SYNDICATEDbeggars
By ingrid
@ridingbet (66854)
Philippines
September 8, 2018 11:44pm CST
Good Sunday high noon to us all, from this side of the world. Sunday is a family day and rest day as well, and I and my sister attended the 9:30 AM mass at the cathedral.
We arrived during the closing prayers of the 8:30 AM mass so we were able to listen to some reminders of the parish, by a minister, and one particular reminder is to ignore beggars who roam inside the church while the mass is going on, because these beggars are confirmed to be members of a syndicate, and they are usually transported every morning by a big truck.
Many times we see beggars inside the church, and we know they are not from our place because they speak a different dialect, and they are not Christians.
We finished the 9:30 AM mass and again, the reminders were read by a minister of the church. So when we went to a drug store (Mercury Drug) because my sister will buy her maintenance medication, I noticed 2 women-beggars and one small child seated along the pavement of the drug store. One woman was wearing a GOLD-PLATED wristwatch while arranging the money in her sling bag. She purposefully hid her watch after checking the time, and I was seeing that from inside the pharmacy. I even commented to the security guard about the woman-beggar hiding her watch.
When we went out of the drug store, this woman-beggar looked at me,’sorrowfully’, and showed me a laminated piece of paper. That is a ‘letter for alms’. I and my sister told her why does she have to beg when she has a watch hidden inside her long-sleeved shirt.
I really wonder why there are people who are under the influence of syndicates, and they just agree on anything they are told to do. Also, why are there beggars when they can do some community work like sweeping the roads? They are not disabled- maybe they are just lazy to work.
Just my thoughts!
9 people like this
9 responses
@rakski (125769)
• Philippines
9 Sep 18
Oh there were many of them. Not only now but way back in my college days when I used to commute the LRT (Light Rail Train). As I always go out early, I discovered also that these elders went down from a van and take their position. They were newly bathed and all. And when they took their places, they acted like really needed money.
3 people like this
@cacay1 (83577)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
9 Sep 18
@rakski ,in CDO there are many styles in begging. Others pray for the passengers and later turn out to be begging for some peso, not cents so terrible. Others enter the utility vehicle and distribute a short envelope with words of worship and mercy,LOL. very tricky but they cannot anymore trick people of their styles of begging.
2 people like this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
9 Sep 18
is it because money is really hard to find? or is it because these people are lazy to look for jobs? we do not know what their reasons may be but i think they have both reasons. 
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
9 Sep 18
@cacay1 really? here, even this early, many women from another town sings Christmas songs in our gate and when we ask them they give us envelops. when asked for what is the envelop, they say it is for their chapel. when i ask what is their religious affiliation, it is not the same as ours. it is their MO to get alms, or to beg.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
9 Sep 18
yes that is so sad because now that Christmas season is approaching, the beggars are so hyperactive again. i also see familiar faces coming to our house but we don't always give them. when they show us envelops, we ask them if the letter is approved by a certain government agency here. (SEC or Securities and Exchange Commission).
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
13 Sep 18
I also have that dilemma about that as well. I would like to give alms to help them but then you realize that the money they collected do not go to them but a part of it goes to the syndicates. They are just provided shelter and perhaps food for them to stay alive and strong for the next day begging.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
14 Sep 18
@ridingbet That is really bad that they capitalized on their babies to beg for money. I also see them on my way to work before. They would usually jump on jeepney and ask for money.
1 person likes this
@rsa101 (38166)
• Philippines
14 Sep 18
@ridingbet Oh maybe that is the reason why there is less of them on the streets I pass by lately. I usually see them grow when Xmas is nearer though. So I am expecting they would grow in numbers as days pass by.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
14 Sep 18
@rsa101 i watched the news about 3 night ago that the traffic enforcers arrested a group of young people who hang on to jeepneys and beg and one woman did not give, and she was struck by a female young beggar.
1 person likes this
@Shavkat (140102)
• Philippines
10 Sep 18
@ridingbet As far as I could remember, a few kiddies do that here. I am sure that we were active more before than now.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
13 Sep 18
@Shavkat when September came, so did the carolers and proliferation of beggars as well
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
9 Sep 18
really? how about those who sing Christmas songs in your houses, kabsat? that is a subtle form of begging.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
9 Sep 18
i agree with you. there are some able-bodied 'beggars' at the gate of the cathedral. they are not disabled and they ask money from church-goers. i do not give, because we are only feeding their laziness.
@Kasjnak (4489)
• Romania
9 Sep 18
Indeed, there are many beggars that do that and many of them could do some work, no problem. I remember a case here, in Romania. There was a couple of beggars, both in their 60's, that went to "work" every day and they always took a taxy. And they lived in a hotel... Apparently, they managed to get around 2500$ every month and all this came to light after a reporter followed them.
3 people like this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
9 Sep 18
that is worse. imagine living in a hotel room? the couple is so lazy. good thing their modus operandi was revealed by that reporter
@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
10 Sep 18
There are many beggars nowadays especially with the Christmas season just around the corner.
1 person likes this
@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
14 Sep 18
@ridingbet saw a couple of them near my office. If it was up to me, I'll pick them up all and throw them in jail.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
14 Sep 18
@allen0187 these couples really use any means to get money from others. some beggars here are from a nearby town and when asked why they don't beg in their own hometown, they say it is prohibited there.
what? so they go to our town because people here are lenient?
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
13 Sep 18
yes, when September comes, so will the beggars grow.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
10 Sep 18
it is saddening to know those who are really unable to provide themselves with food and home, are stripped off by the syndicated beggars. i read some FB posts about a woman who begs but has a car, a man who prefers to beg and does not work, and many more.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
13 Sep 18
@Courage7 isn't it these people should be arrested?
1 person likes this
@Courage7 (19633)
• United States
10 Sep 18
@ridingbet Yes it is most despicable as they are robbing from the needy.
1 person likes this
@freelancermariagrace (28588)
• Philippines
9 Sep 18
They are everywhere and they are usually part of the syndicate.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
10 Sep 18
indeed, and i do not know how the president of our country can address this problem of our nation.
