I found this video a while back, it shows the poverty in the Philippines that some living in Cebu most cope with. It is gut wrenching to watch but it shows just how bad things can get. It also shows just how hard Filipino are willing to work.
Poverty In The Philippines
It shows many things, such as how much help is needed here. The hardest part of this video is the
Children living in Garbage Dumps in the Philippines
mentioning of the little boy that died that day when he was run over by one of the large trucks that service the garbage dump in Cebu. The video reports that 40 children were killed in such accidents in a year.
When I first moved here, the depth of poverty was hard for me to accept. The lack of apparent help is also hard to understand. Where is the church? Maybe they are active in helping and I just can’t see it. I don’t know. Some few might choose to live this way but I don’t think most do. That’s the argument many use for the street people in the USA too. And there it is sometimes true. Or is it they prefer to live this way compared to the alternatives. I think that is more likely an accurate answer. I don’t see other alternatives here though.
Me, I think begging would be a better answer than living in these kinds of conditions.
Poverty In The Philippines Treated As A Nuisance By Some
I’ve read stories of expats begging in the streets as well. They come from other expats. Mostly from those that are complaining about it while they visit Angeles City or Manila. I don’t get the impression there are a lot of expats resorting to this. Rather, I think, they tend to stand out.
I read of one such expat that came here with money. Invested it all in a business with his wife. The wife found a Filipino boyfriend to support and ended up with his business and money. They say the guy is constantly asking where he might find work teaching English. I know of one expat that did get a job teaching English. I’ve lost touch with him, I wish I knew how that turned out.
Smokey mountain of Cebu
When Jessie saw this video, she called it the “smokey mountain.” I asked her why she called it that and she explained “that is what we call it.” She went on to explain that she didn’t know if that is a common phrase but that the people she knew called the garbage dumps that.
It should be noted that the narrator in the video is pronouncing Cebu incorrectly. He says it the way I use to say it. Something like “Seeboo” but “Saboo” is closer to correct.
While I have become accustomed to the low income that many Filipino endure, this film and others like it are hard to stomach. I found another one video as I was writing this article. It is even more disturbing. I will try to post it soon.
When I first moved here, I saw the poverty in the Philippines and it caused some fear. Where I’m from, a poverty stricken area also means a high rate of crime. However, I learned that poverty in the Philippines doesn’t not always equate to high rate of crime in that area.
Tagged with: Expats • Filipino • Philippines • Poverty in The Philippines • Video
Filed under: Filipino Culture • Living In The Philippines • Philippine Health • Poverty In The Philippines • Video Of The Philippines
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Hi Rusty: This is indeed a gut-wrenching scenario. One cannot begin where to start. This poverty scenario begins with the lack of birth control education and the opposition of the Church for its implementation. Another is the lack of motivation for some people to improve themselves. For example, my mother sent some of her poor relations to college to learn some trade or skill so that they can be gainfully employed. (We, her children, contributed to her endeavors as well as well.) Many returned home to their parents’ farms and failed dismally in school. If their parents die, who will take care of them? These young people love to text, go to the mall, socialize, use computers from friends or wherever they can get access to them. The reality of homelessness doesn’t seem to matter. For the young girls, they hope to get a retired foreigner to support them.
As for me, when I visit, I will reward the young family member who needs financial help who is helping herself or himself. During my last visit in the Philippines, I observed a young cousin (newly graduated nurse) who was volunteering for the local Barangay clinic and was working very hard. She also worked for her family’s restaurant and saving money for her exam to qualify for an offshore nursing job. The exam costs 5,000 pesos plus expenses to Cebu City and review books. The family simply could not afford it. I gave her the funds. I will begin charity at the home front, but the recipient must be worthy as I do not pick up money from the streets in the U.S. I could be a candidate for homelessness if I fail as well.
Being retired, I can help even less.
I have so many request for help.
I put myself through college, with the help of grants. The grants certainly didn’t cover it all. I guess someone that pays for it is already showing motivation.
I guess though, grants and loans are not possible here. Perhaps a few scholarships but student loans? Never thought about that but I’d be surprised if that is an option.
The $200 or so that I often see for a semester of college is out of reach for most.
I see people paying large sums of money to get a job, often working six months or so to pay it off and get anything they earn. That’s very common here. I know people that have done that. I talked with a cab driver about it not long ago.
There will be another similar article and video tomorrow.
It’s definitely a hard life there and extremely hard to not find fault when you kids in such conditions. Coming from our foreign countries it’s easy to see solutions from the different ways that we do things. But it is a totally different system over there and they just don’t have the resources that we have. One thing I do envy about the Filipino people in general is that they are very family/community oriented and take care of each other. Mostly I would say this was enforced by the survival needs but it seems to go a bit further than that and it’s something that I find my country lacks. I could see living there being emotionally hard on foreigners who want to help. I think that I would have a strong desire to even thou I do not do much of that now.
Even five peso to a kid on the street is something.
Might do more for the gesture than the money will help.
The church has the funds. Other entities do as well. Making sure it actually got to the people that need it seem to be where the problem lies.
I suggest a chicken meal to a family on the street. I know someone that use to carry crackers with them and hand that out. Giving food is probably a better option, direct to the person asking for it.
I was in Cebu over the Christmas holidays. So, being a fat, gray haired, white dude, you know I had a Santa hat. I was giving out chocolates and coins to the kids all week.
Five pesos huh? I did not realize how much I was giving away I guess. I was giving 10-20 pesos all the time. No wonder I had such a fan base after the first couple of days.
Seriously though when I was saying my goodbyes I had a couple of the parents really thanking me for the help, and the kids were just so sweet.
I live in Texas and keep telling my friends that most of the American poor have no idea what poor really is.
Hey, you were not giving too much.
When I wrote that story I was barely making ends meet and I still run out of money most months with way to small of savings. 
I couldn’t travel or go any place. But I was saying even 5 pesos will make the kids happy.
I also have to say, the longer I live here the older the constant tugging on me for money gets old. It is harder now for me to remain cheerful about it but I really should. Like you said to see what poor is.
In Cebu City, I would be less likely to do it though. If you give one child money or one adult, you will likely get swarmed. Then P20 will become a big issue besides you shouldn’t take your wallet out that often.
They are happy with coins. And I need to do better than I have been doing.
Big Money Bruce: Philippines is a young country and still a third world nation. First world countries (very ancient compared to the Philippines) have gone through similar poverty situations. However, communication is so much more immediate (such as the internet) that we see what other periods in time have not seen before. Regarding family closeness in the Philippines, you can have family members turning against you, especially when money comes into the picture (just like any other foreign countries). One has to be careful in helping out. Helping to me means giving another person a tool to help oneself, but not breed dependency.
Great comments Roselyn there are many people all around the world who just do the bare minimum to get by and leech of others. I think it’s really great that you can and do help those in your family who show that they have the drive to be successful in life. A lot of the time the lack of knowledge can make things seems impossible and encouragement and advice can go a long way. I am sure you work very hard for your money as I do and appreciate all the luck and fortune that you have as I do. I earned my money the hard way and I want to be able to enjoy it and not squander it on those who do not deserve it. If I can invest some of it in people who are going to better themselves then it is worth it. I definitely think I would have been ill prepared for what it’s actually like over thee in PI without the incite of Rusty and the contributors here.
I’m going to be adding a section to my ebook about the Filipina and her needs and expectations regarding her family.
I’ve watched a lot of expats deal with this issue. I’ve seen a lot of of relationships fall apart because of this. The expat needs to be aware of this issue and understand it is part of the culture and he needs to talk to his girl about just how far he is willing to go.
most have a real problem with in-laws showing up at all times.
Hi Rusty: Just to add to your comments. In-laws may show up at all times, but they might intend to stay. Most do stay and it is very hard to shoo them away. Do include this in your book as I have seen an Expat with about 20 people in his household. Most of the people were walk-in relatives to stay. I don’t know if he handled it well. He seemed to be alone in a crowded room.
Yes, staying could be a real problem, moving in that is.
I like mine though I’ve not been able to spend much time with them.
You know that old Mark Twain quote comes to mind. I’ll paraphrase since I don’t know it off the top of my head “Fish and guest start to stink in three days.”
Hello, I am a nursing student and our group would like to conduct a research about the health practice of homeless families here in Cebu. We are looking for places here in Cebu where the population of homeless families are high. Do you know where the right places to look for? I would really appreciate your help. Thank you very much.
Colon Street.
Cebu View Hotel area.
Walk down Osemena Blvd at night. Easy to find.
Just watched the video. I’m also living in a poor country where a scene in which heavily poor people are scavenging the garbage for food is not a rarity.
But the professor in the video has put me to great shame. What he is doing, and what I’m doing? What actually drives this professor to mingle with these scavengers? Jesus or pure humanity?
It is probably related to his work as a professor? Is he a sociologist? Perhaps he also just cares.
There is a related article on this site about this Going Green Puts Scavengers Out of Work
This brings tears to my eyes and a big lump to my throat.
It’s humbling. And I thought I was having a hard time financially.
Thanks to Roselyn for her comments too.
i’m a canadian, 54 years old..have a philippine common-law wife of 2 years..who, when we met, came from extream poverty, lived it all her life, met a philippino man at 16, had 3 children, and they continued with poverty throughout their lives, untill i came along. herself and her children never saw a birthday cake in their lives…heard about it, but never experienced it. the children were sent to live with their fathers relations in tumana, metro manila super-slums.when i met melodina, she was 28..her daughter, the oldest, was 10 years, her 2 boys, 8 and 6.in what i have seen of their lives in the slums, i was surprised they were still alive. i was there, where they lived, where the children grew up. until i came along.i told meloina when we met, i would send her a b.day cake….she had no idea how i could send it 11000 miles in just 2 days….i asked her then, how much it would take a month for her to live alone with her children and she said 10k a month..10,000.00 pesos..not dollars. so i sent her her b.day cake..$250.00 canadian dollars..10,100.00 pesos at the time.1 and 1/2 days wages for me…it was 5 times more than she ever had in her life…and her first b.day cake ever. its something we as north americans take for granted..but its a dream in the philippines. i have seen the real poverty in the philippines..it did something to me i can’t explain, except drop me to my knees in shame. POVERTY…is a huge world INDUSTRY.it makes the GOVERNMENTS of countries rich, by taking the financial aid from the relief programs, to be able to enter that country to assist the financial aid. look what happened to ” BAND AID” in Africa…they landed on the tarmac and were ROBBED by the African Government of 70% of the aid procceeds.and it filtered down from there…a waste of time…you can THINK what you will…but poverty is INDUSTRY….the sickest, most discusting, and perverse form of GOVERNMENTAL CONTROL…letting it continue for the pleasues of GOVERNMENTAL RULERS, fat in their worlds, choking on GENESIDE. if the philippines want to become a second or first world country…they must abolish the POLITICAL FAMILY DYNASTIES, that rule. perhaps then, they can get their noses out of the ASSHOLE of the U.S.A. and breath some fresh air.take 50 pesos per week from every philippine worker,in foriegn lands, or home, and poverty in the philippines will be relieved.just 50 pesos…and a real government.