Letter from Manila

Letter From Manila

BY MARIAM S. PAL, BA'82, MA'86

	Mariam Pal with her dog, Gourmet.

I can still remember, back in August 1983, one of my McGill grad school friends talking about the recent assassination of the Philippine opposition leader, Ninoy Aquino. Ninoy Aquino? I had barely heard of him, and knew only that the Philippines were a group of Southeast Asian islands named for a Spanish king. Little did I imagine that 18 years later I would be living here.

In the early '80s, I was studying economics at McGill and just starting to work on my MA thesis (still required in those days). I somehow knew that my career would centre around the challenges facing the developing world but even I could not have known how far -- literally and figuratively -- I would stray from Canada, and especially my beloved Montreal, in pursuit of my career.

Traffic in Manila streets.

In the years since finishing my studies and leaving McGill, I have expanded my horizons beyond my wildest dreams. In February 1984, I landed my first job with CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) at the Pakistan Desk. As I write this letter, I have lost count of how many times since then I have worked in Pakistan. And as a resident of Manila, I now regularly read a newspaper column by Kris Aquino, Ninoy's daughter, and have heard his widow, former Philippine President Cory Aquino, address one of the recent "People Power II" rallies held on the streets of this city.

	A religious festival on the Philippine island of Cebu.

I work as an economist for the Asian Development Bank (ADB), whose goal is to reduce poverty in Asia and the Pacific region. To achieve that end, the ADB provides loans and technical assistance for a broad range of development activities. The non-profit ADB raises money through bond issues on the world's capital markets and from contributions by donor member countries, including Canada. Each year the institution lends more than $5 billion (U.S.), mostly in the public sector and primarily for agricultural and rural development. Social issues, such as labour conditions, health care and improving the status of women -- who constitute most of the region's poor -- are also priorities.

Manila is the headquarters of the ADB and about 40 Canadians work here. I applied to work at the ADB in 1995, when I was living in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and working at the African Development Bank (also known as the ADB!). My application was almost immediately rejected, yet less than three months later, I received an urgent telegram (e-mail hadn't yet reached Abidjan) inviting me to an interview. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Scenes from Mariam Pal's development work in South Asia.

A career in international development is demanding. I was initially attracted to the field because of early exposure to Pakistan, from which my father, Izzud-Din Pal, PhD'60, emigrated to Canada in 1955. Family visits throughout my childhood exposed me to both poverty and a different culture. As a student at McGill, I found myself drawn to the social commitment and also the adventure and sometimes exotic travel that this type of career entails.

Looking back, I had almost no idea of what I was getting myself into! I can certainly say I have had my share of adventures over the years. I don't think I can ever forget a 22-hour bus ride from Gilgit in Northern Pakistan to Rawalpindi's bus terminal that included crawling across a landslide-blocked road high above the early reaches of the Indus River. I remember hiding out in my hotel room in Dakar for three days while Senegalese and Mauritanians fought a hand-to-hand battle in the public market. Being assigned my own bodyguard in Monrovia, Liberia, during a period of political unrest was another memorable experience.

At last count, I had either worked in or traveled to 40 countries in Europe, Africa and Asia. Since relocating to Manila I usually make five to seven international "missions" (what the rest of the world calls business trips) each year within the Asian region. Most of my work is centred on South Asia, and I frequently visit India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Maldives.

My two core areas of interest have always been gender and poverty. Right now I'm organizing institutional support for government ministries promoting greater equality for women in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Sometimes I am part of a team preparing a loan by the ADB, while at other times I conduct research for possible development projects. For example, last summer I hiked the hills of Sri Lanka with a team of anthropologists, speaking to the people about their problems and aspirations, for a study on poverty that I directed. Earlier last year, I spent several days in Pakistan's Southern Punjab talking to farmers to collect information on the potential impact of increasing the availability of irrigation water. My work is always varied and never without its challenges. Every year is different and I am always learning.

When I am not traveling I am based in Manila. I work in a modern office and live in a house -- the first I have lived in since I left my family home in Victoria, B.C., to attend McGill. I have a dog named Gourmet.

Manila is a huge city with a population of more than ten million and a vibrant academic and cultural scene. Last year, I took courses in creative writing at a nearby continuing education centre. I have developed an interest in art and often visit local galleries and museums. I have bought a number of beautiful paintings by Filipino artists. I often meet a friend at the local Alliance Française to have a quick dinner and see a French movie. This is a good way for me to keep up with my French!

The major challenge of living in Manila is the city's legendary traffic. There is very little public transit here and the only real option is to drive. After five years here, I drive more like a local than a Canadian -- weaving in and out of lanes, ignoring the rules and using my horn.

At the ADB, I am Chair of the Staff Community Fund, which raises funds from the bank's nearly 2,000 employees and donates it to charities and organizations in the Manila community that work with the poor. Last year we raised more than $8,000 (U.S.) in less than four days to help the victims of the Payatas garbage dump landslide. We also organize an annual event that showcases the talent of ADB staff. For two hours, staff members sing, dance and play their way through what is always a fast-paced and fun program. This year we raised nearly $10,000 from "Show 2000."

On weekends, and sometimes after work, the members of our Steering Committee visit potential beneficiaries and do follow-up visits with others to see how our money was used. Through this experience I have been exposed to another side of life in Manila and met dozens of dedicated people who work with the urban poor. Of all the vulnerable groups in Manila, the most tragic and visible manifestation of poverty is street children. I don't know what the numbers are, but some people estimate that there are thousands of homeless children living on the streets of Manila.

Living and working in cultures outside my own has taught me to be more flexible and to see issues from another perspective. By nature not a patient person, I have learned to "go with the flow" and to appreciate that, unlike in Canada, things do not always happen when you want them to.

I know of a few McGill alumni at the ADB but, as Canadians are wont to do, I suspect McGill grads also keep a low profile. I have kept in touch with a core group of old McGill friends, most of whom are in Canada and the U.S., but my network also stretches to France, Greece and Pakistan. In the course of my travels, I am often asked where I studied. When I reply that I am a McGill graduate, many people know McGill and some have even remarked that I must be smart to have gone to such a good school!