[Tonchi]

Slang, if you wanted Philippines, my best friend over there could give you Philippines to make your head spin. And Luisa already knew how to take pictures.

Nothing against your pen pal, but did you have any idea that she has only photographed the ONE enclave in the entire country which is fit to live it? The rest of Manila, all 10 million plus inhabitants, is crumbling infrastructure, open sewers and incredible filth, shacks built in the middle of streets, total gridlock in the midst of crater-like potholes, armed roberies in broad daylight on crowded sidewalks and in malls, more than 50% of the city is homeless, and diseased people wander the streets freely, going to the bathroom anywhere they feel like it.

Makati is the expat area, where NON-NATIVES live and shop in heavily-guarded gated communities with 10-foot walls. Makati is the only place in Manila where consumer goods of any quality are available (for astronomical prices), and likewise where PEOPLE of any quality can be found, so that is why the insurgents target this place. In their near-yearly coup attempts they always try to blow up Makati, and a few years ago there was a major gun battle to recapture the hotel there. Nope, Makati is not the Philippines. No more than if you took photos of Rodeo Drive in LA and never saw Watts.

P.S. Guess what I am giving my Filipina friend for Christmas this year? The stun gun everybody reccommended and several martial arts VCR classes.