Hands of Mercy is currently working in Mandaluyong City. Mandaluyong is one of fourteen cities within Metro Manila, and has a population of approximately 310,000. The city is divided into 27 districts, (called a ‘barangay’), and is home to many urban poor communities. Hands of Mercy currently has teams working in 3 of these barangay's covering 10 urban poor communities. These communities are called, Florante, Sto. Rosario, Kapalaran, Kayumanggi, Ginhawa, Hilaga, Agudo, Blk. 37 Welfareville, Blk. 38 Welfareville and Blk. 40 Welfareville. Our staff comprise of Filipinos who live in the urban poor communities where Hands of Mercy coordinates its compassion programmes. They experience the same living conditions as those they are seeking to serve. Because our staff have lived in their respective communities for many years, they have built close relationships with the residents and are therefore able to quickly identify needs and respond with the appropriate action.

In a typical urban poor community in Mandaluyong, as in most urban centres in the Philippines, you will find hundreds and sometimes thousands of people squatting side-by-side on a deserted portion of land in haphazardly constructed ‘shanty’ homes made from scrap wood, corrugated iron and plastic. These shanty homes usually consist of one or two small rooms and house on average seven family members. Some structures, however, are little more than a dirty wooden shack balanced precariously on the sidewalk. Usually people’s homes have been hastily erected with very little planning and with materials, which have been salvaged from around the community. Because of holes and cracks in the materials, many homes are unstable and prone to leaks and flooding. These urban poor settlements are often located in high risk or danger areas – riverbanks, dumpsites, low-lying areas susceptible to flooding, under bridges, relocation sites lacking amenities and tenurial security, and areas under threat of eviction.

Most adult males earn an income by driving a motorcycle with sidecar, which transport people around the city for a small fee. Others are hired on short-term contracts as labourers in factories or on construction sites. Many women earn a small income by washing clothes for the more affluent living outside of the community.