THERE is a character in almost every street in the Philippines, both in the cities and in the provinces, who has always aroused my fascination. They are not known for any occupation; their clothing is usually rather limited and the heat makes them show their often voluminous bellies to passersby. They spend the day sitting down, oblivious to the stress that surrounds them, putting into practice the known maxim of the Cynic philosophers of ancient Greece: "The happiest is not who has the most, but who needs the least." They generally seem to be happy, especially when they are in groups, singing street karaoke and having a bottle of Emperador Light. They are the first commentators on the events that happen around them and their curiosity rarely goes beyond knowing what is happening to their neighbor.