This is the response that I received from Carlos Celdran to my previous post (directly below):
There is money here. It just isn't being spread around evenly. And it's mostly consumer spending (not government spending, like infrastructure etc. which is why there is money around but the city looks like crap.) There is a middle class. But they are abroad working and sending that money home. Quite a few of the folks you see at the mall are spending that money which was sent to them. They are the beneficiaries of that middle class so to speak. Not to mention, that due to the decay of the down town areas, rise in crime, urban congestion, etc... the mall has become the town plaza. The air conditioned pedestrian promenade so to speak. Most people don't go to malls to shop here. They just go to hang out. It has very little if not at all to do with consumerism. IT's just a convenient air con public space. There are lots of folks at the mall. But how many of them were carrying bags?
Thank you Carlos for your insight!
