I understand that Manila is distinct in that it is an economic (and cultural) hub and population center, but how is it different from the average Philippines and Filipinos?
I grew up in Cebu City. So my impressions of Manila are that of a Filipino living outside of it. Metro Manila is huge. It is composed of 16 cities or municipalities in a 620 sq. km. land area. Cebu City is tiny by comparison. Life in Manila is very different from life in other provinces.
I find that life in Manila is very fast paced. Like any metropolitan city, everything is far away. Your daily commute eats up a lot of the time in your day. When we think of Manila, we would always have that in mind: everything is far away. Of course Manileños will probably disagree with me but you asked how the rest of the Philippines differs from Manila.
Life outside of Manila is more slow-paced where hanging out at the mall is actually a thing (usually it is to have coffee with friends among other things), the beach with crystal clear water is less than an hour’s drive, and freshly caught seafood is widely available daily.
The cost of living in Manila is also higher. Wages are higher too but if you factor in the cost of living, I doubt they would end up with more disposable income.
Air pollution is a bigger problem in Manila than it is comparatively, to the rest of the country.
It is easier to commune with nature when you live outside of Manila where beaches, rivers, waterfalls and lakes are in abundance. I also find that the further you are from the cities, the friendlier the people are.
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