A woman stood cooking before an open fire outside of the home. A pile of different types of wood were stacked nearby. Children played nearby. A woman stood fixing her bike.
Poverty screamed at me from everywhere.
A friendly 20-year-old Filipino named Patrick had invited me to meet his family. I had asked the family I was staying with in Lucap (near Alaminos or 100 Islands National Park) if Patrick was a good guy. They said I would be safe to go with him.
While the family is very poor, they are rich in family. The entire Nisperos family lives within one block of each other, including uncles, grandparents, brothers and sisters.
The family invited me in and sat me down at the dinner table in front of a pile of egg plant, rice and shrimp. I was overwhelmed by their generosity.
"Make yourself at home," one of Patrick's uncles told me. "Act natural."
I have found Filipinos are the most hospitable people in the world. Although this family did not have much to give, they still freely offered me an entire meal meant for at least four people.
First, I washed my hand in a jug of water. I was told to use my right hand to eat.
The egg plant was fried. I was instructed to dip the vegetable into a sauce made of salted fish and tomatoes. Then I had to scoop the rice along with the egg plant in one hand.
While I ate Aunt Ceceila told me about the conditions of her family.
"This family is very poor, but it is rich in family," she said. I agreed. All around me were Aunts, Uncles, cousins eager to help me learn about their culture and family.
We discussed the conditions of Filipinos in Hong Kong. We both agreed that Hong Kong people mistreated Filipinos.
I could hardly shove down the pile of high quality rice in front of me. They had prepared the very best for me.
I listened as she explained the impact of the rising cost of rice. The family had to pay higher prices
From my conversations with people, I have discovered that the price of rice has risen in the Philippines from about $20 pisos (pronounced pesos) to $30 -- an increase that has mainly impacted the poor.
As I traveled to Lucap by bus I noticed the abundance of rice in the fields. I could not understand why rice cost so much in the Philippines when there was so much of it.
From my informal interviews with the locals I have come to understand these factors:
- High population growth due to a lack of family planning (impact of Catholicism)
- Government corruption
- Rice exports and imports that earn money for a select few
I have not interviewed official sources, but this is the view of the Filipino people on why the price of rice is so high.
Back in the Nisperos home I found I could not finish the massive plate of rice, but I managed to eat all of the egg plant and shrimp.
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