Chapter 3: In Between
Studies have shown that the poor are not poor because of choice. They are poor largely because of the failure of the society to prioritize the poor. Majority of us already has a head start. Good for us. But pervading issues like employment, education, health care, housing and income are still HUGE BARRIERS for the marginalized. And the poor Filipinos deal with these challenges on a daily basis. DAILY.
Piniling tumambay, naglaro, bumarkada—not all chose to do this. Some tried to stay at school, for the promise of a better life. Some broke backs to put that food on the table;
To send their kids to school;
To bring their sick family to the hospital;
To buy that prized fake rubber shoes;
And yes, to sometimes eat chickenjoy at Jollibee too.
It's not fair to say that the poor aren't holding up their end of the rope. Most work full time on daily, minimum wages or even less. MINIMUM WAGES OR LESS. Thus a lot of them fail. And it is too sad if we just dismiss this as laziness. In doing so, we ignore those root causes shaped by our history and society—causes that are beyond the control of the poor Filipino. And the present conditions have made it even harder for the poor to get by.
I understand the sentiments of the middle class. You started poor. But you persisted. You went to school albeit fund was scarce. You worked hard and you worked your way up. You sacrificed a lot of things just to get there, kung saan nakakaluwag-luwag ka na. Kayang-kaya nang kumain tatlong beses isang araw, madalas higit pa. Kayang-kaya nang magpaaral. Kayang-kaya mag-avail ng health insurance. Kayang-kaya nang bumili ng orig na damit at sapatos. Kayang-kaya na mag-Jollibee, kahit buong barkada pa.
But please do not fail to remember that on your journey up, someone or something helped you. And you could be that someone to the poor now. The government and its elected officials have the power to uplift the poor now. In the long term, the government could examine national policy choices so the circumstances won't lead further to an unequal economy. The government could make the poor's lives less tougher. Bakit parating sa gobyerno ang responsibilidad? Because that is the sworn responsibility of the government to its people.
For today though, less blaming and more compassion could give them the dignity and respect they rightfully deserve. If we so decide to do all these, may magbabago ba sa buhay ng kawawang mahirap na Pilipino? Oo, meron. THE POOR COULD BE GIVEN A CHOICE. A fighting chance. Finally.
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