TakingITGlobal - Panorama - They Were There

Published on: Dec 6, 2003

Topic:

Type: Opinions

https://www.tigweb.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=2450

We often encounter many street children, or "palaboys" in Tagalog, and more often than necessary, we simply ignore them. Some are even addicted to drugs such as “Shabu” and “Rugby”, thus names like rugby boys is coined. You continue your day with the thought that they are the responsibility of the government, and give them no further notice.

The Government which you have helped put up with your votes, which, let us just assume to be unaltered during the last election, is now creating a campaign of getting rid of street children by catching them in streets and giving back to their own parents. At a young age they could have viewed the government as a threat to their source of well being, why, we can not argue with these small people. The fear in the eyes of these street children, which the government helps to breed, would eventually be translated into hatred. Such hatred is oftentimes not directed to their status, such hatred is usually directed to other people, to the rich people, the so called executives, such fears is also directed to the government. Who knows that the child you ignored this morning could kill you in the future. Thus, such program of the government is not really a program but a mere scapegoat. Your inaction is even more worrisome. The cycle of poverty, the presence of these children amidst our street will not end unless you do something about it.

You know that you have the potential to help empower this country, why, you always keep on bragging to your peers that you are a graduate of this and this University. You brag about your cars, your luxuries or your chicks, can you not brag that once you were able to help other people? Can you not brag that at a certain time in your life, there was a child whom you could have saved? You can’t. This is because you never did anything. You ignored the presence of these street children as if they did not exist. Yet have you noticed that their numbers keep on increasing, and at a certain point you are already blinded by their presence and then, you can no longer ignore the fact that such problem s amidst our society. God is seen amongst the children, how many times have you ignored God?

Why, you’re the one responsible for the failure in our economy and the layoff of many employees. Why, you’re the one responsible for accumulating too much of our country’s wealth either thru legal or illegal means just to get the luxury you want or to educate your sons and daughters to exclusive schools. Can you not also take in the same amount of responsibility with these children since, you know yourself that you can, and you can be blamed responsible for them being there. But circumstances have a way of balancing things, the luxuries you give to your family can be taken when these children, because of your pretended ignorance, would later grow and form their gangs. Time will come that you will weep out of the same anger you have sown to these street children. Now is not yet the harvest time, do you want to be there when such situations will be ripe enough.
You also think an election will help these street children. You thought that voting the “right” candidate would eventually rid of your country of poverty. Can you not put it into your educated mind, that politics; this Election never helped and will never help solve any problem. In fact it only breeds such problems. Who know if the rampant kidnapping is an election-related case?

Did you not anticipate the fact that the money that would be used in campaigning could have been used in creating livelihoods for the parents of these street children? Why, you are so educated, but you don’t need your math to compute for it.

Yes, you are a doctor here in the Philippines. You have cured a lot of patients but most of the patients you just operated so that you could earn more from them. You remove their spleen even it has no damage. You are a lawyer who prolongs your case, you are a graduate of this prestigious University, why, are you taught to cheat people with your articulations and constant stipulations of the Law. Why, you often times manipulate the law even though it is evident that there is no presence of a hole. You are an engineer who gets cheap source of material and construct buildings and roads at a high cost, no wonder why people find it hard to afford their own house. You are a seller in the market place that cheats her customers of the weights of fishes she’s selling. You are a policeman who cannot even police your own wife because you can not even police yourself from avoiding your mistress. You are a congressman that should have been making laws for your people but instead you are like making your own personal diary, using laws as the legal means to preserve your own interest. You are a leftist who keeps on shouting in the streets about equality yet you have been unequal by killing so many people and blaming the military for the damage. You are a teacher who does not attend your own class. You are a student, called to be the hope, but you see yourself drunk the other night. Yes, you are the Filipino people! Look at yourself! Look at the street children…

We have a fabricated People Power creating a fabricated President. All things seem fabricated, even our own history. It is like fake diplomas you find in Quiapo, the saddest part is that you can no longer distinguish what is right from what is wrong in this country.

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by christopher bernardo
Published on: Dec 6, 2003
Topic:
Type: Opinions
https://www.tigweb.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=2450


We often encounter many street children, or "palaboys" in Tagalog, and more often than necessary, we simply ignore them. Some are even addicted to drugs such as “Shabu” and “Rugby”, thus names like rugby boys is coined. You continue your day with the thought that they are the responsibility of the government, and give them no further notice. The Government which you have helped put up with your votes, which, let us just assume to be unaltered during the last election, is now creating a campaign of getting rid of street children by catching them in streets and giving back to their own parents. At a young age they could have viewed the government as a threat to their source of well being, why, we can not argue with these small people. The fear in the eyes of these street children, which the government helps to breed, would eventually be translated into hatred. Such hatred is oftentimes not directed to their status, such hatred is usually directed to other people, to the rich people, the so called executives, such fears is also directed to the government. Who knows that the child you ignored this morning could kill you in the future. Thus, such program of the government is not really a program but a mere scapegoat. Your inaction is even more worrisome. The cycle of poverty, the presence of these children amidst our street will not end unless you do something about it. You know that you have the potential to help empower this country, why, you always keep on bragging to your peers that you are a graduate of this and this University. You brag about your cars, your luxuries or your chicks, can you not brag that once you were able to help other people? Can you not brag that at a certain time in your life, there was a child whom you could have saved? You can’t. This is because you never did anything. You ignored the presence of these street children as if they did not exist. Yet have you noticed that their numbers keep on increasing, and at a certain point you are already blinded by their presence and then, you can no longer ignore the fact that such problem s amidst our society. God is seen amongst the children, how many times have you ignored God? Why, you’re the one responsible for the failure in our economy and the layoff of many employees. Why, you’re the one responsible for accumulating too much of our country’s wealth either thru legal or illegal means just to get the luxury you want or to educate your sons and daughters to exclusive schools. Can you not also take in the same amount of responsibility with these children since, you know yourself that you can, and you can be blamed responsible for them being there. But circumstances have a way of balancing things, the luxuries you give to your family can be taken when these children, because of your pretended ignorance, would later grow and form their gangs. Time will come that you will weep out of the same anger you have sown to these street children. Now is not yet the harvest time, do you want to be there when such situations will be ripe enough. You also think an election will help these street children. You thought that voting the “right” candidate would eventually rid of your country of poverty. Can you not put it into your educated mind, that politics; this Election never helped and will never help solve any problem. In fact it only breeds such problems. Who know if the rampant kidnapping is an election-related case? Did you not anticipate the fact that the money that would be used in campaigning could have been used in creating livelihoods for the parents of these street children? Why, you are so educated, but you don’t need your math to compute for it. Yes, you are a doctor here in the Philippines. You have cured a lot of patients but most of the patients you just operated so that you could earn more from them. You remove their spleen even it has no damage. You are a lawyer who prolongs your case, you are a graduate of this prestigious University, why, are you taught to cheat people with your articulations and constant stipulations of the Law. Why, you often times manipulate the law even though it is evident that there is no presence of a hole. You are an engineer who gets cheap source of material and construct buildings and roads at a high cost, no wonder why people find it hard to afford their own house. You are a seller in the market place that cheats her customers of the weights of fishes she’s selling. You are a policeman who cannot even police your own wife because you can not even police yourself from avoiding your mistress. You are a congressman that should have been making laws for your people but instead you are like making your own personal diary, using laws as the legal means to preserve your own interest. You are a leftist who keeps on shouting in the streets about equality yet you have been unequal by killing so many people and blaming the military for the damage. You are a teacher who does not attend your own class. You are a student, called to be the hope, but you see yourself drunk the other night. Yes, you are the Filipino people! Look at yourself! Look at the street children… We have a fabricated People Power creating a fabricated President. All things seem fabricated, even our own history. It is like fake diplomas you find in Quiapo, the saddest part is that you can no longer distinguish what is right from what is wrong in this country. « return.