Shanty Town, Philippines

Only a six-lane asphalt highway separates two religions in Baclaran, Paranaque; a bargain-hunter's paradise for decades. And though they seem worlds apart, they have a lot in common.

On the east side is the famed Redemptorist church, where catholic devotees congregate inside the place of worship every Wednesdays since time immemorial. One whole summer during my younger days, I frequented this church with friends at night before going on a drinking binge. It was more like an "out of curiosity thing" though. Anyway, outside the huge complex, hawkers sell their wares to a sea of people who choke narrow streets while jeepneys work their way in and out of the confusion. A mall was built a few years ago to ease traffic, but the vendors keep coming back. Apparently, the plan failed and this mall only attracted more people.

Authorities here have been trying hard to clear the sidewalks of illegal street traders. But to no avail, there seems to be no way of getting rid of them. There is also a need to address the problem of squatting and vagrancy.

Across the highway on the west side is another dilemma for the local authorities: A small Muslim settlement has established a stronghold on the reclaimed land. And it appears the enclave will linger for a long time. Just a few years ago, it was all wide space and only a few families numbering to some twenty quietly settled in.

Now, no commuter who passes-by can miss this burgeoning Muslim community where at least two to three hundred families already live. And in the middle of this new hamlet is a mosque, complete with the moon-and-star emblem of Islam towering over the whole blue-tarpaulined motif which is not exactly the Muslim faith's expression but was a way of conforming with orders from Malacanang (The Philippine president's office) to look spic and span during President George Bush's state visit to the Philippines a couple of years ago.

In fact, during that visit, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) even placed (not planted) palm trees along the highway's center island for that "tropical feel" of the "islands" to somewhat tell our big white brothers that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Just weeks after, all those trees wilted; no surprise at all.

There were several efforts to clear both sides of these "eyesores" in the past by the MMDA, but the vendors remain defiant to this day. One sidewalk clearing operation last year resulted in violence, killing at least two persons. MMDA Chair Bayani Fernando ordered his boys to retreat, leaving the job to local police (much to their consternation). But until now, no solution has been made to tidy-up the place.

Instead, every day continues to be a nightmare for commuters. To start with, there are no terminals anywhere in sight. The "Muslim Side" of the fence has vendors spilling out from the sidewalk and onto the road, and if there are any sidewalk for people at all, they already function as flea markets and bazaars whose main commodity is pirated pornographic CDs. The "Christian Side" is but a tamer version. Their goods vary from leather to street food (I enjoy street food). I think this side of the fence is more accepted since the stalls are more organized and cleaner in nature. The MMDA actually has done at least a good job in keeping the place smooth of traffic flow.

On the other hand, the Muslim side has to keep up in terms of cleanliness and sanitation. Anyone who crosses the wooden bridge to their kingdom would recoil in disgust once he smells the rotten coffee-with-molasses-colored river below.

Well, times have surely changed. What was once Pasay Beach where aristocrats and commoners bathed is now a repository to human refuse. I wonder what Dan Brown might say, 'coz he sure has a lot under his sleeves when it comes to religion - especially the pessimistic side of it. Come to think of it, I seem to sound like him already.