Throughout slum tour, we began to think more globally about specific issues underlying in the Philippines which we thought Japan had successfully dealt with, and people today rarely paid attention to. Not only does tour itself play an active role in visualizing how people in underprivileged communities make ends meet but it helped us visualize intricacies around achieving an economic growth in a way that takes into account environmental impacts.

The Japanese economy went through major structural changes in the 1970s and 1980s, with a shift from heavy polluting industry to processing and assembling industries in inland areas and to services in urban areas.  These changes were accompanied by major investments to increase energy efficiency, and by the adoption of very strict standards. Improvement in living standards, increased leisure time and public demand towards a lifestyle stressing improved quality of life were also instrumental.

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With an unprecedented development of transportation web and a construction boom, the Philippines never ceases to amaze tourists not only with its richness of natural resources but its extreme vibe which is more visible in Metro Manila. Current challenges, however, facing the Philippines with respect to air pollution, waste management and water pollution relate mainly to harmonizing the development of economic production and consumption patterns with a healthy environment for future generations.

It's not easy to tackle those underlying issues, however we believe that an incremental change comes from our daily involvements with SDGs.