There was a time when my city was known as the Rape Capital of the Philippines. I heard this when I was a child. We even have our version of “red light district” mentioned by the infamous TV host Joey de Leon. I can just imagine how dim and gloomy our city was. The public was murky and smelly, and the sidewalks were filled with illegal vendors, not to mention illegal settlers in places where there should be no structures.
However, I’m glad that this moniker has been replaced with a more appropriate term: Shoe Capital of the Philippines, which we really are famous for. Also, my city was hailed as one of the Cleanest and Greenest Cities in the Philippines. This is one of the first things people notice whenever they visit our small city. If I may add, we have an excellent network of bike lanes!
Discipline, Excellence, and Good Taste. This is my city’s core values for its citizens. And I can attest to this as a resident of the city for more than three decades.
When I got married, one thing my wife told me is the reality of being able to walk around at night without fear of being harassed or mugged. Marikina is a walkable city, indeed. We have a weekly routine of walks to malls, markets, and parks. I can even opt to walk to the office if I need to. According to numbeo.com, a website that measures crime rates and the safety of cities, Marikina has a low crime rate. Though the site shows a moderate level of vandalism, theft, and drugs - which I guess are also rampant in most places, other factors show remarkably low scores. This is seeing your taxes working for you.
I wish citizens of other cities and municipalities have the same sentiment and appreciation with regard to the place they live in. We should be the primary champions of our own localities! However, I understand that not all share my joy. I have visited neighboring places too, and sadly, some places remain murky, smelly, and feel congested.
Marikina is not a perfect city, it has its own flaws. Sometimes, we make it to the headlines because of typhoons and overflowing Marikina River. Sometimes, it is about isolated cases of crimes, fires, or accidents. But I can’t imagine myself in other places aside from my beloved city.
Here are some of my snaps taken in Marikina with my wife as a model!
I wish you could visit my city too!
How about you, what’s it like to live in your city?