Bornatbirth,poverty never shocks me,I lived in India for a year,went to Delhi,Calcutta etc,I never stick to tourist locations,I have been to genuine slums,I am just being realistic in my apparisal of pinas I have been to the Philippines 50 or 60 times?Well off the beaten track,been to sulu and jolo which most people dont go to so I am aware of the dangers Your right,its very cheap,but so is sierra leone and Mali