You can't really live without a smartphone these days. On top of that, Filipinos are very social, and a lot of money moves through apps like GCash. So yeah, a phone (not a 100k one, more like 10k–20k probably) seems more important than getting the roof fixed. If you're a tricycle driver, for example, there's no way you get by without a smartphone — but you could still be short on cash to fix the house.

Yes, it's a thing.

It's really rare to see people with new iPhones here — unless they're upper class, at least.

Debt, theft, etc.

Does a bear crap in the woods? I think you need the nostupidquestions sub......

Poor people in the US all have the latest iPhone.