From Politics to Palm Beaches: Travel in the Philippines

Miss those garbage Expedia and Contiki Tour reviews, because I’m here with an EXHILARATING travel overview of my Spring Break trip last March. I travelled to the Philippines for some much needed R&R and a tasty tan. The trip itself was overwhelmed with a plethora of highlights; I paid my family a visit and went to look at cultural monuments, attractions and beaches. I felt a substantial need to create and publish a piece that emulated my emotional response because it was probably one of my best trips in a long while.

First of all, let’s cover some necessary contextualization. As of 2018, the Filipino economy is undergoing an expansionary phase and business activities are at an all time high. The market is attracting activity for foreign investors, startups, local markets and international trade. From its early history in the maritime trade industry, its trade relations with China and other Austronesian nations, and its present trade position within the Association of South-East Asian Nations (A.S.E.A.N.), the Philippines and international trade policy has complemented each other for the past two centuries.

Having contextualized the macroeconomic background, here’s some of my experiences. During the nine days of my visit, I have observed a stark contrast between the socioeconomic classes. Especially in the city of Manila, where the population density measures to 38,000 people per square mile, this disparity can be seen within a stone’s throw from the central business district of Makati City. Without going too in-depth in a recreational blog, just note that this was the primary reason why I wanted to write about the trip. I’ve never seen a country more uniquely divided by political mismanagement and unprecedented shifts in the economic environment.

With that out of the way, I find it important to emphasize that the country itself is so aesthetically pleasing in its own, unique way. Just visualizing the downtown architectural efforts in Manila, the haunting haze of pollution that eerily hovers, and the tropical backdrop of the underdeveloped rural regions is already nostalgic. Not to mention cheap food (above all other priorities). It has been a pleasure to express and document my experience, I absolutely cannot wait for the next adventure.

— Hi there! Enjoyed the read? Email me at mark.sarmiento@outlook.com for any questions, queries about my work and/or the trip, or just to say hi! —