At a Glance: Philippines

The big picture

 

I was browsing through UNICEF’s website and spotted this report on the Philippines’ progress in developing its child-welfare program.  I am hoping and praying that there is accuracy in what this article is trying to imply because as it is now, I cannot really see the progress it is referring to. 

Significant progress has been made over the past decade to develop mechanisms to rescue, rehabilitate and reintegrate children in especially difficult circumstances.

Maybe the problem has just been around for decades and has become bigger and bigger as the years went by, thus, the little steps we are now making seem to be, well, what they are – LITTLE.

10 Ways You Can Help Street Children Without Giving Money

10 Ways You Can Help Street Children Without Giving Money

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Just Ranting

I slept at around 2:30 am the other night just imagining myself getting fully involved with organizations to reach out to children in the streets.  Then the next morning, I shared some thoughts and ideas with a few of my friends about this and I got similar responses from all of them.  “Wow!  How noble can you get!”  or “Really?  Nosebleed!” or  something else that goes along those lines.  I can’t blame them for reacting that way because in our society today, being involved in promoting social welfare are only for saints and politicians.  Sure we volunteer for certain organizations here and there but only because we are forced to do so as part of the “vision-mission” of the companies we work for or a club activity in school.  Individually, we are all too busy with our personal lives to even think about the problems of our country, more so, of our world.  It is not a requirement for us to help, that’s a given.  But to think of helping others as a bit “corny” is another thing.  It disappoints me to think that when we try to voice out our concern for others, especially the less fortunate ones, we are tagged as the next Mother Theresa.  This only means that waking up in the morning and wondering what we can do for the society is not part of a regular person’s agenda.  It’s not something we normally do.  Do we have to have an epiphany first before we can do something as simple as giving a few coins to a beggar?  I hope the situation hasn’t reached that point yet, but given the current mindset of a lot of people today, maybe it eventually will.

Arise Generation No Longer Forsaken

Photo by Tacu Bonifacio

It was during Sunday worship when I finally took heed of my calling.  My eyes suddenly welled up in tears when the lyrics of a familiar song struck me and made me realize that it was time for me to respond. 

“Arise generation, NO LONGER FORSAKEN… Arise!  Arise! Arise!”

This particular line opened my eyes to the reality that there is a world out there where a generation of young people and little children are in desperate need of help whether they realize it or not.  The streets are filled with homeless kids and hopeless teenagers just trying to survive this seemingly harsh and cruel world.  As the sound of the music of this song went louder and louder in my ears, faces of children I don’t even know flashed before my eyes.  Right then and there, I accepted my fate.  And the tears began to fall. 

Today marks the beginning of my second life.  I choose the path that will not lead to financial success.  I choose the path that will lead to a life well-lived.  I choose to live FOR THIS CAUSE -

“Whatever you do to the least of your brethren, you do unto Me.”

Because His love for me overflows, I would want nothing more than to share it to the ones who need it the most.  It is about time that young children arise because they are no longer forsaken.