Poverty In The Philippines (How Does It Affect Us?)

[Kuya John]

My sister in law working as a teacher in Mindanao opened her heart to me a few years back about the plight of some of the children attending the school. Quite often she would dip into her purse for a few peso's when she could see a child/children without food.

Some of those children had walk quite far to school without shoes in some cases and their day would start about 5 am and they would arrive home between 5-6 pm. I realised a long time ago that I can't feed the world, but we give what we can to family and they in turn share their blessing's.

So glad this thread has once again highlighted the needs and I end with this quote that my dear late friend Frank (Mentor) would quote to me as a younger man starting out in life and a little frustrated.

" I use to complain I had no shoes, till I met a man who had no feet"

[expatuk2014]

Poverty and the Philippines.

 

yesterday is a good example !

my wife was out sweeping the road outside our main gate as she does every morning ( so she can chat with the neighbours )

and one of the local guys came up to my wife asking if we would like him to dig up the earth behind our sea wall as he needed money to buy rice

 

and there was a lot of earth that he could dig up for us and put into sacks and then carry it up the ladder and pour into our garden !

this has been a yearly thing for us and the neighbours he said the neighbours paid him 300php a day, from 7am until 5pm.

the wife agreed .

I had not really taken any notice before as I leave all that kind of thing to the wife ! because  as soon as " the Whitey guy" appears the price goes up !!

not this guy however as the wife said that he was actually ASHAMED at having to more or less beg for work ! so me being me I told the wife to pay him the 300 and we will pay for his lunch and his meriandas as well.

As others have said in other replies about school children , my Sister in law is a college Professor and she often buys books and pens for her students

and on several occasions even food and shoes !!

 

And there are several beggers near and outside the local Robinsons Mall and of course the hands fly out when they see me walking towards them !

I just point to the wife !

Filipinos amaze me you can drive almost anywhere and see poverty, and Yet all the Malls are doing well !

 

And on a final not we have a student from the Sister in laws college staying with us in our Bayo Kubo.

who is on some kind of grant, and as soon as she gets the monthly grant paid she pays us for the rent, and then she travels to her home to give her mother money ! 

[Mike In Canada]

I just came back from 5 weeks in Ilocos Sur. My wife and I went to a school with a local friend on our wedding anniversary and our friends Birthday to the poorest school in the city. The school went up to grade 6 had 7 classrooms and only 3 teachers. We showed up with an egg sandwich, drink and snack as well as paper pencils, crayons, erasers, pencil sharpeners for all 80 students in the school. Not only did we feel great for doing this but this made there day, and believe me these kids were very poor. The following week I decided I would do the same for my 2 neffews pre schools so off I went with my wife and purchased all the school supplies as well as merianda for the student. For us it was our good deed on our trip and was very appreciated by all 3 schools.

[Kiwi-Alan]

When I was in Cebu a few years ago I saw the Govt was trying to pass a bill to supply birth control, as to try and break the cycle of to large a families. Wow guess who put enough pressure on to stop the bill going through. But the same org does not do enough with its money to support those people it controls in many ways.

[Jack Peterson]

But the same org does not do enough with its money to support those people it controls in many ways.

 Ain't that the Truth Alan

[chris49]

When I was in Cebu a few years ago I saw the Govt was trying to pass a bill to supply birth control, as to try and break the cycle of to large a families. Wow guess who put enough pressure on to stop the bill going through. But the same org does not do enough with its money to support those people it controls in many ways.

 

You are out dated there Alan. The Reproductive Health Bill has been in effect since 2012. Recently in 2016 the funding for free birth control was slashed by congress. Gina got her Depo Vera injection today because they still have stocks, after that runs out we will buy it.

[Jack Peterson]

:89:  Wasn't Quite sure where to park this but as I am Living here in the PI I chose here.

We send Funnies all the time on Forums about many things and One I remember is the one about What our Money can't buy ( you know Love and all that)

Well most of have some sort of Income and to the Locals we are Rich, so we can, according to them, Buy anything we want. Even the Poorest of us are Rich by Comparison  :whistling: As Foreigners in the Main (There a few exceptions as we know from reports every now and then or Scam starts) We mostly, have some income. 

 

Try Explaining this to a Local, I did once and Got a fairly good Round of Applause.

The One thing we Can NOT buy is * POVERTY*  Sometimes we just have to Sit and Think how Lucky we are  :thumbs-up-smile:

 

Jack  :)

Morning All  :morning1:

[Dave Hounddriver]

The One thing we Can NOT buy is * POVERTY*

 

In theory, I agree with you, and yet Yvonne tries very hard to buy my way into poverty.  It can get frustrating at times  :1 (103):

[Jack Peterson]

 

The One thing we Can NOT buy is * POVERTY*

 

In theory, I agree with you, and yet Yvonne tries very hard to buy my way into poverty.  It can get frustrating at times  :1 (103):

 

  :hystery:

[Kiwi-Alan]

 

When I was in Cebu a few years ago I saw the Govt was trying to pass a bill to supply birth control, as to try and break the cycle of to large a families. Wow guess who put enough pressure on to stop the bill going through. But the same org does not do enough with its money to support those people it controls in many ways.

 

You are out dated there Alan. The Reproductive Health Bill has been in effect since 2012. Recently in 2016 the funding for free birth control was slashed by congress. Gina got her Depo Vera injection today because they still have stocks, after that runs out we will buy it.

 

 

Its good to see it finally got passed, but now sad to see the funding slashed.