This photo appearing in a BBC article (via brownpau) on the Philippines’ poverty divide shows “a shocking contrast of rich and poor.” I encountered many contrasting images such as this in the Philippines. The following photo taken in Olongapo juxtaposes the area’s past and present.
Excerpt from VH1’s interview with hip-hop group the Black Eyed Peas:
VH1: Your Filipino background plays a big part in Elephunk’s “The Apl Song.”
Apl.de.Ap: Definitely. I was always inspired by Filipino folk songs, so the chorus is me singing in Tagalog, “Listen, I got a story to tell of all the events that have been going on in the promised land I was born in.” In the song I talked about the Philippines and the way of life over there.
Will.I.Am: A lot of people in the urban areas talk about the ghetto life, but that’s luxury compared to where he comes from.
Apl.de.Ap: In the Philippines, you’ve got to dig up the ground to do a number two, and then you’ve got to cover it up. You got to pump the water out of the ground to wash your clothes and your hands. That’s my ghetto! I remember coming to America for the first time, and going to Will’s house. He still lives in the projects. I was like, man, I want to live here! It’s so dope!
Will.I.Am: Yeah, we have dogs for pets and cats and birds. This fool had a bison! Right?
Apl.de.Ap: We’d wash our water buffalo, tie ‘em to the tree next to our house, and then the next day we use them to dig out the soil to plant like sweet potatoes and rice and corn.
Will.I.Am: He’s adopted. He’s like one of those Sally Struthers 25-cents-a-day kids.
The Apl Song, sung by African-American/Filipino Apl.de.Ap, can be heard via iTunes, now available for Mac and Windows.
