I made this blog about this subject:

in http://tinyurl.com/6p6lb8

Ah yes, we got used to it that there is only white guy in the world – the Americans. And I am glad you did not become a victim of those crazy street vendors. I had some old friends before.

Makati is our commerce capital I suppose and yes, there are a lot of cool bars there.

I will try to make another guest post for you, soon. You see, I am now a professional blogger and a lot of things are keeping me busy.

Thanks, really!

In the last week of the month I stayed in makati and that was pretty cool. There was some cool bars around there.

Yeah I'm always happy for bloggers to submit guest posts. Just drop me an email after you have submitted it for review so I know to check it

After all, Philippines as a whole is not bad at all.

Anyway, I'm so glad you are willing to go back and I hope you can inform me.

Don't worry, I won't be staring at you like you have a dollar sign in your eyes…lol!

By the way, I miss being a guest blogger to your blog and hopefully I can find time. I just wish I am still welcome to submit one, like you did before.

I really thank you for that.

I had been in Thailand before that but there are so many westerners there that no one gives you a second look. The phillipines was the first time I had been exposed to being the only white-guy/westerner around so it was freaking me out haha. I've since had similar experiences in other countries like Cambodia and Vietnam but it never fazed me, I just hadn't been exposed to it before I went to the phillipines.

All in all though I had a fantastic time. The people there were great with me and I had a lot of fun. Fillipinos know how to party, thats for sure! I'd definately go back.

Are all the kids still addicted to that ragnarok game? Everytime I went to the net cafe everyone was on it!

Sad to say, there are still those you have seen 4 years back and I think it's getting worst.

You're right however, that it is better to give to charity institutions rather than directly to them.

But I really thank you for the effort of somehow trying to help, just like Darren Rowse did when I admitted that he also helped my countrymen. I did not even realized you visited my country and I hope you enjoy the visit in general.

I took part in Blog Action Day 08 and promoted it by discussing it in forums and at social network sites. I'm still reading what other bloggers posted yesterday, and I hope the awareness continues. Here's what I posted on my blog:
http://belena.getpaidfrom.us/2008/10/15/positivel…

I spent 4 weeks in the Phillipines in 2004 and 2 and a half weeks of that was in Manilla. The first week I stayed in a very rough part of town. I was the only westerner and everyone looked at me like I had a dollar sign floating above my head!!

The hotel I was in was ok but you couldn't hide the poverty. At the door step of the hotel there were a few families living in cardboard boxes and I swear the baby they had couldn't have been more than a month old.

After Manilla I stayed in Bicol. It was actually over christmas. Again, I had a great time but poverty was everywhere. We went to the cathedral on christmas day and there was a wedding there. There were dozens of kids, aged under 8, begging inside the cathedral. I made the mistake of giving them some money and they duly followed me for the next 30 minutes asking for more. I've since learned that giving directly in this matter isn't always helping and can encourage more people to beg, you should instead donate to a local charitable organisation.

I know what poverty means simply because I have been there. I started earning a living at the age of 10, while growing up in a slum area here in Manila.

However, I somehow had the chance to escape by treating others as members of a big family. I am just fortunate to meet people who helped me to be where I am now.

That is why I really think that families are important to solve a major problem like poverty.

By the way, I did not donate money but rather made a post as my testimony that poverty is disease but still can be cured.

Here is my post – Family against Poverty: Blog Action Day 2008.

Thanks!

I have to give it to OPLC – they atleast made their laptop look cute and attractive for kids.

We believe we will all accomplish more if we network and help each other out whenever possible. *huGs* Suzanne