What is the price we pay for urbanization? Our world began without concrete and steel yet, today, concrete and steel rule many areas in the world.
What makes this scenario even more depressing is that in our bid to become better, more successful people, we have disregarded Mother Nature. Trees are cut here and there just to give way to homes. Farmlands and marshes are converted into residential and manufacturing areas. Even the mountains and the sea are getting raped by urbanization.
So, tell me, what is wrong with this picture?
Photo credit: Facebook/Daphne Osena Paez
It was posted by netizen Daphne Osena Paez on June 13, 2015, with the following caption:
Whoa! #mycity #metromanila
EDIT: I took this photo on June 12, 2015. It was not edited or filtered. I just cropped it. This is Pasig City.
Our first reaction was: Where are the trees? This is certainly an urban jungle! But unlike beautiful urban jungles like Dubai, this photo is depressing in that it shows poor planning as structures appear to sprout from just about everywhere.
The photo quickly went viral as many people just could not believe that this is how Metro Manila (specifically Pasig City) looks these days. A lot even boldly accused Daphne of faking the photo, perhaps to gain attention, but many also defended her in the comments section.
Of course, Metro Manila has long been an urbanized area yet people find it hard to believe that the city looks this way from the sky.
Daphne would later post an updated photo, this time showing the entire shot as the first one was just a cropped image of the photo she took from her airplane window seat.
Photo credit: Facebook/Daphne Osena Paez
This time, the photo came with a thought-invoking caption:
Was that previous photo legit? Yup. Taken along the Taguig-Pasig flight path. I just zoomed and crop. No need for aerial shots. Look around your city. Walk it, if you dare brave the non-existent sidewalks. Cross the non-existent pedestrian lanes. Where are the trees? Did anyone even care? Everyone is quick to blame the leaders. But all this happened because of us. Who voted for them? Who allowed this to happen? And it didn’t happen overnight. #thatthingcalledmetromanila #pasig
After the photo was picked up by Coconuts Manila, Daphne once again posted an update to explain her side and to add to her thought-provoking previous post:
Our little photo got picked up by Coconuts Manila!!!
Just a few things —
a) I didn’t fake this photo, just cropped it.
b) The wider original shot is even scarier as this area is right near the mouth of the Pasig River where it meets Laguna de Bay.
c) Metro Manila is one of the most densely populated mega cities in the world. I am shocked that this photo shocked you.
d) This is Pasig. Anyone have an aerial shot of City of Manila? It is the densest local unit in MM with almost 48,000 people per square kilometre.
e) The top reaction is — “where are the trees?” Let’s take it further and ask, “where are the open areas?” We need green open spaces!
f) While I have your attention, can we also talk about the sanitation and hygiene problem? I have been to many informal urban settlements and let me tell you — open defacation is still so real in Metro Manila.
g) Most importantly, we all have to do our part in making sure all children are protected from harm, danger, predators, malnourishment, etc.
and P.S. Can we please bring back GEOGRAPHY in the elementary and high school curriculum?
In case you really thought this photo was fake, just check the area using Google Maps. It really is depressing.