Volunteering in the Philippines

Well, it came that far. I am doing something out of the house. In the subdivision where we live, we have a gate with a guardhouse with guards guarding on a 24-hour basis. This is to provide extra security for the residents. Many subdivisions in Manila have this set-up as this is very normal in the Philippines. There's also a main gate from the main road into the area where the streets lead to other subdivisions, including ours, and this main gate is also guarded on a 24-hour basis. So, we actually have to pass two gates before we reach our house. Quite a feat.

I am currently painting the area where our gate leads into our subdivision, as this gate was getting rusted. Also, one could see postlights hanging upside down and I wondered if I could do something about beautifying this area. Mind you, when you drive through this gate, usually you don't notice what is wrong with the gate area because, when you would live there, it's becoming second nature to just go through it and not notice anything around you anymore.

But, I did observe things that could get better there, so I offered my help and started painting the gate and posts. I started painting before the storm hit Manila, you know Ondoy first and then Pepeng, so I had to wait it out for a few days before I could continue my work (voulunteering) there. Could not ask for any money, as a foreigner can NOT work and receive payment in the Philippines. Although, in terms of how much a painter makes here "per day", it would for me be almost volunteering anyways. About 4.50 Euro a day in salary.

Anyways, much has been done already, and there's still the guardhouse that needs to be painted and the yellow/black lineage on the road, indicating that you are entering a sidestreet into a subdivision.

Today, however, I did some work and the guard was asking me something. I couldn't understand him first but after he showed me with some sign language, I understood that he wanted to have some sandpaper for "his revolver". His revolver was getting rusted, so he could sand the rust away on his revolver. Yes, they do run around with revolvers here. If they ever use it, I don't think so, otherwise his would not have been rusted. Right?

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Picture 1) Postlight hanging upside down before the President of the subdivision called someone to straighten it up.

Picture 2) The guardhouse with one of the four guards that are present at any moment of the 24-hour day.