The 5 Good Things About Manila (Before Lim Resurfaced and Destroyed It All)

I was really hoping the old geezer would be shut out of the mayoralty race last month but it seems Manileños are blind to progress. They want someone with no real plan other than to run an urban zone--the nation's capital for Pete's sake--like a post-civilization tribe. Now, we have a once-thriving city with more shabby reeking corners than ever. Forget commercial areas, that underpass is supposed to have crumbling floors, and promenade ain't but a cold drink sold in the middle of now jammed streets that used to be for pedestrians only. Any and all kinds of aesthetic reminders of the previous administration are to be dismantled and replaced with...nothing. Wait, strike that, he's replaced them with statues of just about everybody from his kindergarten class right on Roxas Boulevard. And then he gets them inaugurated on Monday morning rush hour! Don't you see? The man is the city's number one vandal! What commerce? What order? Manila is his playground and he'll mess it up where and when he wants to.

Sorry I get all emotional. It's because I really have fond memories from college of walking down TM Kalaw, UN Avenue or even Mabini and discovering pleasant surprises. I'm glad I did that when it was safer to do so. Here are is my list of five things Manila is missing now. Please feel free to share yours if you have 'em, too.