“Nakapagsapalaran ako sa Maynila at eto na ako ngayon…”
From teleseryes, movies and true to life stories tell us a story of people who took a chance to live in Manila for a better life. Is there a better life ahead for anyone who will choose to make a living here?
Metro Manila is indeed a melting pot with a population of 13,698,889 according to World Population Review. I’ve been living in Manila from my province Oriental Mindoro for almost 4 years now. I’ve seen the best and worst of this place. I can say, a better life depends on every small decision you make, from choosing a place to stay, the job you’re about to take and to your lifestyle.
Here’s why living in Manila is not always the best decision:
IT HAS THE WORST TRAFFIC ON EARTH
The time you should have to spend for side hustle, time with family and time to rest is now wasted. Sometimes instead of commuting to save money, most employees choose a ride on a taxi or Grab since it is more comfortable and faster.
HIGH COST OF LIVING
Renting an apartment and even getting a bedspace is expensive. Everything you see cost fortune. You have to buy drinking water, vegetable, and spices on food that you can get in the backyard if you are in the province. Yes, NCR has a high minimum wage but do you think it’s worth the sacrifice.
THERE IS TOO MUCH POLLUTION
Air pollution, water pollution, and even sound pollution are alarming. Your health is always at stake which is expensive if we get sick. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) our country had the 3rd highest number of deaths due to air pollution.
THERE’S A LOT OF PLACES YOU CAN GO
It looks like it is an advantage because if you are bored, you can go anywhere you want. The problem is, you are tempted to spend money on fast foods, fancy restaurants, theaters, and malls.
CONCLUSION
There’s a lot of opportunities in Metro Manila since most business establishments are located here. No question why most Filipinos chose to live here over living in the province with their families. However, with the increasing population comes with the increasing cost of living. More cars mean a lesser chance of you getting home on time. More houses and establishment means lesser space for people to live in.
