This Photo vs. other Mega-cities: Only poverty represents Manila

- November 11, 2014

If we are to adjudge what Manila is from the lone photo in a photo exhibit entitled, "Mega-Cities" mounted by Turmforum and the Stuttgart-Ulm Rail Project Society at the Stuttgart rail station in Germany, poverty is the only representative of Manila.

The lone photo above that represents Manila was taken by German photographer Stephan Schubert and is supposed to embody Manila as a "Metropolis" or one of the big "Cities of the World."

Most Filipinos in the Philippines won't mind clamoring about this photo being singled out as the best representative of Manila because it is more of a reality check. However, when one is in a foreign soil, one needs to clarify things. This is what Naomi Billard did in our behalf.

In an earlier related story, Naomi's grounds in asking for the removal of the poster are: One, it is the invasion of the privacy of the person doing his thing at the edge of the concrete pavement (lower left of the photo), an artistic decision that is tantamount to robbing this toilet-less poorest of the poor his DIGNITY. And two, the photograph misrepresent our country because some other countries' photos come in at least two and "depict skyscrapers soaring towards the heavens, masses of people on overfilled streets – mega-cities teeming with life."

Most big cities come in two representative photos while Manila is represented by the lone photo above. Here, this writer shall post the rest of the photos for you to judge by yourself why this underrepresentation (or misrepresentation) of Manila should be everyone's concern. Photos Courtesy of Peter Billard.