Are you curious about those people who are in the streets begging in the Philippines?
First, what I am about to say will hold true for ANY country. In my opinion, begging creates a self-perpetuating cycle that gets passed onto the next generation with not much of a sign as to how this will or can change for the generations to come. Like any trade that is found to be profitable within any country, if it didn’t offer something the locals wouldn’t be doing it. I did not believe this when I first arrived in the Philippines.
Let me tell you a little story about…
My Philanthropy in the Philippines
I met a street girl in Ermita just after I arrived in the country, about 14 years ago. She and her boyfriend were sleeping on a cardboard box. Periodically over the years, I would see her hustling for change while her boyfriend was always stretched out on the cardboard.
I made a conscious decision at some point in time to help just one person and see if I could make a difference in their lives even if it wasn’t a huge change. Every time I saw Edna, I gave her some money. I asked about her life and how she was doing. I asked if her boyfriend had found a job, etc. Well, they had a baby, then two, then three and I am not so sure how many more as they never stayed in the same place for very long.
Maybe five years ago she asked for some seed money to buy cigarettes and candy for resale. This is really common on the streets, and I would much rather see somebody trying to sell something, helping themselves, than begging. So I gave her 1,000 pesos and, mind you, that’s a lot of cigarettes when they sell for 20 pesos a pack! I only saw that cigarette stand once and the boyfriend was running it. The next time I saw her she was begging, no cigarettes and the boyfriend was again lying on the cardboard. He had worked it just long enough to suck the money out. That Christmas, feeling sorry for the kids, I gathered from all my friends a big bag of clothes for the family and presented it to them on Christmas Day. Never saw those clothes again.
Begging In The Philippines as a Profession
By now my Tagalog was conversational enough, I was well known on the streets, and started asking around. What I found out took the wind out of my philanthropic sails. It seems they, like many on the streets, are professional panhandlers in the sense that they have figured out a way to make begging a professional skill. Sleeping in their homes in Tondo, awakening in the morning, donning their “mahirap” or poor clothes like a uniform, and commuting to the tourist zones for a day’s work in their chosen profession of asking people for money. It sounds crazy to imagine but this is actually quite a common occurrence here in the Philippines and is often how many families survive on a regular basis here on the islands.
My Advice if You Want to Help
A friend of mine once said, “You could drive down these streets with a dump truck full of Pesos and shovel them out as you go. The next day you would see no visible change.”
Concentrate your resources. Choose someone that wants to get out of the cycle, has a chance and has already proven themself to be the change they want. They will have finished High School, want to go further but lack the funds to pay for the education and support themselves while they study.
Just as an example. A four-year nursing degree at a top school will run about P1.5M/$37k including living expenses and they will have the keys to the kingdom when they graduate. Ask me how I know, and as a frugal option, a Caregiver Course is only 10 months and less than P200k/$5k.
Travel Tips for the Philippines on Beggars
If you want to give pesos to panhandlers, please go ahead. If it makes you feel better that you have “helped” someone less fortunate, great. Honestly, though, it makes zero difference, perpetuates the cycle of begging in the Philippines. It marks you as a target. I guarantee if you give a kid a peso you will look like the Pied Piper leading a swarm of the little urchins down the street all pawing at you for THEIR peso.
Help Those Actually Working in the Philippines
As an even cheaper alternative, give money to the people you will see going thru the trash harvesting plastics and metals for the recycled scrap value. At least they are trying! REWARD THOSE WITH THE WILL TO TRY!
A tip to avoid panhandlers & vendors: Walk on the sunny side of the street. I guarantee there will be none. All Filipinos shun the sun and, consequently, there will be substantially less foot traffic walking in the direct sun as well.
No pictures of the begging in the Philippines, sorry, as I do not want to encourage this business and do not encourage anyone to do the same.
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Cheers
Sean
