After 20 hours in the air I finally arrived in Manila. As soon as I stepped off the plane I felt the humid air hit me in the face. What a sauna! I wondered how I am going to focus staying in the slum where I grew up. In such suffocating heat without even an electric fan to ease the humidity. Also, there was another typhoon meaning muddy, wet afternoon and downpours in the evening.
I’m in a tiny coastal town called Bacoor, south of Manila, in the province of Cavite. Most people here make a living from fishing and it’s not much of a living. Today I visited Bacoor Elementary School where the poorest of children attend. I met with Mrs. Tessie Malabana (on my left in the picture) she’s the guidance counselor, to my right is the assistant principal Lori Roderos (the principal is attending a convention). I’m scheduled to have a working lunch meeting with 32 of their faculty members tomorrow to assess their needs.
