Whether you are a researcher, a long-time Manila resident, or a curious outsider, understanding the full scope of Volumes 1 through 9 is essential to grasping the real soul of the Philippine capital. This article breaks down each volume’s core themes, the controversy surrounding the series, and why it remains the most referenced—yet hardest to find—exposé on modern Manila.
Nearly three decades after the closure of the original Smokey Mountain dumpsite, Volume 6 returns to the families who still scavenge in Payatas and other unofficial transfer stations. This volume exposes the “waste colonialism” dynamic: First-world countries labeling plastics as “recyclable” while Manila’s informal waste pickers suffer terminal illnesses.