Unknown to most of us, that dirty and crumpled orange bill has much to offer us, notwithstanding a cone of creamy Cornetto. Wondering how to get to your destination with neither car nor a chauffeur? Roaming the streets with a grumbling stomach? Wanting to contribute to a cause greater than your personal needs and wants? Your orange bill will be your personal savior.
The twenty-peso bill is is the icon of the classic Filipino lifestyle.
Nothing could so prominently portray the ins and outs of side street culture, the comings and goings, the bass-deep rumbles or smoky aromas more than our beloved orange bill can. Often shunned by the sophisticated as filthy to touch, and much-worshipped by the common tao as a chunk of their daily income, the twenty-peso bill is a true storyteller: it has seen all beyond the glassy Philippine utopia we live in. Being passed around from hand to hand – countless times a day – has rendered it a far more experienced traveler and culturist than any seasoned backpacker.
This month, The Menagerie provides you an in-depth guide on how to fully maximize your twenty pesos, other than spending it at your local 7-11, Ministop, or wherever Cornetto is commonly sold.
From one end to another
Not everyone will choose to brave the endless tangle of traffic along Taft Avenue; it usually leaves one hankering for a taxi. Know, however, that the lack of ready taxis to bustle you all the way across the metro will render the concept of public transportation more endearing – way more convenient than walking x kilometers under the elements of weather, and cheaper too, as it saves money otherwise needed for gasoline.
Those loud and colorful jeepneys that are unique to the Filipino way of life are willing to transport you to your destination for eight pesos, depending on the distance. That makes sixteen pesos for two trips – a highly economical fee to pay to go to and from your destination and a great opportunity to immerse yourself in local jeep culture. The additional discount of a peso is given to students and to senior citizens.
For those insisting on seeing the treetops, a one-way trip along the whole stretch covered by the Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 – from Taft Avenue-Baclaran Station to Monumento Station – will cost you exactly twenty pesos.
All in all, if you would be willing to let slide the occasional discomfort of commuting (breathing in air pollution and musks, wriggling with fellow commuters, facing the hazard of getting pick-pocketed), your orange bill would surely save you from impending traffic troubles and guarantee you a cost-efficient experience.
Food for thought
Strolling the streets with an empty stomach simply will not do, particularly during high noon. It is such a blessing then that five of your favorite pandesals – each with its own embutido or liver spread – cost only a total sum of twenty pesos at your local bakery. A serving of pansit or a bowl of soup will cost you less than your orange bill (around fifteen pesos or so), and a plate of rice with a stick or two of isaw and barbecue from a carinderia around the corner will serve you equally well. Moreover, a satisfying meal from one of those Jolly Jeep food carts slash booths scattered around Makati City is a great way to end the day prudently and satisfactorily.
For those harboring a sweet tooth, two sticks of banana cue, a slice of egg pie or any other of your favorite kakanin will also fit your twenty-peso budget.
A vision for your P20
In any given city, beggars line up the streets asking for spare change, because they know that it can go a long way, straight to the syndicate. If these people who subsist on so little believe in the power of the orange bill, then people who believe in the saying, “It is better to give than to receive,” who see the bigger picture, and who want to contribute to the greater good definitely have more reasons to give their 20 pesos to charity (not to beggars; this is against the law).
One of those charitable institutions is World Vision, a Christian relief, development, and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. Primarily, they aim to provide a full year education to Filipino children at 7,200 pesos annually. Now, where does your 20 pesos figure in the four figure amount given above? If you come to think of it, giving 20 a day for 360 days can give a child the education that he/she needs to fulfill his/her dreams and contribute to the development of the country.
Another worthy cause is UNICEF’s Change for Good Program, which is a collaboration between the United Nations Children’s Fund and various airlines such as Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, American Airlines, and Qantas, among others. Whether you may be a frequent flier or a first time flier, you can always give your 20 onboard to provide two doses of vaccine or protein biscuits to needy children.
A few more things that make Filipinos tick
Rounding out the 20 peso items listed above is a ticket, which can either be a Lotto ticket, or an entrance ticket to a museum. Filipinos have always harbored a love for betting, and ever since the birth of the Lotto, the legalized betting and sweepstakes system of the country, a line outside a Lotto branch is certainly present. This line lengthens further when the prize money balloons to hundreds of millions of pesos, as Filipinos are always on the lookout for that stroke of luck that will supposedly catapult them into absurdly comfortable lives.
Of course, the 20 peso entrance ticket to a museum is also worth looking at, because a typical entrance ticket to a museum abroad does not come at a cheap price, or at least, definitely not at 20 pesos. We Filipinos are simply fortunate to be able to explore and appreciate the world of art in museums like the Yuchengco Museum at De La Salle University, and also at the University of Santo Tomas Museum. The tickets for any of these University museums should not at all exceed the value of the Quezon bill.
