Toilet Paper Usage In The Philippines
The last time I was in Davao this banner ad in a drug store window caught my eye. Based on a Metro Manila Public Toilet Survey from February 2006 “79 Percent use toilets without toilet paper”.
This is an advertisement for “Loperamide”, which is in America sold as “Imodium”, an anti-diarrhea drug commonly sold over-the-counter.
Along with sun-screen, insect repellent and condoms, this is a common ingredient in any “care packages” I provide to visiting clients. Indeed, I take one almost every day myself. It can cause constipation if taken without need, so don’t take it unless you need to. But there’s an easy cure for constipation for visiting foreigners, just drink a glass of tap water.
Along with Xanex, Valium, and Cialis, this is always in my travel kit when I go anywhere in The Philippines.
Last year five people died in some remote village less than 100 km from Cagayan de Oro from acute diarrhea, for the lack of these 14 pesos pills.
Now, I am not sure how the banner ad relates the need for loperimide to the lack of use of toilet paper, but I can guess that the lack of use of toilet paper means that people soil their hands and end up with gastronomic e-coli infections.
I have only taken a dump one time in my life without toilet paper before coming to The Philippines and that was on a day I was out turkey hunting with my father. We used leaves instead. So the real truth is that I had never ever had to clean my ass with my bare hand before coming to The Philippines. I do not wish to recount here how many times I have done so, but as a result of lessons learned the hardway, I carry around a roll of tissue paper in the back of my car and in my laptop backpack bag, and I keep a roll hidden under my desk at the office.
Reflect on that ad photo for a moment, and think about Metro Manila, the most advanced city in The Philippines. If 4 out of 5 people there do not use toilet paper, then what do you think the percentage is out in the provinces. People simply cannot afford it. I wonder what people used just few hundred years ago?
I guess I am just spoiled rotten and over indulge myself. I could probably save a lot of money if i didn’t buy toilet paper, but there are just some things I am not willing to do without.
July 29th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
You are getting funnier and funnier in your posts. Keep it up.
I think the ad was that people use toilets that do not have toilet paper. Thus, many people carry their own toilet paper.
Acutally, from my experience, 99% of toilets don’t have toilet paper.
September 26th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
I do not get the same impression. There is a water tap and a bucked in practically every CR “Bathroom” in the Philippines. When I tell people I never washed my ass with water until I came to the Philippines, they look at me like I am from Mars.
I bet there is a significant number of people, like 8% to 10% of the population of the Philippines who have never used toilet paper in their entire lives.
Carry toilet paper. Me? Always. Other people? I have never noticed any Filipinos carrying toilet paper. Maybe they do and maybe that’s why there’s never any tissue/napkins in any of the restaurants here.