REALITY OF LIFE IN MANILA DURING THE LATE '70s and '80s. During the late 1970s and 1980s, there was a significant shift in the demographics of poverty in Manila. Rural-to-urban migration accelerated, as many people from the countryside moved to Metro Manila in search of better economic opportunities. However, the urban economy was unable to absorb this influx of individuals into formal, well-paying jobs. This rapid urbanization, which was not driven by growth, led to an increase in urban poverty