A peso for your dive

Manila, Philippines - April 2018

In Manila, between March and May, before the arrival of the summer monsoon, temperatures reach the highest levels of the year. During the hottest hours some kids try to cool off along the MacArthur Bridge, in the polluted water of the Pasig River. Boys climb along the arches and play near the drain, where the moving water is cooler than the torrid and stagnant offshore. When someone passes by they say "if you give me 2 pesos I'll throw myself off the bridge". They try to go as high as possible, some jump from the street lamps, hoping to get some more coins. And while some are diving, others keep an eye on people who stop and watch, trying to prevent them to leave before paying.