April 22
 

			Philippines Slideshow 270K - Flash required

Even as you dip your toes in the shimmering blue waters off Palawan, or marvel at the ancient rice terraces of Ifugao Province, someone will talk about bayanihan, the spirit of togetherness, which seems to be the defining characteristic of Filipinos - giving them the strength to tackle the challenges they face.
 
Visitors will see evidence of Bayanihan everywhere, from the bustling Quiapo Market, where tourists are greeted with huge smiles and tasty morsels, to the devastating Payatas garbage dump, where a group of mothers have banded together to create a community center so their children can learn the alphabet or just take a bath. I found it again watching children from another garbage dump learn traditional dances, returning them to a forgotten childhood for a few short moments each week. One only has to see the rice terraces in northern Philippines to understand what Filipinos, against all odds, are capable of doing. It has been a great privilege for me to meet some of these brave and resourceful people, and I am honored to share a few of their remarkable stories.
 

 
In GlobalTribe Amy Eldon travels to South Africa, Mexico and the Philippines, seeking out people who are finding solutions to some of the greatest challenges we face in the 21st century.

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