are you aware that giving alms to street children is breaking the law?
@doc_alma_jones (822)
Philippines
February 17, 2009 10:21am CST
an anti-mendicancy law has been passed in the philippines prohibiting the giving of alms to beggars in the streets. they say that the best way to help the underprivileged is to teach them how to help themselves, not give them money which they may later use to buy rugby (that way, you have actually and legally played the role of "accomplice to crime").
giving charity, they say, should be done responsibly, not simply as a way of relieving guilt or misinformed pity. they say giving alms to street children helps promote and condone child abuse and encourages wayward parents to tell their children to "go beg."
in terms of religion, the church does not approve of blind charity as well. saint vincent de paul said, "indiscriminate giving is a sin."
have you ever given to street children before? will you continue giving despite the law that has been passed against begging? do you think the law is appropriate or not?
feel free to share your views! :)
1 person likes this
4 responses
@KatieDidit (989)
• United States
17 Feb 09
I can't remember if it was against the law when I was there in 1987 or not. I do remember the kids who would beg from us. They'd have a stick of gum to sell us or dixie cups with toothbrushes to shine our shoes. We were concerned that if we gave them money that they might not actually get anything from it. So what we did is we bought them food and watched them eat it so we knew that had a least one good meal that day.
@doc_alma_jones (822)
• Philippines
18 Feb 09
i guess that's better.
it's become so much worse since you were here.
children begging for money are no longer humble kids who want a break at life. they are now young bullies who spit at you if you don't give money, or throw your coins at you if you don't give enough. i saw a child beg for money, then grab a glass of refreshments from the mother's child when she refused to give money.
there are also street children who actually get on the jeepney or bus, then they beg for money there. i was apalled when i saw their peers waiting by the sidewalk, sniffing rugby. no way am i giving money to those kids, they'll probably just use it to buy more rugby. :/
and i can't begin to express the frustration i feel about their parents.
the streets have become more dangerous. begging has become a syndicate kind of thing where a group of beggars are distributed all over the city and they give their earnings to a certain boss.
there are also beggars who are actually lookouts, and they call their friends if they see someone bring out an expensive cellphone.
but i think the most important reason as to why the government implemented the anti-mendicancy law is that more and more children are being sent off to beg instead of to school. and if good (but misinformed) people keep giving alms to them, their parents will keep sending them to beg because, after all, their begging seems to work.
those parents should really be punished. how dare they.
are you planning on visiting the philippines any time soon? =)
@KatieDidit (989)
• United States
18 Feb 09
I'd love to go back and visit the Philippines again. Unfortunately travel just isn't in my budget right now. I am sorry to hear that conditions that encourage begging among kids have gotten so much worse.
I agree that the solution to that problem has to involve the parents. Yet I have some empathy for parents who feel that by sending the kids to beg they are doing what they have to just to survive. That the kids will get handouts especially from tourists whereas the adults would not. Peoples hearts melt at the sight of those kids. I know mine did.
I wish I knew what the answer was. Course if I did then there would be no such thing as poverty and hunger anywhere.
@doc_alma_jones (822)
• Philippines
18 Feb 09
there is no winner in poverty. except perhaps the minority who get most of the money...
@SomeCowgirl (32190)
• United States
17 Feb 09
I am not of Philipino decent. I think that while this might help some, what about the people to whom can not help themselves? Those who because of their homelessness or reasons for begging, their appearance, they are not allowed to work, or can not find a job. For those people who have injuries or are disabled and are not allowed to work?
I'm not saying that the law's wrong, but I'm not saying it's right either.
@doc_alma_jones (822)
• Philippines
17 Feb 09
hi! i believe you've misinterpreted the law, so let me clarify for you. =)
the law prohibits giving money to actual beggars (because you don't know what they'll do with the money), but the anti-mendicancy law doesn't prohibit giving to charities and insitutions that help provide homes and food and medications for the underprivileged, as they will surely use the money to buy food & clothing and provide shelter.
i hope this has helped clarify the anti-mendicancy law. =) what do you think of it?
@tigerdragon (4297)
• Philippines
15 May 09
even if it wasn't a law, my common sense would tell me that i should not. it is not because i don't want to give out a helping hand but it is more of the fact that i am tolerating their misguided ways of earning money. once someone gives alms to beggars, they would think that it is right and easy to make money this way. Yes, another reason is using the money for their vices. true, the church does not tolerate this.
@emilytd18 (114)
• Philippines
14 Dec 11
There are a lot of street children just outside the campus of our university. And I always see them everyday running after my fellow students and even me just to ask for alms. Actually, I do pity them, but I just don't give them even a single penny (if I have a snack in my hand that's what I give, just thought that it's better than giving money) because they are not supposed to be on the streets but be at school and study. I just can't understand why there are parents who can stand their child standing in the middle of the street everyday, rain or shine, just to beg for a penny from other people. I have even seen a baby who was being carried by a boy who must be 5 or 6 years old only and running after vehicles to ask for alms. I think if those children's parents are just responsible enough despite of their condition, they would do just fine in our society.
