When my grandmother passed away 2 years ago, I went to the Philippines for her funeral.
Philippine statistics: Out of 10 children, 4 will get to college, and 2 will obtain their degrees. The economy in the Philippines is in bad shape; it is TOO competitive where it is hurting the Philippine people. For example, the job market is so bad that graduates end up having cashier job positions! It makes you wonder what kind of jobs do people who are not graduates have? Exactly. I witnessed the lives which the people of the Philippines live.
I took a chair and for almost a whole day sat on a porch and watched people walk. I wanted to witness what a typical day in the streets of the Philippines looked like. I noticed a man, a disabled man who was in ripped (but relatively clean) clothing walking very irregularly as if one of his legs was longer than the other (it was later revealed to me that he had suffered a stroke; as a result, he walked in such a way). I saw him in the morning and despite his physical condition, bags of bread (called pandisal) were hanging from his arms as he was selling them. Later on that day (around the afternoon) I saw the same man - walking the same, same condition of clothing - only this time, he had bags of peanuts and again he was selling them. I now got up the nerve to buy some. I called him over and asked how much a bag was and he replied "20 pesos" which is about 40 cents in American dollars. I noted that he was also talking very irregularly - again, this was due to his stroke - it was very difficult to understand him - his words were very slurred. I gave him 100 pesos and told him to keep the change. He then looked at me like I was crazy and was motioning that he was giving the money back; he couldn't imagine that I was serious.
In a country with very poor economical standing and without disability insurance or any welfare programs, despite his financial status, physical disability, this guy is still TRYING IN LIFE.
I applaud him.
