Enjoying viral status on Facebook is this YouTube link to the Philippine episode of the BBC’s The Travel Show. Host Rajan Datar heads off to our little island nation making pitstops in Manila, Cebu, and Bohol to see what the fuss is all about. Lately, Manila and the rest of the Philippines, have been enjoying some international attention like getting picked by Huffpo as one of the 15 places to visit before they get famous.
In this boiling heat and things not working out or not working at all, it’s easy to forget the good. So it’s great that in the 24 minutes of the show, we were reminded about some awesome things about our country, our city, and yes even ourselves.
Below are some things they thankfully reminded us about:
1. Manila is the world’s most densely populated city. Rajan says the capital is four cities stuck together but we think the following is more accurate: 16 cities and 1 municipality.
2. Filipinos live to entertain and be entertained
3. If it weren’t for the second world war, Manila is easily the Paris of Asia.
4. As per Carlos Celdran: “Manila is not an attractive city but it is an exciting city.”
READ: My city on a plate: Carlos Celdran
5. Binondo, established in the late 16th century, is the oldest china town in the world.
6. In case you’re overlooking: We have an addiction to the cheesy power ballad.
7. Our national psyche is thus: There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
8. As per Joey Ayala: “Smiling is part of our national therapy. We like to make other people smile.”
READ: Viral: joey Ayala’s rendition of Lupang Hinirang at Ted x Diliman
9. After the October 2013 earthquake, Bohol actually moved 55 centimeters closer to Cebu.
10. Tarsiers are the oldest surviving primate in the world living 45 million years on earth!
11. Rajan Datar feels we are more akin to South America than Southeast Asia but just the same, “Filipinos are incredibly generous, always welcoming and entertaining and happy to give time to outsiders. For the Filipinos, the whole world is a stage and they want you to join in. That maybe the Filipino factor.”
