RIVERA, Jose Emmanuel G.

2010-28615

ENG 10- THU1 Word Count: 500

Toughest Place to be a Bus Driver

The Philippines has a disease. This disease, like cancer slowly sucks the life out of the once healthy and fit country. Just like a virus, it can easily spread out all over the nation and infect all that it comes in contact with. It is a life threatening disease that if not taken into consideration and cured as soon as possible, could mean death to the once known Pearl of the Orient. A cancer called poverty could be the end of all. The documentary focuses on showing how different two countries could be. A country that is abundant in resource that it could provide ease of living to its inhabitants compared to the other, a third world country struggling everyday to provide the needs of its people. The documentary accomplishes this by having a person living from a successful country to experience what it is like to be one of us, a Filipino. The premise follows the adventures of John West a 39 year-old bus driver whose mission is that in two weeks he must be able to master how to drive a Jeepney, a colourfully decorated, adapted jeep which has no power steering, dodgy lights and an uncomfortable seat. Together with his host, Rogelio Castro, they brave the chaos of the streets as Josh also learns about the incredible overcrowding and devastating poverty of Manila. It serves as an eye-opener to all of us, not only to the Filipinos, but to others as well. It tells us how life can be difficult and harsh especially for the poor here in Manila. It depicts how hard it has to be for someone living in poverty compared to someone living in luxury. Although it mostly shows the problematic/ negative side of the country and the documentary focuses on the problems that plague

the Philippines, it serves to create awareness among ourselves and to give us a sense of urgency on how we can stop these diseases from continually ravage our country. It also views the Philippines on a different perspective. By seeing on how John West reacts on the various harsh realities every poor Filipino undergoes everyday is a statement on how it different it really is compared to his country. He also was able to experience how hard it is to be in here, how hard to earn money as he compared in the documentary that what Rogelio earns in a day, he can earn it in just an hour of work, how densely populated Manila is and on how hard it is to work. As West said, If they dont work, they dont eat. With these experiences he had gathered during his stay in Manila, he forms a strong bond with Rogelio and is moved by the daily struggle of an ordinary Filipino working to feed his family. It's an emotional roller coaster and Josh returns a changed man, aware that all the separates his life from Rogelio's is the country he happened to be born in.