An inescapable nightmare

when will this end?

Tonight, NHK featured a special documentary about the life of a Filipino girl, who at a young age of 12, was heavily laden with domestic responsibilities of caring and providing food for her sick mother Nora and two younger brothers, Ambo and Armando. The dramatic story started with Manika rushing to the mountain of garbage to scavenge, battle and squabble with older and stronger men and women, exerting all the energy she has left of her frail arms and tiny frame. She had to be tough and clever or else, their daily meal of porridge and salt will be reduced to a glass of water. The Japanese host shed a bucketful of tears when Manika, in spite of her being buried in a dismal situation, showed too much longing to be in school, reading refuse english books during her self-declared break from scavenging or before sleeping when her body almost gave up from hauling ten kilos of junk.

It was a truly heartbreaking story with all the Japanese audience crying, running out of words to express their disbelief as they watched Nora give away Armando to a neighbor so that the he could be fed everyday. The family lived in a shanty, no toilet, no electricity, no nothing. They were the poorest among the urban poor in Manila. But if there was one thing that I could positively tell about the family, it would be the sparkle in Manika, Ambo and Armando's eyes when they had small, free pleasures like a thought of eating hotdogs or a hug from their mother. They still had hope, love and caring in the middle of the bleak situation.

The documentary was an accurate representation of the current economic and social predicament that the Philippines is in to. The number of poor people swells every year and the price of food and services steadily increase. The rich become richer and the poor are pushed further into the bottom. The government on the other hand, is still plagued with devils and scoundrels who suck the very blood that should have fed and educated our children like Manika, Ambo and Armando. I wonder where these corrupt officials keep their conscience or whether they could sleep peacefully at night.

I am sorry, Manika. I cried when you slept without eating, or when your heavy trade fell from your tired arms. But do not worry for you have nothing to answer to God. Our country was great once but our fathers in the government whom we trusted even before we were born have thrown everything away, failed us and willingly pushed us into the pit of poverty and hardship. They have more to answer to God and to the people. I just hope that the Philippines will see the light again during our lifetime.