Smokey mountain is a 50m high pile of rubbish. As the rain has washes off the covering top soil, the infinite layers of refuse, mostly non-degradable plastic, are exposed on all the mountain sides. This erosion further destabilizes the mountain, resulting in garbage-fueled landslides and sinkholes. Flammable gasses, the result of decomposing organic refuse, causes frequent fires, hence the naming smokey mountain. Despite the mountain's dangers of fire, landslides, sinkholes and obvious health hazards, it was home to a community of about 30.000 people who made a living scavenging through the landfill's refuse. The dumping site operated for half a century and was eventually officially closed in 1995. Many smokey mountain residents moved to the Payatas dump site in Quezon city, which itself was closed after a landslide in 2000 killed 230 people. At the time of the closing of smokey mountain, the government did make an effort in providing public housing for, at least some, of the thousands of mountain dwellers. A number of 5-storey residential blocks were erected around the mountain, although the vast majority of people migrated into the slum areas of Happyland and Baseco, conveniently located next door. Citing Wikipedia, 'according to a UN-Habitat report, over 20 million people in the Philippines live in slums. In manila alone, 50% of the over 11 million inhabitants live in slum areas'. The area of smokey mountain today divides into two entities: the mountain itself, and the handful of public housing estates. Regarding the latter, the estates have transformed in rubbish sites themselves. Two blocks, separated by a narrow back-lane, occupy a site. The lanes are non-passable as they have become rubbish dumping sites, and serve as a pungent reminder that in addition to the investment into public housing, maintenance and upkeep are just as essential. It also adds to a sense of dread that overpopulation and lack of care for the environment are problems that are insurmountable. Speaking off, the mountain today is sparsely populated, and it is hard to imaging that at some point in time there where 30K dwellers. The lack of provision of electricity is notable, as in Manila the utility companies even found a customer base living in the tombs of cemeteries. The absence of any other utility is self explanatory. Smokey mountain, in fact any landfill site, is so very obvious not suitable for habitation that it makes other slums in Manila appear 'habitable', in lack for a better word, where basic necessities such as electricity, water and cell signals are - somewhat - provided. Nonetheless the official, church and NGO efforts to alleviate the situation and their failure, manifested in the existence of slums and poverty, is a shameful stain on the Philippines.