Doesn't matter where you go, if you're in the slums of Manila or the fields of the barrio, there are always two things you can count on -basketball and karaoke. Back in 2010 the NYTimes ran an article on how people in the Philippines were killing each other over karaoke. While I haven't heard of a karaoke murder in quite some time, I have heard the screeches of karaoke in every barangay that I've visited. Actually, I must have passed at least 2 karaoke machines per barangay. Even in the tiny island of Camiguin, we would be passing through the barrio of all barrios, I mean obscure, in the cut, like cows and carabaos right there and not another structure for a while and yet there was still a karaoke machine there. Even on the beach near the rain forests of Sarangani, we were able to hook up to a karaoke machine and sing late, late, late into the night. It's not a joke here. No, sir.
Karaoke on the beach in Maitum, Sarangani
In addition to the karaoke, a barangay is not a barangay without its basketball courts/hoops. It doesn't matter what the thing is made of. I've seen basketball hoops made out of driftwood and a wire for the rim on a dirt court. I've played ball in the garbage dump communities of Sapang Palay and be sure that everybody is playing in tsinellas, no high top ankle support kicks for them.
Random hoop
Basketball in tsinellas, the only way to do it!
No, no, no, what would the Philippines be without basketball and karaoke?
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