Today, my generosity for people in the state of begging depends on my mood, my capacity to offer something, and what they look like. Sometimes, I don’t feel like giving because the beggar doesn’t look like someone who is in real need. Often times, they don’t look helpless at all. They look like opportunists lurking around people who have something to spare.
Parasites
When I was in high school, there was this beggar at a short tunnel pass just a few steps outside the school’s main gates. I normally use that bypass because it’s obviously convenient.
This beggar was always sitting at either end of the tunnel. He’s very old looking, probably in his 70’s. When you don’t give him coins, he’ll yell at you and sometimes run after you. If you give him food, he’ll do the same. Sometimes, he’d curse at you. As a kid, it gets frightening not to lend at least some coins. But when you do, you’ll get to see where your money goes after some time.
This beggar uses his collected money to buy cigarettes. In the Philippines, there’s a term called “tingi”. It means you can buy almost anything in small quantities. So the beggar doesn’t need to buy the entire pack, he just needs to collect 5 Pesos, and he can already buy at least two sticks at that time. So if you ask me, just give them food or none at all.
Begging for a job or “begging” as a job
And besides, today’s beggars aren’t jobless. Because begging has become their jobs. And it’s no joke. There was an interview on TV once, in which begging has become someone’s everyday source of income. The lady isn’t even homeless, she travels to the city everyday just to beg on crowded streets. It doesn’t make sense to me at all. I mean if you’re able to do that, why can’t you just find a more decent pink or blue-collar job? They can be more useful if they become someone else’s gardener or helper. Now that’s a real income-paying job.
I think it made more sense if they were begging because they were forced to do it by syndicates. But it’s definitely a bad situation to be in, and I had hope it wasn’t the case for most beggars on the streets. But when you go to popular places for beggars and street children like España blvd., EDSA-Guadalupe, near MRT and LRT stations, Quiapo, Recto, and Rizal Avenue, just to name a few, you’ll feel like you’re walking along a bandit’s den. If begging doesn’t work, they’ll force it out of you, whether you’re in a car or on foot.
Begging Antics
Have you ever noticed mother-like beggars carrying their kids around as they beg for money? They knock on your car windows, show their unimaginable condition, and ask for some coins.
When you see the kid’s condition, you’d normally feel guilt if you won’t be able to offer any help. So you’ll reach for your pocket and give it to them. But how do you think could that help their poor condition? Maybe you need to give more so it actually helps them out of poverty, but you know you can only do so much so you give a few coins to help yourself out of guilt.
Even if it was real, I’m sure it’s not what they need. They don’t need pity. They need self-sufficiency! Can you give them that? I know I can’t, for now. So I can only give them food if they look hungry or if they ask for food, but not money. I know it goes to waste or to someone else’s pocket.
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
Chinese Proverb? Maimonides? Lao-Tzu? Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie? Italian Adage? Native American Saying? Mao Zedong? Whoever wrote or said this is a legend! I could care leas of who he is but his work is a masterpiece.
So what do they need?
I said it, self-sufficiency. They need knowledge on how to get out of their dire condition. They need education and an opportunity to jumpstart that vision.
How do we give them that? Directly? Maybe indirectly through a government agency or NGO who supports social welfare. Something of this scale requires a more organized effort than an individual approach to try and help one by simply donating food or coins. Or maybe you can organize one yourself.
According to DSWD, giving alms to poor is a violation of the law. Instead, one can organize gift-giving, fund-raising events, caroling activities, feeding sessions, and so on… [Manila Bulletin Article: DSWD warns against giving alms to beggars, street children]
Concerned citizens may report through the Twitter account, @savestreetkids, and indicate the exact location and other pertinent information about the sighting.
Manila Bulletin — same article as above citation
However, I wished there was something more useful in which NGOs or these government agencies can help explore the strengths of these people and train them. I think there are some existing programs, but like me, I don’t know how to explore them out there. Like, how am I supposed to reach out to DSWD to inform them that there’s a group of beggars in an area and I think they have a future in painting so maybe the government can help them use their skills to properly earn a living? I don’t know. Do you? Then let me know in the comments.
In My Opinion 