Last night, i watched a documentary about poverty in a certain remote place here in the Philippines. It featured child labor spurred by precarious life condition the children and their family have. I wasn't really supposed to stay late for that but when i started realizing what it was about, i was tied to the tv.
The setting was in a very rural area in some province in our country, and was a mountainous place. It was muddy, rich with wood trees and grasses, and steep. The children who slog their way to living had to carry some eight-feet-long, 2" by 2" or 2" by 4"-thick-and-wide pieces of wood on their shoulders from the higher part of the mountain, down, through a steep muddy path. During the video, it was rainy. The weight the kids had to carry ranges from fifteen to twenty kilograms, so there's no way for me to avoid empathizing with them for they do not deserve to experience that tough labor on their young ages and very innocent and small bodies. It was as if they were literally and figuratively carrying their own crosses. Some of them got slipped because of the slippery, muddy route they had to pass and because of the heavy weight they were bearing with their petite bodies. Everything was quintessential of what really might happen to poverty-stricken places not just in our country but even the world. Often, families of children like them are financially paralyzed mainly because of the meager supply of ideal jobs on their home place. It's awkward for me to say this but it's true that in some cases, the parents are irresponsible, so the children have nothing to do but play the parents' role themselves, to keep their family together and earn something to provide for their daily needs and their siblings'.
Having in mind, these little kids had to spend much of their time carrying heavy, long pieces of wood down the mountainous way on their poorly nourished, young bodies, they should be paid sufficient amount of money to compensate enough for the harrowing toil they go through. Heart-meltingly, they earn only some P6.00 to P12.00 for that tiring work. Not even enough to buy some rice nor any ideal food to place on their tables. At that part of the report, i suddenly cried. I expected the least payment they would receive was P50.00. But i was surprised to hear they earn only a payment as small as what it takes to buy some bar of laundry soap. Where are the parents of these children? How come they can endure seeing their own children laboring like that? Is deep poverty the answer? Whatever the reason, the kids have to be in the classroom, not under a tough chore.
It served as an eye-opener for me to see what is occurring in impoverished regions in the world we live. I was grateful i realized how much fortunate i still am to have sufficient supply of money to have meals three times a day and spend for some marginal things or foods-something that i, and many other people forget to be thankful for. We should be thankful for all that God has given, whether it be small, unnoticeable gifts or big blessings.
This world needs more compassionate people.
The setting was in a very rural area in some province in our country, and was a mountainous place. It was muddy, rich with wood trees and grasses, and steep. The children who slog their way to living had to carry some eight-feet-long, 2" by 2" or 2" by 4"-thick-and-wide pieces of wood on their shoulders from the higher part of the mountain, down, through a steep muddy path. During the video, it was rainy. The weight the kids had to carry ranges from fifteen to twenty kilograms, so there's no way for me to avoid empathizing with them for they do not deserve to experience that tough labor on their young ages and very innocent and small bodies. It was as if they were literally and figuratively carrying their own crosses. Some of them got slipped because of the slippery, muddy route they had to pass and because of the heavy weight they were bearing with their petite bodies. Everything was quintessential of what really might happen to poverty-stricken places not just in our country but even the world. Often, families of children like them are financially paralyzed mainly because of the meager supply of ideal jobs on their home place. It's awkward for me to say this but it's true that in some cases, the parents are irresponsible, so the children have nothing to do but play the parents' role themselves, to keep their family together and earn something to provide for their daily needs and their siblings'.
Having in mind, these little kids had to spend much of their time carrying heavy, long pieces of wood down the mountainous way on their poorly nourished, young bodies, they should be paid sufficient amount of money to compensate enough for the harrowing toil they go through. Heart-meltingly, they earn only some P6.00 to P12.00 for that tiring work. Not even enough to buy some rice nor any ideal food to place on their tables. At that part of the report, i suddenly cried. I expected the least payment they would receive was P50.00. But i was surprised to hear they earn only a payment as small as what it takes to buy some bar of laundry soap. Where are the parents of these children? How come they can endure seeing their own children laboring like that? Is deep poverty the answer? Whatever the reason, the kids have to be in the classroom, not under a tough chore.
It served as an eye-opener for me to see what is occurring in impoverished regions in the world we live. I was grateful i realized how much fortunate i still am to have sufficient supply of money to have meals three times a day and spend for some marginal things or foods-something that i, and many other people forget to be thankful for. We should be thankful for all that God has given, whether it be small, unnoticeable gifts or big blessings.
This world needs more compassionate people.
5 comments:
Hi. I read your article regarding the batang kalabaw. Thank you for what you have written. We the people of God is Good Mission in Australia have organized a fund raising for these children. We are now in the initial stage of helping them. Yes, we have to thankful to God for all His blessings. God bless you. Rolly Militar
thank you mr. Rolly. my review about the documentary was just inspired by sympathy for the laboring children, i never thought that, in a way, it is inspiring, so thanks a lot.
God bless u...
this is the link to the documentary's article at www.gmanews.tv:
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/79593/Child-Beasts-of-Burden
Hi Rolly,
My heart was broken into pieces watching these young kids go through hard labor to earn few pennies. I thought that I went through a very difficult life growing up and raised by a poor single parent. I just awakened realizing how blessed I am compared to them. I wish to contribute some assistance to these kids so would appreciate how I can do that to ensure that it will actually reach them. Please advise.
Roy
Hi, It captures my attention on batang kalabaw documentary videos from GMA network. I was amazed how the kids fighting for their lives and sad as well on part of Cherelyn, it got my tears down on my eye. We were lucky in this world that we have much better lives than those kids. If I had only lots of money, I will raise a foundation that would help the lives of kids on batang kalabaw or even the poor kids. I was also sad that there's a group of man that uses kids to brought down the lumber in land by paying such an unacceptable payment. Why so many group of people are corrupt and it is the source of this poverty.
Hoping this video will capture those true politician to help the kids inthere lives.
Post a Comment