Nestor “Nono” Felix worked in various capacities for an international NGO for more than 25 years before retiring in 2011. From 1997 to 2010, he was the corporate planning and M&E (monitoring and evaluation) manager covering Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, the Philippines, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.

As a Filipino national with a keen observant eye, his perspective is firmly rooted in his culture and heritage, but profoundly enriched by the myriad experiences across continents. He is never at a loss for words to make an incisive commentary about the day’s moments. From dining in a classy hotel in Pakistan to visiting a rustic village along the Silk Road, from having unwanted company in a haunted hotel in Rajasthan to admiring the tremendous progress in addressing poverty in Vietnam, each destination has left an indelible mark on this traveler from Bicol.

Featured images on the header: (left to right) Khaplu Palace along the Silk Road in Baltistan, Pakistan (photo: Silk Road Living History), the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Rajasthan, India (photo: Incredible India), and a shopping street scene in Hanoi (VinPearl).

Silk Road

During one of my visits to Pakistan, I found myself dining at a classy hotel. It took me some time to decide on my order. But I eventually settled for plain rice and prawns with sauce. Although it wasn’t my first experience with fine dining, I struggled to slice the prawns with a dull knife. The crustaceans had clearly overstayed their time in the freezer. And I pondered whether I should be using the long spoon and fork instead of the shorter ones. I assumed that both my companion and the waiter were aware of my dilemma, yet there wasn’t a hint of a smile or smirk from any of them. A few months later, I read in the news that terrorists had detonated a car bomb at the hotel’s front gate in broad daylight. Of course, there was no connection between my fine dining experience and the bombing, although both events were disastrous.

I once accompanied field staff on a visit to a village adjacent to the Silk Road. The trip was unplanned, so I ventured alone, without any country office staff. My aim was to immerse myself in the atmosphere of the forerunner of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. I walked back and forth on the powdery surface, eventually stopping at its center. It struck me that I was standing on an oversized dirt road. At that moment, I realized that the magnificent horses of Kublai Khan, Genghis Khan, and the Mongols had galloped on the same path at various times in history.

During a small group meeting, all participants were men, and the atmosphere was spirited. This made me reflect on the female-dominated meetings in other countries, including the Philippines. Despite my interest, I struggled to comprehend the discussion as it unfolded. But nobody provided me with an English translation because they thought I was Chinese.

On my last visit to Pakistan, I was with a Filipino colleague from the Bangkok office. On a free day, the two of us joined a Pakistani colleague on a trip to Murree, which is several kilometers away from Islamabad. Murree is a secluded tourist spot that offers a panoramic view of Kashmir on clear days, accessible via cable car. Negotiating a distance of over three kilometers at an altitude of 7,500 feet, we were treated to the breathtaking grandeur of Kashmir, stretching across both Pakistan and India. To our surprise, there were two other Filipinos among the six passengers in the cable car. They were on furlough from their work in Afghanistan and had chosen Murree as a destination for an unrestricted good time. But, despite the camaraderie, they didn’t extend an invitation to us.

India

My flights to India departed from Bangkok. It took four hours and several minutes to reach New Delhi, arriving at midnight.

In a remote village, I was in the company of colleagues from different countries. We had the opportunity to meet teenage mothers who had been forced into marriage by their parents, some as young as 12 years old. It was apparent that they anticipated being questioned about their early marriages, as an interpreter was present. What struck me was their lack of bitterness. As they prepared to leave, they exchanged mischievous smiles with each other, seemingly conveying that it was none of our business. If only they could express themselves and share their experiences.

During my time in Rajasthan, renowned for its colossal palaces belonging to the Maharajas, I embarked on a 12-hour train journey from New Delhi. I stayed in a modest palace-cum-hotel for two days. From the moment I stepped into the lobby, I sensed an eerie atmosphere that persisted throughout my stay. Wherever I went in the hotel, it felt as though someone was following me. Reacting to this feeling, I would abruptly turn around with open arms and exclaim “HAAH,” hoping to surprise the invisible stalker, only to find no one there. As I checked out at the front desk, I was enveloped by a warm breeze, and I mumbled my goodbyes, promising to return next time. But I never did return to Rajasthan, and even if I did, I would think twice about staying there to keep my promise. Perhaps the otherworldly inhabitant found amusement in my repeated circus acts in the hallway and my room.

The long train journey from New Delhi was uncomfortable and exhausting. Therefore, I decided to join several staff members from the partner NGO who had hired a van for the return trip. The nighttime drive from the city of Jaipur, passing through the Thar Desert, felt unique and exciting. But we were wary of bandits who were known to target nighttime travelers. In one pitch-dark moment at a junction, the driver abruptly hit the brakes to allow a pack of jackals to leisurely cross the road. He switched off the headlights, and in the darkness, their eyes resembled the jewels adorning the extravagant dresses of buxom ladies at the hotel.

On another occasion, I was in a van traversing a narrow and winding road uphill. Each time an oncoming car sped towards us, I feared a head-on collision, yet the driver skillfully swerved at the last moment, averting disaster. The drivers of the ubiquitous cargo trucks adorned with exotic stuff were also adept at this maneuver. By the time I reached my destination, I was dead tired. On the return journey, I intended to confirm whether it was true that vehicles in the countryside lacked side mirrors. But I found myself preoccupied with an imaginary brake, stepping on it now and then. For someone who had never driven a car before, it was an ordeal. But I did not stick my head out of the car window while in transit.

During my last visit to India, I had the opportunity to accompany a colleague’s family to the Taj Mahal in Agra. The palace was, of course, majestic, and the experience felt truly magical. It was hard to believe what my eyes beheld, to use a cliché. I couldn’t help but contemplate how true love can move mountains and build palaces, both physical structures for the super-rich and virtual ones for individuals like me. But what struck me the most was an optical illusion on one side of the palace. The grandeur of the interiors did not captivate me as much as this phenomenon.

A week after leaving the country, a powerful cyclone devastated the region I had visited. It immediately brought to mind the tribal people I had encountered, living in huts made of light materials. I couldn’t help but imagine the cyclonic winds blowing away their homes in one fell swoop. Even the new resort hotel where I had stayed was obliterated, reduced to nothing as I saw on TV.

Vietnam

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Vietnamese are set to surpass Filipinos in terms of per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) this year. Vietnam’s per capita GDP is projected to reach $3,497.51, outpacing the Philippines’ $3,372.53 at current prices. Per capita GDP, a measure dividing the value of economic output by the population, is commonly used to assess wealth distribution.

Moreover, the IMF anticipates that Filipinos’ income is unlikely to catch up with the Vietnamese in the next five years. By 2025, the Philippines’ per capita GDP is expected to lag behind Hanoi’s, with figures reaching $4,805.84 and $5,211.90, respectively.

The key factor attributed to these projections is Vietnam’s effective return to a semblance of normalcy after the pandemic like other ASEAN countries. However, even before the pandemic, Vietnam was on track to overtake the Philippines economically—an outcome I foresaw years ago. Vietnam achieved the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on the elimination of extreme poverty and hunger, while the Philippines fell short of halving poverty. From a staggering 58.1% poverty rate in 1993, Vietnam drastically reduced it to 5.8% in 2016, just a year after the MDG timeline ended. By 2019, Vietnam’s poverty rate was merely about 2%.

In contrast, the Philippines saw a modest reduction in poverty, from 31.8% in 1997 to 26% in 2015 (20.8% in 2019), according to the World Bank middle-income poverty line of S$3.20/day.

Therefore, Vietnam’s success in managing its economy has been consistent, while the Philippines has faced ongoing challenges, exacerbated by the recent pandemic. Economic indicators affirm this reality, and the impact of Covid-19 will only expedite Vietnam’s economic ascendancy over the Philippines.

I have always held a childlike fascination with Vietnam. In the 1960s, I gazed at the sky as American warplanes headed to Vietnam. The Vietnam War was a hot topic in school, alongside the allure of the Vietnam Rose.

My first visit to Vietnam in the late 1980s was filled with excitement, and my last trip in 2010 revealed the country’s tremendous progress in addressing poverty. During the intervening years, Vietnam, which seemed to lag behind the Philippines in the past, had quietly emerged as a success story.

In 2010, during my visit to Hanoi, the security personnel of a new mall struggled to contain the influx of shoppers, many of whom traveled from nearby towns. These shoppers squatted outside high-end stalls, purchasing items like Hermes and Prada, their amusement evident as they examined their acquisitions. This scene, a decade ago, highlighted Vietnam’s remarkable economic transformation.

About the author

NESTOR “NONO” FELIX worked in various capacities for an INGO for more than 25 years before retiring in 2011. From 1997 to 2010, he was the corporate planning and M&E manager covering Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, the Philippines, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.

He contributes commentaries and opinions to the Philippine Daily Inquirer (bylined Nono Felix). He also writes poems for the Philippines Graphic. He is a recipient of the 2024 Nick Joaquin Literary Awards’ Graphic Salute Award bestowed by the Philippines Graphic in the poetry category, an award he also received in 2023. He lives with his family in San Felipe, Naga City.