Slim pickings in a surging economy
With a growth rate of 7.8pc, the Philippines is winning accolades but stubbornly high unemployment and poverty take the shine off the figures
At his vegetable stand on a busy street in the Philippine capital, Lamberto Tagarro is surrounded by gleaming, modern skyscrapers, between which a river of luxury vehicles flows.
"The Philippines is the rising tiger economy of Asia," Tagarro said. "But only the rich people are going up and up. I'm not feeling it."
Tagarro earns the equivalent of about US$5 a day working from before dawn until after dark, battling petty corruption to maintain his improvised footpath stand and dealing with increasing wholesale prices for the onions and tomatoes that he sells.
The Philippines, with a 7.8 per cent expansion of gross domestic product in the first quarter of this year, has the fastest-growing economy in East Asia, surpassing even China's.
The country has a red-hot stock market, a strong currency and a steady stream of accolades and upgrades from international ratings agencies.
But Tagarro's experience - of being left behind by the country's newfound prosperity - mirrors that of many Filipinos, according to the latest government poverty and employment data.
An estimated seven million Filipinos, about 17 per cent of the workforce, have gone overseas in search of jobs, according to the Asian Development Bank. For those who stay home, there are few options.