RANDOM CHAT: Manila, Where a Sampaguita Scent Makes My Day.

Whenever me or my friends in Singapore is headed to Manila for a vacay, this is our given theme song:

 ♫Manila, Manila 

Miss you like hell, Manila

No place in the world like Manila

I'm coming here to stay ♫

Expect that to be our facebook or twitter status until our vacay is over.

I guess most of my readers are aware that I am a resident of Singapore. There is also no denying the fact that every year I only tend to get 1-2 weeks of vacation leave. Pathetic out of 365 days huh? I'm writing this and it's a Monday. 99.9% of people dread the start of every week. Monday morning, my usual Singapore Mondays is basically the same here in Manila. Monday rush-hour blues and the what not. The idea of having to take public transportation already makes my head spin, but then what makes me feel sad is when they say that Filipinos lack discipline? Do we, really? Does the lack of discipline coincide with our lack of manners or even one's personality?

Well, I am not really into the mood of an in-depth post for that. I'd shift to a lighter note. I can still consider myself as being into the mid-war zone. Meaning, I still am not decided when to go back home. Wait. Home? So where is my REAL home? Manila or SG? I need to remind myself I want to make this post as light as possible.

Now am holding on to this list. A piece of paper where I wrote random things about what I love here in the Philippines. Anything that comes to mind, I write. I myself was even more surprised. I don't care if I spend a lot as long as I remind myself that I always miss the Philippine soil. Let's see what I got. Do note that this is in random order.

1. I spend SGD10(approx Php350) for a daing na bangus dish. If there's any consolation to that, it's boneless. 

2. I spend SGD5 (approx Php175) for a single serving of avocado shake. My ultimate fave fruit shake. Avocado in the PI market is only Php70(approx 3-4pcs). How ripoff is that.

Well, just to pacify my raging palate what else is there but to succumb. 

3. I spend SGD15 (approx Php525) for an American Breakfast..

 while I can have this instead:

4. The attack of the midnight snack mode appeased by the 24/7 bakeries..

and then nibble on fresh, hot pandesal.

Love at first bite. 

Ditch the mayo,

Ditch the cheese,

this alone

still wins 
the 'dip-me-in-coffee' category.

and i just love the mugmog effect on my lips down to my chin.

5. SG may have the signature $1 ice cream...

but who can beat mamang Sorbetero? or ale in this case?

or even the famous manong taho?

6. I can enjoy  taho goodness in the mornin...

 7. I have to annoyingly remind my significant other to get these mandatory pasalubong for me whenever he arrives in SG.

 champoy and choc-Nut in which i call-  ChocPoy.

7. There's Tagaytay and Baguio, only a few hours drive to have a whiff of chilled air.

Last Christmas, I went back to Manila with if not the heaviest, wounded heart. We were victimized by pick-pockets and our camera was stolen. I think I cried my heart out for almost a month. I just recalled the days I did not eat lunch just to save and buy that. Then it was gone in a snap. 

These are the only memories we managed to keep.

I told myself, that's why I hate this country. Heartless, cold-blooded people. The magtataho, mamang sorbetero..those are the exact people who bring me back to my senses. That even though there were a number who choose the easy evil way out, there are also Filipinos out there who struggle daily to earn for a living. Moving forward, is that something I just need to blindly accept? It always saddens me when I have Singaporean friends who tells me "Please do not bring me to your country because I heard it's not safe at all."

How can I speak for my own race if I myself had been a victim of such?

I do not want to be heroic nor sound like I am P-Noy's spokesperson but my answer to that-

Just think of it this way.

Do you ever want to enter a battlefield without a Filipino by your side? Because I don't.

They may show their dismay to us but then the call for them needing us Filipinos are much more eminent. They are threatened by our mere presence, for they know Filipinos are one of the most talented race in this world. We can smile amidst any hardships, adapt to any situation, whenever, wherever. So I stand tall and I live up to being a Filipino. That in my view, is truly an honour. We are all born smart, and we must learn to find our niche to nurture the talent.

Though I have acquired the Filipino way of life, still there is that stigma that I will always be a foreigner to my own land. Not because I was away for very long, but because of allowing myself to be distant.  But every time I see the list above, it somehow reminds me how fortunate are those people who reside here. Those are the simple pleasures in life...that when you're away- that is the only time you'd come to appreciate its worth.

What I love most here? 

We are definitely fashion-victims. We eat with our hands. Do you?