You have to marvel (or be disgusted?) at Manila's nonchalance in displaying its slum areas. Above video shows what one Italian blogger called as "baraccopolis" (slum-polis) right beside the Quiapo LRT Station in the old Manila commercial district. In the original plan, this wide lot beside the old Bilibid jail was supposed to be sold to developers so that the area could be finally gentrified. As you can see, the squatters have grown like ants instead. The politician who promised to develop it lost so the winner most likely allowed his supporters to colonize it instead (the colony thickened considerably after the last elections, it is now even multi-storied). One of the biggest reasons why squatters persists in Manila is politics. The root of that Filipino phenomenon, the so-called millionaire squatters, where public properties are blatantly abused for private gains. These squatter colonies are rich vote sources come election time (that means, if you evict squatters, you'll be preventing a lot of election fraud).
Meanwhile, Bangkok hides its squatters nicely. There are ramshackles but no squatter colonies around Silom or Sukhumvit. The tourist areas have been nicely gentrified, skyscrapers gleam in the horizon, so how come Bangkok, with a lesser income than Manila, give the impression it is much richer?
The gentrified central part of Bangkok is ringed by elevated expressways. This is the beautiful Maha Nakhon expressway vista. As you speed along, you marvel at the silhouettes of the skyscrapers in the distance.
If you drive fast enough, chances are you won't have a chance to look down by the sides.
And don't ever try to drive through the walls because you might suddenly land in what you would think as Tondo, Manila.
Here's Bangkok below the Maha Nakhon expressway.
Again, packaging, something the perennially nonchalant Filipinos never learn.Don't put your liabilities up front, place it below the fast lane so you can drive faster without unnecessary hindrance.
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