Many of you may have seen tonights ITV News investigation into the Child Prisoners of Pasay City, funnily enough I had just come down from the shower, when I saw the familiar shanti town around the lake that we all pass when we head down to Makati from NAIA, I thought to myself "I know where that is, its Manila !!!" and true enough, the report was at the back end, but they mentioned an investigation into Child Prisoners, over 20,000 child prisoners are thought to exist in Manila, of course these are conservative estimates.
It was of course a little shock to see Pasay City beaming into my front room, instead of passing through it in an airport taxi, ITV Investigators have gone undercover and filmed the children on Smokey mountain, anyone who knows Smokey, knows its a garbage dump the size of 4 football fields, where children scavenge daily for things to sell.
The ITV Reporter finally made an appointment with the Philippine Embassy in London, with the Charge de Affairs, she agreed initially to the appointment, but later declined when she was told what was in the tape.
She said "I will pass the tape on to the appropriate authorities in Manila" no surprises there of course, there is a further report tomorrow night 9th August on ITV most regions at 10.30pm, into th street children of Manila.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Children is threatening to send envoys to Manila to monitor the situation, however the Philippines is not the only country criticized in this matter, there at least 15 others with similar records on children, which range from imprisonment, child prostitutution, slavery, abuse, sexual abuse, and others.
Perhaps members can watch and give their opinions.
