6 days ago
#NSTviral: Woman crawls out of drain on busy street
KUALA LUMPUR: A woman was spotted crawling out of a storm drain on a busy street in Makati, a scene eerily reminiscent of a horror film.
The Straits Times reported that a photo of the woman, taken on May 26 at around 5pm, went viral
The young woman, covered in grime and leaves, was seen emerging from the drain, turning to smile at the man photographing her before running off.
"She ran past me, the military guy in pursuit.
"A few pedestrians, motorcyclists, and even the traffic enforcer just stood there, stunned, confused, maybe even a little amused," said William, who posted the woman's photos on his Instagram account under the name iammrthirty.
He was quoted by the online magazine as reported by The Straits Times.
William, an amateur street photographer, said the drain's opening was unusually wide, with a pipe inside large enough for a person to crawl through.
He returned the next day to find officials repaving the area.
He said that they told him they didn't know where the pipe led.
Authorities believe the woman may be among the many homeless people sheltering in Manila's sewer systems.
Metro Manila, home to 14 million people, has over three million homeless individuals, some living in storm drains, cemeteries or makeshift carts known as kariton.
According to The Borgen Project, homelessness in the Philippines is often driven by poverty, violence, trafficking and natural disasters, with women and children especially vulnerable to abuse.
"The photos are a reminder that Makati's streets hold more stories than we sometimes care to see.
"Behind the high-rises and the hustle, there are people who live between the cracks, literally," William said.
