Life is Cheap

Manila Bulletin has a story today about a jeepney driver in Caloocan City who is now 50-50 (very critical condition) because of a very heated argument with a gun-toting passenger over fifty centavos (less than a US cent). The unknown passenger paid eight pesos and, according to the report, demanded his change of fifty centavos immediately. The driver got furious, furious words were lavishly exchanged and the passenger simply shot the driver and left.
I recalled another story, this time in the front page of Philippine Star, about a drunk guy from the South who was beaten by his friends because he lost one peso. The peso coin fell from his pocket and he tried to look for it. Because it was dark, he got a P100 bill and lit it. His friends, certainly pissed, beat him up because apparently they need the money for at least three more beers or maybe a bottle of cheap gin. Our sad republic.