bit like something from on a Channel 7 TV news item on substandard housing conditions back home in Perth.

Broken tiles, leaky taps and loose and broken toilet seat are all part and parcel of the rigours of staying in a medium-priced, three-star hotel in the Philippines.

And the general infrastructure over here – roads, shops, utilities and many other facilities – appears in many cases, fairly similar.

A bit like Cuba (but obviously without the US sanctions), the Philippines in general seems to operate on a shoestring.

Surplus money is so tight there appears little available to spend on general maintenance.

Therefore, and as a matter of necessity, things are often only able to be repaired or refurbished when they break down or wear out.

Considering the average Philippino wage – only about 200 pesos a day (or less than seven Australian dollars) – this is not of course, surprising.

As a Westerner, things here may seem backward and dilapidated, but in the Philippines it this all just part of daily life.

And it does not appear to make a dent in the spirits of the people who, as I mentioned in previous blogs, appear generally content and in many cases, supremely happy!