Quote Originally Posted by Gavanddal View Post
Talking of begging..... What do forum members think of beggars in the Philippines?
When I'm with the wife and her family and we're approached by beggars, usually kids or old women, the wife may give them a few coins but seems to give them the cold shoulder perhaps cos she can see them targetting me as a "rich" (I wish) Westerner.
Last year a kid came up to me with his hand out and all I had on me was a tissue, a pack of Polo mints and a wallet full of 1000 Peso notes. So there I am on holiday and it's hard to get money out of the bank in the provinces so I'm not going to give away P1000 to anyone who asks so I offer him the mints or the tissue. He couldn't have been that hungry cos he refused the mints I reckon most beggars aren't genuinely hungry they're just too lazy to work.
Anyway, I accept that there are a lot of very poor people in the RP but should we just hand out cash to everyone who hassles us while we're there?

Thoughts anyone?
My country is devastated of corruption and corruption and corruption. Our economy is being saved thanks to all the remittance that comes from the OFW and Filipinos all over the world.
Our welfare is non existent! You will see everywhere children begging on the streets, most are victims of poverty and violence you could ever imagine, cardboard house built on the streets, under the bridge or in any place.

Youth that are being involved in drugs are everywhere. Old people being left to die because poor families can't afford medication or hospitalization. You are lucky if you have a job and being paid miserably, because that means you can bring food to your family and help yourself as well not to get mad in this unbearable poverty. Not a merry scene to witness...and who is to blame?
We have rich people also, who you will see with their 'tata' in their uniform while tailing them and their child when they are out shopping. Rich people who shop and eat in expensive restaurant unperturbed of the poverty that surrounds them. As being their slaves, you have to obey from your masters 'utos' if you don't want to be fired, there will be hundreds of people who would fill your job right away . These are the new rich people, as if they are waiving to everyone their status symbol. (where did we inherited this kind of treatment to our own people?).
I am not blaming anyone...but as you look to Filipino's they seemed not to be bothered by this. They will be 'bahala na ang diyos' or 'basta makakaraos din', there is no ambition or will to change the course of their lives with their own effort.
There are many things that I don't like by the ways we Filipino's have been taught and brought up and this is one of those.
Those who got out from poverty had already forgot what it is like to be there. The Filipino way of surviving for their own sake first. There is no sense of community, of belonging to the same country.

However, It's been a long time that this thing has been hanging around at the back of my mind, to build a charity organization to help filipino children. If there is anyone out there who are willing to discuss it with me, feel free to send me a message or post it here, if Admin would approved.

We could start a new thread to discuss these things if you like Gavanddal.