This Is The Richest Place In Manila ( 

The Philippines journey continues..

I found your vlog sometime ago and enjoyed watching it. I've been a Philippine expat since 1995. I have been living in the US since 1996 and now a US citizen. We enjoy watching travelers showcasing places that are dear to us and we missed. This vlog particularly caught my attention as I was born in BGC before it was called BGC. I was born in what was called the "Army Station Hospital", now St Lukes Hospital. The whole of BGC place was formerly known as Fort McKinley . It was an American base before it was turned over to the Philippine Military and renamed Fort Bonifacio. The barangay you were in, South Cembo (Central Enlisted Men BarriO) is where I lived until I left in 1995 . My father still lives there. Early settlers in the area are Military personnel and their families. The demographics changed overtime. To answer your question, "No it is not a prison it was all military facilities" . The barangays around the area all have "EMBO" in their name as they are (E)nlisted (M)en (B)arri(O). There was once the small "202 unit detainment facility" managed by the (MP)military police. This is where they detain military personnel who have violated the law and are waiting or have gone through court martial. This is probably why somebody called it a prison, but it is not. Most of the area are either military facilities or grassy wilderness where young kids like me explored. There are some interesting WW2 tunnel network underneath BCG.. I know of these as we were growing up and know they still exist. Try to find the entrance and could be a good topic for your VLOG. Thanks and keeep these vlogs coming! JS.

Great video. This isn't really a slum though. It's just a regular working class neighbourhood of Manila. That's why there's minimal homeless people, beggars and extreme chaos as you mentioned. There is a real slum that borders BGC. It's called Mini Park and is next to the SM Aura mall. I think it used to extend to where SM Aura is now before they built the mall. You should try and visit there. It made me laugh when I saw some enterprising residents set up a penned off section 5 meters outside the BGC boundary where you could pay 5 pesos to stand there and smoke (as you will get in trouble for smoking in BGC) lol.

Crazy how Manila's hood looks safer than downtown Philadelphia

The Philippines has one of the most hospitable people... very friendly and polite!

I went almost everywhere in the Philippines. I never felt in danger at all, not one time.

There used to be steps through the wall between JP Rizal Road and 7th Avenue but it got closed up a few years ago. What you refer to as "slums" is actually a modestly wealthy neighborhood !!!

Another great video. I really liked it. One thing, though, I think you were misinformed. Whoever told you that the neighborhoods beside BGC were dangerous slums was really exaggerating things. Those neighborhoods are typical working-class neighborhoods. The people living there can be classified as lower middle class. They are not squatters. The houses there are properly titled, and the real estate prices in those areas are no longer cheap nowadays. Those neighborhoods are by no means comparable to Tondo, which you went to in your previous video. Actually, decades ago, when BGC was still an active military base, those neighborhoods were where many soldiers and their families lived. It used to be like a soldiers town. Anyway, keep up with the videos. You make very interesting stuff. Your videos offer a different take on things and places than other vloggers. I loved your videos in Argentina and in Japan before.

Always a good day when Tommy posts :)

Philippines is a beautiful country and culture. Good thing for English speaking travelers is most the people speak or understand English.

Been loving the Philippines vlogs! Planning a trip soon.

Knowledge is the key, my man here got it all. He does his research before going to visit the places I have always learned from him. Thank you brother.. please visit Tanzania back again. I am Tanzanian living in Toronto Canada.

The different between US Slums and philippine slums is that, in the philippines, the area where you considered as slums is actually not a slums area and most of the people living there are working in those high rise buildings in BGC and Makati city. Professionals, students, cub/jeepney drivers small business owners, cops, soldiers etc.. in short, working people. Not unlike in phillies and in other states wherein the word SLUMS are considered as dangerous zone. (Gangs, drugs addict, criminals, homeless etc...)

I don't think that's a slum area judging from the structures captured by your camera. Most of the houses are made of concrete, even having 2nd and 3rd floor levels, and are decent looking. Compared to the developed countries, this may appear to be so because of the densely populated neighborhood. However, this is a typical neighborhood in a barangay where the average population lives. Land in Metro Manila is quite expensive nowadays that's why vertical development is the way to go. For people to own a piece of land within Metro Manila is quite fortunate because of the high prices. Those who cannot afford to do so, the next best thing is to buy land in the fringes or outskirts of Metro Manila.

The Philippines looks very beautiful

Philippines may not be a rich country and some of the neighborhoods may look sketchy but poor doesn't necessarily mean bad people/thugs or criminals. sometimes, those ppl are the nicest, most welcoming and happiest ppl you'll ever meet despite their situation. sometimes, they're just misunderstood and this labeling their area as dangerous. meanwhile, yet another school shooting just happened in Nashville leaving 3 students and 3 teachers dead...a very heartbreaking news because shootings and schools shouldn't even exist in a sentence. it's horrifying.

when sabbatical video drop you know its a good day, thanks mate

i love how this trip is so educational

Thanks for posting on my birthday! I'm a lucky man.

Good video. I'm at the halfway point of your video and I am enjoying it very much. I have been researching the Philippines history from the time of the Spanish Colonization and some time before. I have researched up till the time the Americans left till present day. The Filipino people are some very strong people based on History and my opinion. I can't wait to put my boots on the ground in the near future.

Love your vlogs, getting better and better each episode! My favorite part is how you give a lot of cool info about the place and the history of it!

LOVE Philippines from China

Your videography has a great vibe here.

You’re personality is very New York. You are straightforward. By the way those neighborhoods behind those walls are ok. Safe. They aren’t dangerous. Many areas I have walked through that looked not so good still have friendly people. It’s actually ok. Never had a problem. Never.

I love Manila! Can’t wait to pay a visit soon! Just a 1.5 hour flight from Hong Kong!

it is a typical neighborhood in manila before it became BGC ,i was born and raised there because my father was a soldier.. now that it was privatized and with all the tall skyscrapers,we are called slums and now you can see the difference between the rich and the poor . ,

Interesting to see the contrast. Everything seemed pretty chill and safe overall.

This is the best channel on RU-vid.

Over 110 million Pilipino I think 0.1% percent people can cause you harm, so you are safe here. As a Pilipino, I will say foreigners are most welcome here.

Amazing. I spend January staying at Hyatt and was blessed to experience all the great things of Manila. I'm going back for 3 weeks in April. You really captured the beauty of the city and also the people that support BCG. I walked I feel the same areas you did and everyone was very nice anc accommodating, Best City I ever visited

Interesting walk. The contrast between how the rich and poor lives is evident. These are areas in Makati right next to BGC There is a slum IN BGC called the Mini Park just right next to SM Aura Premier mall.

Loving your videos thanks 🙏 watching you from Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 take care my friend 🙏🙏🙏🙏

The unique aspect about sabbatical is he doesnt do all that touristy stuffs but he tells stories of every places that he visits. Glad that i encounter this channel.

I like your content, but this time you were a bit of: - there is Western Union in BGC - the Home Depot building was not a prison, the grounds probably - wouldn’t call South Cembo a slum, just a (poor) neighborhood, with regular street addresses, businesses etc. Compare that with Tondo Happyland.

Glad you showed this as there’s a British RU-vidr couple who just show the glitz of Manila

The Philippines being a developing country has lots of infirmities you can see many slums and the laws are not that ideal vs those on the most developed countries. But you have to understand that even in a develop countries there are also slums , many crimes like the US and even European countries at present like Germany, France, Italy and many others due maybe to the influx of many immigrants. Those negatives about the Philippines far far outweighs by the positives like people are very friendly, very hospitable, no mass shootings like in the US, Israel and other develop countries .overwhelming number of Filipinos are sane even after the devastation of covid 19 . People live simply without too much worrying on what will happen to the future thus keeping and coping their sanity.

Love your Filipino blogs and how you are not just centering on the 'pretty' parts of the Philippines. Btw, I've seen vloggers get a million views on just one Jollibee taste test video! Just so you know... LOL

I was station in Subic Bay for two years and we just drank the Beer that was made in Manila, the stuff made in San Miguel was a little iffy . The beer was the best. Would go to Manila all the time. I meet a Chinese man named Pong Sam who owned a Hotel in Olongapo. He like the steak house on the Base. We'd go have steak once in a while. I had a great time in the PI. I've been back a couple of times. Never had a single problem, the whole time.

great vid as usual greetings from Liverpool uk

I love your video coverage, no sweeteners, it’s all natural and you are better than “National Geographic”. Greetings watching here from Washington DC !!!❤️❤️❤️😘😘😘🇵🇭🇺🇸🇵🇭🇺🇸🇵🇭🇺🇸🇵🇭🇺🇸🇵🇭🇺🇸

Bro, the place that you went to is not a slum. That's how the Filipino middle class lives.

Like in the US many Filipinos don't know much of their history. But in fairness to the people you asked about the prison, they honestly have no idea because fort bonifacio is a military camp and everything inside the camp is classified and the public have no idea what the military do in the camp.

Living in Mindanao, which is still on the US do not travel list I can testify that the Philippines is one of the safest places where an English speaker can go. The people may be materially poor, but they have warm hearts, and their hospitality is genuine. You should definitely visit Mindanao, Davao and the Island Garden City of Samal (where I live) on a future trip!

Everything about The Philippines makes me think of Latin America

Love your content, keep traveling!🖤💛🤟✌️

I was just there in January. I always look forward to your videos. God bless! I love that your content is different than others, it’s very educational.

Here in Rome, at the Euroma2 mall, there is a chapel like that too. Even if in Italy very few people are left that are still religious, but still there are some. The Church said that this kind of ministry is directed to devout Catholics, specially the low wage workers, that don't want to miss their Sunday service, even if they are required to work long hours during the festivities. Just few years ago, there wasn't problems like that, because all non-essential businesses were closed on Sundays, Easter and Christmas.

Philippines is safe country nothing to scared about ❤Beautiful ‘It’s More Fun In The Philippines 🇵🇭 believe me 🇵🇭👍❤️❤️❤️

Best travel videos on the internet.

Keep it up!

That's not a slum area, that is more of a working class which is majority of the country... The slum area is a lot more different than that. No roads, dark, dirty, wet etc...

From Bgc to Guadalupe, that's a whole lot of walk😊

"authoritarian, but in a nice way" hahaha love it

Locals looks very welcoming and nice, good atmosphere

The chicken would have been the right call at Jollibee. The spaghetti sauce is really sweet, but I kind of like it because it's so different from what I'm used to.

Recent subscriber here and US expat resident of Makati. I love all of your vlogs. Keep up the great work.

Somebody give this man his travel channel TV show already lol

Hey Tommy ,you certainly are going up in the world going by the opening of the video .. Har ,har ! Keep 'em coming ... Fast !

You are better than us... You know our history... Thank you for sharing...

FYI. Those houses aren't slums. Especially what you showed around 11:32. I've seen those. I've been in Tondo and have stayed in BGC as well. It's all diffrent. But definitely the house you pointed to with lots of laundry isn't from the slum.

A real vlog. Very informative.

Really enjoyed the tour of Manilla, was surprised at how pretty some of the slumhouses were, it looked quite clean too & the people so friendly. 1 thing tho... the cock fighting it is effing evil

Love your videos,currently watching your latest Manila video can’t wait to get back there 👍

Tommy!!!!!! Welcome to my country!!!!

Please do a podcast/video with Sonny Side, it would be amazing for you two to share your perspectives having spent a lot of time in many parts of Asia that many likely haven't ventured to before!

Watching from New York cubao planning to visit the Philippines soon very beautiful country.

Hello! I really enjoy your vlogs! But please when you ask a stranger on the streets about something, be more polite. To be more specific, the "opener" phrase must be better. For example, "excuse me" or "hello, can you please tell me.....". I think you get my point! Wherever you are people appreciate politeness and good manners. Looking forward for the new vlogs! :)

Another great video. You never fail to make me want to hop on a plane and see more of the world

I know that exact area you went into, from the slipway. There's a mcdonalds around the corner right? That area isn't dangerous, the people living there are really nice.

This comments are so nice:) Love from Philippines 🇵🇭

Craziest thing about Philippines to me is that they have so much good food everywhere. Boggles my mind how they even have a chain like Jollibee, let alone how is it so successful.

that building with the waves on the side is fucking amazing honestly

When crossing a street, you need to do it like a jedi. Raise your hand and use the force. 😂

I believe it. My middle school years were spent with a lot of my fillipino neighbors, and there was always an acceptance of modernity paired with traditions. I ate a lot of hot dogs and rice during those years.

Your description of Jolibee is very accurate, and that's the same description I give to people who first try it. I'm from Los Angeles and we have many Jolibees here. When you said it's a McD's & KFC mixed together, that is pretty accurate. You should have tried their spicey chicken, that's my fav on the menu.

If you're unfamiliar with Jollibee, it's spaghetti is very sweet. It's a surprise if you're accustomed to Italian-style. And spaghetti is part, often a big part, of the Filipino 'traditional' Christmas Eve feast, Noche Buena.

Obviously it's not a slum...it's just a modest residential areas for working class Filipinos. They owned thier houses legally with proper water And electricity connection.. Pls don't mislead people..just because the area looked very simple and a bit rundown... and slums in manila is rapidly decreasing due to housing projects of the government

Nice trip 😊 we also want to go to the philippines in december, how is the weather there then?

fun fact: Philippines hood/slum is more safer than in united states hood/slum

👍😂Super cool umbrella!….and glad you took up the challenge to walk the ‘crime~ridden’ area beyond BCG’s walls😎.

There was no doubt we were going uptown because this channel is TOP

I wouldn’t say that was too much of a slum. The majority of the Philippines looks like that. Btw you should of had the chicken joy or aloha yum burger. :)

oops i’m sorry but those are not slums. it’s a typical neighborhood in the philippines 😅 kinda offended you called those areas slum. or maybe the definition of slums in the philippines is just different?

Theres no way that’s the slums, it seems hella chill and everyone seems really friendly🤣seems better and safer than American hoods tbh

Skid row is a rougher area than that..Philippines generally is a safe country to be in..

You should have tried going to the Taguig side instead of the Makati side instead. There is an opening right beside SM Aura. Much more compact spaces used, and some may be considered slums. There are some vloggers who have also explored this part and there they were greeted by the requisite Filipino hospitality. The Makati area generally isn't considered slums as it is the second richest city in the PH, second only to Quezon city. Even the barangays you visited - the names ending in -EMBO, which means "Enlisted Men's Barrio" - are areas which were formerly villages of soldiers and their families living near the fort.

Thanks for sharing.

ok Tommy now i NEED to know what that money is going to south america for haha, loving this Philippines series stay safe!

That’s not slum areas, that’s proper houses & roads… slum areas are usually crowded housing built out of what ever they can find or afford.. small walk ways where cars can’t usually go down… but you have been where few foreigners would go.. I do enjoy your vlogs where ever you are in the world..

I knew a guy at school from there, he was the son of a very rich man high up in a global telecoms firm, he would always get upset, not cry but you could tell, whenever he would say about people, nor "ordinary people" or "the poor", to him they were just "people". Always remember that dude, hope hes doing ok

Love the history lessons!🤙🏼

love your content! thank you for sharing your experiences.

You really captured the essence of the place.

It takes balls to walk around in the hood with a pink umbrella, I have to give it to you.

D30 changed the face of that area for the better from its previous reputation. Like your dry sense of humor mate. Great lovable friendly English speaking people all over PH. Bushyboy Oz

The audio on your old camera is better than the new one

Great video and content always!!!

Country side? Offer's still open!

It's my first time to watched a RU-vidr who is very calm, humble and so friendly. We love you man keep up the great job! Take Care❤❤❤!

Had Jollibee in Florida, and it was...interesting. Different, but pretty good.