Photos

Joe and Yoyo are tricycle drivers in Santa Fe, Bantayan Island, (it seemed to me like this was one of the primary occupations on this island).
They are both 16 years old and some funny kids. Every night, I would meet them in front of O'Portuguese, where I ate, and they would try to hustle me for a cigarette or a beer. They were sweet kids, but also tried to appear cool and a little "tough" - as can be seen in this picture. Yoyo (to the right) told me that his elder brother is a member of the Crips gang in Manila (apparently the LA gang has spread to the Philippines.??).
Besides from driving tricycle, they would try to make money in every way possible; arranging boat trips, selling 2nd hand (stolen?) mobile telephones and so on. They laughingly told me about all their different girlfriends.
I sensed in them, the universal teenager: Still kids, but on the verge of becoming adult with new choices and dilemmas (especially Yoyo's relation to his brother seemed to occupy his mind - should he follow him and become a "gangster" or not? I obviously advised him not to, but money is scarce on the island and few can take college degrees, and to stay a tricycle driver forever is perhaps not the most exiting future prospect for a kid like that).