By the middle of the century, it is estimated that the earth’s population will be 9.07 billion, a significant increase from the nearly 7 billion today. For the first time in history, more than half of the world’s population lives in towns and cities rather than in rural areas and that will rise to 70% by 2050. Megacities, with more than 10 million inhabitants, are springing up across the globe, particularly in developing countries. In 1985, there were only nine megacities – today there are 26.
Metro Manila is one of the largest and most densely populated cities in the world. It is home to around 20 million people and rising by another quarter of a million every year. Rural poverty has caused thousands of Filipinos to migrate to Manila every year from the countryside in search of a better life. However, they find few jobs and often have nowhere to live as the city is running out of space. As a result 35% of the population is living in slums with limited access to sanitation, healthcare and education.