One of the first things I noticed in the Philippines is the huge span of wealth. These homes are typical of the poor people. Many of them live in the small outer villages(baranguys) but not all. There is not a seperation of wealthy neighborhoods and a poor neighborhoods, they just are all intermixed. You will see a big beautiful mansion with several tiny shacks on the sides.
Then there is the middle size homes that look comfortable and sufficient. We have been in a couple of these types and some of those didn:t have doors seperating rooms. just curtains and some had tile floors and others just painted. Sometimes the walls are not painted. Paint must be expensive because most houses are the natural cement color and some paint just the front and leave the sides and back
These are typical of the upper class homes. The workmanmnship is all done by hand and they are great craftsmen. Many times the trim looks like brick or stone but it is actually all done with plaster/ Even what looks like pillars and stair posts are made from cement. Our big luxery houses in the states have nothing over on some of these.The really big ones I can't get pictures of because they are surrounded with high fences.I have ask some questions about who the wealthy people are and some say they work for the goverment. Others say doctors and other professionals. I am assuming some are big land owners because you see all these fields with a big mansion and then a bunch of shacks so I think it is the land owner and his workers live in the shacks. I also was told many families have someone who works abroad and sends their wages home so the family can build a nice house. But I also know many work abroad and send their wages home so their families can eat!
Even Elder Nielsen from our area presidency talked about the inequality of wealth in this country.
