POOR KIDS ON THE BLOCK
by Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.
The Featinean publication, July 1993
June 7, Monday - First day of classes. Two children, about 7 to 8 years old went up the jeepney I was riding in and cleaned the shoes of the passengers. Them, they extended their hands to seek alms. I wonder why they are not in the school at that time.
June 8, Tuesday - As I walked along the street on my way to school, I noticed some boys about 8 to 10 years old sitting on the floor near a department store inhaling something in a plastic which I presumed were solvents. They should be at the school.
June 9, Wednesday - A boy about 9 years old was cleaning a taxi cab. Because of my curiosity, I asked him why he worked at that early age when he should be at the school. He said, “I want to help my mother earn for our food, especially for my two younger brothers and baby sister.” “Where’s your father?”, I asked him again. “He died in a factory accident two years ago.” I have learned that his mother is a laundry woman.
June 10, Thursday - In one of our discussions with my friends from Caritas, Manila, children who were abandoned by their parents were our topic. I’ve learned that there were many institutions that help and guide those kids towards better life.
June 11, Friday - On my way to the church to attend Mass, I saw a girl about 9 to 10 years old selling sampaguitas and her younger sister approached her, “Ate, may kita ka na ba? Kasi, bibili ako ng notbuk ko.” Then, the older sister gave her money. The younger sister said, “Tenk yu, Ate.” And the older sister replied smiling, “Ingat ka!” What a good relationship.
June 12, Saturday - I was looking at nothingness. I wanted to write about something that will contribute to the improvement and development of our country. Suddenly, Rizal’s famous words flashed to my mind, “Ang kabataan ay ang pag-asa ng bayan.” The children. Yes. Those poor little children.
Many streetchildren worked at an early age in order to survive. They cannot fully enjoy their childhood. They lack many things in life necessary for them to be developed in order t attain a comfortable and better life. Some of them sleep in cold pavements with only a discarded carton as their mats. Sometimes they are lucky to eat one meal in a day. Some sniff solvents for them to forget their hunger and most of them have no comfortable clothes. They are easily influenced by sex and violence they see in the movies. They also do what they see on other people, even if they are wrong. They lack education necessary to uplift their mental and moral development. Most of all, many of them lack the moral and spiritual guidance to attain a humane relationship with others. If they lack these things, what will be their future? Who should be blamed for these? Is it poverty? The environment? Their parents? Or the government?
Someday, for no one guides them, they will adopt their own methods of survival. Let us just hope that they will not become problems to the society. They may resort to bad things necessary for them to survive. If they would become burdens of the society, who will be affected? The citizens of our country, us. Those kids on the streets are our fellow human beings, our fellow Filipinos. They are our brothers. We must help them. But how?
Maybe, we should have a law regarding streetchildren. A law that will punish their irresponsible parents, if really their parents are the cause of their plights. (And may I add, poverty is the cause of these children’s and their parents’ plight.)
We should support any initiative such as fund raising for the welfare of the children. Extending a helping hand is a noble mission we can embark.
By helping streetchildren, we can give meaning and realization to the hope of our great hero for the Filipino youth. We must work hard to attain a better, more prosperous future for every Filipino child.
- July 1993
by Gregorio V. Bituin Jr.
The Featinean publication, July 1993
June 7, Monday - First day of classes. Two children, about 7 to 8 years old went up the jeepney I was riding in and cleaned the shoes of the passengers. Them, they extended their hands to seek alms. I wonder why they are not in the school at that time.
June 8, Tuesday - As I walked along the street on my way to school, I noticed some boys about 8 to 10 years old sitting on the floor near a department store inhaling something in a plastic which I presumed were solvents. They should be at the school.
June 9, Wednesday - A boy about 9 years old was cleaning a taxi cab. Because of my curiosity, I asked him why he worked at that early age when he should be at the school. He said, “I want to help my mother earn for our food, especially for my two younger brothers and baby sister.” “Where’s your father?”, I asked him again. “He died in a factory accident two years ago.” I have learned that his mother is a laundry woman.
June 10, Thursday - In one of our discussions with my friends from Caritas, Manila, children who were abandoned by their parents were our topic. I’ve learned that there were many institutions that help and guide those kids towards better life.
June 11, Friday - On my way to the church to attend Mass, I saw a girl about 9 to 10 years old selling sampaguitas and her younger sister approached her, “Ate, may kita ka na ba? Kasi, bibili ako ng notbuk ko.” Then, the older sister gave her money. The younger sister said, “Tenk yu, Ate.” And the older sister replied smiling, “Ingat ka!” What a good relationship.
June 12, Saturday - I was looking at nothingness. I wanted to write about something that will contribute to the improvement and development of our country. Suddenly, Rizal’s famous words flashed to my mind, “Ang kabataan ay ang pag-asa ng bayan.” The children. Yes. Those poor little children.
Many streetchildren worked at an early age in order to survive. They cannot fully enjoy their childhood. They lack many things in life necessary for them to be developed in order t attain a comfortable and better life. Some of them sleep in cold pavements with only a discarded carton as their mats. Sometimes they are lucky to eat one meal in a day. Some sniff solvents for them to forget their hunger and most of them have no comfortable clothes. They are easily influenced by sex and violence they see in the movies. They also do what they see on other people, even if they are wrong. They lack education necessary to uplift their mental and moral development. Most of all, many of them lack the moral and spiritual guidance to attain a humane relationship with others. If they lack these things, what will be their future? Who should be blamed for these? Is it poverty? The environment? Their parents? Or the government?
Someday, for no one guides them, they will adopt their own methods of survival. Let us just hope that they will not become problems to the society. They may resort to bad things necessary for them to survive. If they would become burdens of the society, who will be affected? The citizens of our country, us. Those kids on the streets are our fellow human beings, our fellow Filipinos. They are our brothers. We must help them. But how?
Maybe, we should have a law regarding streetchildren. A law that will punish their irresponsible parents, if really their parents are the cause of their plights. (And may I add, poverty is the cause of these children’s and their parents’ plight.)
We should support any initiative such as fund raising for the welfare of the children. Extending a helping hand is a noble mission we can embark.
By helping streetchildren, we can give meaning and realization to the hope of our great hero for the Filipino youth. We must work hard to attain a better, more prosperous future for every Filipino child.
- July 1993
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