I am no Manileña but I was able to live there for almost 3 years. The early part of my working years was spent there. There I was taught how to deal with a lot of people, how to be "madiskarte", how to be independent, and yes, how to fight back when you think you are "naaagrabyado".
It has been 3 years since I left. But I loved the city. Perhaps the song rings true, "I keep coming back to Manila". Despite the pollution, crowd and near-disaster experiences, the place is close to my heart.
They may say "If you make it in New York, you can make it anywhere". But for me, "If you've survived Manila, you can survive anywhere". With another calamity, I know Manila can bounce back. I just hope though that after bouncing back, we never would have to be deep in muddy water again - literally. Time to clean up, not only Manila, but the whole country. Easier said than done, yes. But with the resiliency that reigns among those who have been toughened up by the wrath of nature, I guess we can do it.
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