An economy in crisis

In Pictures: Growing poverty

BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents will be broadcast on Thursday, 23 February, 2006 at 1102 GMT.

The programme will be repeated on Monday, 27 February, 2006, at 2030 GMT.

How has life changed for ordinary Filipinos since over a million of them marched on Manila 20 years ago?

As they overthrew the dictator, Ferdinand Marcos, and helped restore democracy, their hopes were high.

But in 2006, the Philippines is still desperately poor and corruption and nepotism are rampant.

The country staggers from economic crisis to crisis.

In this special programme, two journalists from the Philippines Center For Investigative Journalism in Manila, give their unusual take on the parlous state of the economy, not by interviewing economists, but by visiting Manila's shopping malls and shanty towns.

Presenters: Yvonne Chua and Vinia Datinguinoo
Producer: Rosie Goldsmith
Web Producer: Nathalie Knowles
Editor: Maria Balinska