Photo Essay: Hope among the homeless in Quiapo

When Fil-Am documentary photographer Rick Rocamora visits the Philippines, one of his favorite places to photograph is Paterno Street in Quiapo. For a few days each year, Quiapo teems with devotees seeking divine favor. But throughout the rest of the year, Quiapo's bustling underground economy is fueled by the sweat of those who can't afford to wait for graces from above. In this photo essay, Rocamora focuses his lens on some of Paterno Street's industrious inhabitants -- which includes a host of underground entrepreneurs, street urchins, ex-convicts, and young dreamers -- all of whom are determined rise beyond their own circumstances.

Click to view larger image. One of Rocamora's more striking subjects is 18-year-old Rodali Mosende, a girl who grew up homeless on Paterno Street yet is determined to get a college education so that she can lift her family out of poverty. Despite her own deprivation, Rodali ran for Kagawad and was elected in her barangay's recent Sanggunian Kabataan elections. She dreams of one day finding a good job in the hotel and restaurant industry that will enable her to take care of her mother and sister.