Filipino Ethan James Coronel recently (13 Feb) wrote on Quora praising and exalting Singapore, saying that Singapore would make his jaw drops each time he visits Singapore.
Mr Coronel said that as a child, he visited Singapore thrice but “didn’t really give a damn about the place” initially.
“I was then young and patriotic, believing blindly that my country was a paradise,” he said. “As I grew older and more mature, I became more inquisitive and aware and naturally, my patriotism died down.”
He said he then began to appreciate the “wonders” of Singapore and would compare it with the Philippines, his country.
“I became a huge admirer of Singapore to the point that I bought Lee Kuan Yew’s From Third World To First just to learn about how Singapore became what it is now,” he said.
He said that the Singapore’s SMRT, for example, is something he admired and “enjoyed deeply”.
“Such a convenience most Singaporeans take for granted is a luxury to Filipinos like me because we don’t have an extensive subway system. You either need a car or have a hefty transportation budget for Grab to travel safely and comfortably in Manila; in Singapore owning a car is merely optional,” he explained.
“I often complained how abysmally maintained our infrastructure is.”
Another is the cleanliness which he said is “another thing worthy of praise”.
“Streets are almost always spotless and its waterways too. In Manila, garbage piles are found everywhere. Our rivers, tributaries and creeks emit a putrid smell and are sometimes completely covered with garbage,” he complained.
“And lastly, who wouldn’t marvel at the sight of Marina Bay Sands and Gardens By The Bay? They still make me do every time,” he added.
“There are more things worthy of mention but, man, nothing makes my jaw drop more than the ones I mentioned above every time I visit the place. Those and how delicious Old Chang Kee’s curry puffs are.”
It’s not known if Mr Coronel would be seeking any employment in Singapore soon, since he loves Singapore so much till his “jaw drop”.
