Street Children in The Philippines
Encyclopedia
Street Children in the Philippines
is a significant problem.
According to the 1998 report, entitled "Situation of the Youth in the Philippines," there are about 1.5 million street children in the Philippines. Everyday, at least a street child is seen walking along the streets, looking for a place to stay.
Approximately 70% are boys.
"Children on the streets" make up approximately 75% of the street children in the Philippines. These children work on the streets but do not live there, having a home to return to after working. Some of them even continue to attend school while working long hours on the streets.
In contrast, "Children of the street" on the other hand make their homes on the street. They make up 25%-30% of the street children in the Philippines. These children often create a sort of family among fellow street children. Some of them still have family ties, but do not visit them and some even see these ties as bad.
"Completely abandoned children" have no family ties and are entirely on their own for physical and psychological survival. They make up about 5%-10% of the street children in the Philippines.
Some of the hazards they face include sickness, physical injuries from vehicular accidents, street fights, harassment from both extortionists and police, sexual exploitation by pedophiles and pimps, exposure to substance abuse and sexually transmitted diseases.
The two brothers and their grandmother used to sleep on cardboard boxes in the back of a three-wheeled cart, called a trike, which served as their home. Now they use the trike as a "sari-sari" store from which they sell fruit and other miscellaneous convenience store items to earn their livelihood.
Their dwelling is a box about 6 feet long, 4 feet wide and 7 feet high. It is constructed of scrap metal, wire mesh and other scavenged materials. It has one bed inside upon which all three sleep. The rest of the space is jam-packed with their belongings.
during the Marcos Government.
In the Philippines the most blatant form of violence against children is summary execution. In Davao City, 39 children in conflict with the law have been killed by the vigilante groups since 2001. Most of them were killed after being released from police detention cells.
Human rights groups said the killings have become an unwritten government policy to deal with crime, largely because of an ineffective criminal justice system and the tendency of the authorities to take shortcuts in the administration of justice.
The execution-style killings are openly endorsed by local officials, strengthening the long-running suspicion that the death squads were formed by the government.
Rooted in poverty, as elsewhere, the problem of Child Prostitution in Angeles was exacerbated in the 1980s by US bases in Clark, Angeles, where bars employed children who ended up as sex workers for American soldiers.
Street children are at particular risk due to the fact that many of the 200 brothels in Angeles City offer children for sex.
Of 1.5 million streetchildren in the Philippines, 60,000 are prostituted, according to 1996 statistics of the Philippine Resource Network.
Angeles Police Women's and Children's Section Chief Myrna Latorre said the rescued children were brought to the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) for disposition. She said most of the rescued children were turned over to the Bahay Bata Center, an institution taking care of orphans and abused children.
The other children, Latorre said, were brought to a government rehabilitation center in Magalang, Pampanga that is being run the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) called Haven.
A 13 years-old child recalls how she was trafficked into a brothel in Angeles where she had to service up to 15 pedophiles every night.
.
. Homes are each run by a set of houseparents, and are designed to give children a loving home environment.
Tiwala runs various community-based programs for slum and street children in Legazpi City, Albay. Tiwala also partners with village officials and local churches in working with the families of these children.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
is a significant problem.
According to the 1998 report, entitled "Situation of the Youth in the Philippines," there are about 1.5 million street children in the Philippines. Everyday, at least a street child is seen walking along the streets, looking for a place to stay.
Statistics
Highly-visible’ children in the streets: Manila (3,266), Quezon (2,867), Kalookan (1,530), and Pasay (1,420). Luzon regional totals: 1,557 (highly visible), 22,728 (estimated total). Visayas regional totals: 5,291 (highly visible), 40,860 (estimated total). Mindanao regional totals: 22,556 (highly visible), 138,328 (estimated total).Approximately 70% are boys.
Defining Filipino street children
According to the Stairway foundation there are three different categories of street children: children on the streets, children of the streets and completely abandoned children."Children on the streets" make up approximately 75% of the street children in the Philippines. These children work on the streets but do not live there, having a home to return to after working. Some of them even continue to attend school while working long hours on the streets.
In contrast, "Children of the street" on the other hand make their homes on the street. They make up 25%-30% of the street children in the Philippines. These children often create a sort of family among fellow street children. Some of them still have family ties, but do not visit them and some even see these ties as bad.
"Completely abandoned children" have no family ties and are entirely on their own for physical and psychological survival. They make up about 5%-10% of the street children in the Philippines.
Drugs
The most common substances are inhalants, like solvent/rugby and cough syrups, followed by marijuana and shabu. Marijuana and shabu in particular are drugs that are shared with friends whenever one barkada member is lucky enough to have money to buy them. Moreover, many street children take more drugs more than once, some as often as a daily intake of solvent/rugby.Health Problems
Generally, street children are thin, untidy, and undernourished, hardly equipped to survive the hazards of everyday living and working on the streets.Some of the hazards they face include sickness, physical injuries from vehicular accidents, street fights, harassment from both extortionists and police, sexual exploitation by pedophiles and pimps, exposure to substance abuse and sexually transmitted diseases.
Conditions
Matthew and Michael Canoy have lived with their grandmother Francisca Polgo, 56, since their mother skipped town seven years ago. Matthew, 12 and Michael, 13, have never met their American father, reportedly a U.S. Marine.The two brothers and their grandmother used to sleep on cardboard boxes in the back of a three-wheeled cart, called a trike, which served as their home. Now they use the trike as a "sari-sari" store from which they sell fruit and other miscellaneous convenience store items to earn their livelihood.
Their dwelling is a box about 6 feet long, 4 feet wide and 7 feet high. It is constructed of scrap metal, wire mesh and other scavenged materials. It has one bed inside upon which all three sleep. The rest of the space is jam-packed with their belongings.
Summary Execution Of Street Children
Many street children were in danger of summary executionSummary execution
A summary execution is a variety of execution in which a person is killed on the spot without trial or after a show trial. Summary executions have been practiced by the police, military, and paramilitary organizations and are associated with guerrilla warfare, counter-insurgency, terrorism, and...
during the Marcos Government.
In the Philippines the most blatant form of violence against children is summary execution. In Davao City, 39 children in conflict with the law have been killed by the vigilante groups since 2001. Most of them were killed after being released from police detention cells.
Human rights groups said the killings have become an unwritten government policy to deal with crime, largely because of an ineffective criminal justice system and the tendency of the authorities to take shortcuts in the administration of justice.
The execution-style killings are openly endorsed by local officials, strengthening the long-running suspicion that the death squads were formed by the government.
Child Prostitution
Child prostitutes are used by both foreign sex tourists and paedophiles as well as local people. Many Street Children are lured into prostitution as a means of surviving, others work in order to earn money for their families. A variety of different factors contribute to the commercial sexual exploitation of children in the Philippines.Rooted in poverty, as elsewhere, the problem of Child Prostitution in Angeles was exacerbated in the 1980s by US bases in Clark, Angeles, where bars employed children who ended up as sex workers for American soldiers.
Street children are at particular risk due to the fact that many of the 200 brothels in Angeles City offer children for sex.
Of 1.5 million streetchildren in the Philippines, 60,000 are prostituted, according to 1996 statistics of the Philippine Resource Network.
Sexual Exploitation By Pedophiles
Angeles Police had to rescue 36 children as young as 6 years old from the notorious Fields Ave to protect from being exploited by suspected pedophiles hounding the entertainment area.Angeles Police Women's and Children's Section Chief Myrna Latorre said the rescued children were brought to the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWD) for disposition. She said most of the rescued children were turned over to the Bahay Bata Center, an institution taking care of orphans and abused children.
The other children, Latorre said, were brought to a government rehabilitation center in Magalang, Pampanga that is being run the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) called Haven.
A 13 years-old child recalls how she was trafficked into a brothel in Angeles where she had to service up to 15 pedophiles every night.
HIV/AIDS and STDs
There is no HIV testing for children in the Philippines but 18% of the Street Children contract sexually transmitted infections (STIs)..
Street Contact For Children
This project entails regular contact by dedicated social workers with groups of street children. The workers relate with the children to win their trust, offer legal and personal protection against acts of abuse by the authorities and work to release the children from jails and holding cells or to get charges against them dismissed. The project provides basic needs such as clothes, food, medical help and shelter when needed. Efforts are made to contact parents and enable the child to visit the parents. Part–time work for older children is provided when possible.Subic Bay Children's Home
Subic Bay Children's Home providing a home for the street children of Olongapo City, Philippines. Subic Bay Children's Home seeks to provide a channel through which local churches and individuals can extend a helping hand to destitute, unwanted, unloved, troubled boys and girls in providing them a home, understanding, and Christian guidance.LifeChild
LifeChild is a non-denominational Christian organization whose goal is to rescue street children and place them in loving homes within the community. The NGO is constructing up to eight homes in its property in CaviteCavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
. Homes are each run by a set of houseparents, and are designed to give children a loving home environment.
Spirit and Life Mission House Inc.
Spirit and Life Mission House is a non-denominational children's home located in Cabugao, Illoco Sur of the Philippines. It is home to 30+ in and out-going children from ages 0-20. Spirit and Life is a non-profit organization that operates almost entirely off of donations to pay for the children's clean water, clothing, food, medical needs, etc. as well as emotional and educational attention.Tiwala Kids and Communities
This charity for street children is working in the Bicol region of the Philippines, seeking to help underprivileged and street children and their families. Tiwala believes that through godly counsel, unconditional love and practical aid we will see many broken lives restored. Tiwala (meaning TRUST) was founded in March 2007.Tiwala runs various community-based programs for slum and street children in Legazpi City, Albay. Tiwala also partners with village officials and local churches in working with the families of these children.
See also
- Children in jail in PhilippinesChildren in jail in PhilippinesChildren in jail in the Philippines continues to be a significant problem.According to Amnesty International, over 50,000 children in the Philippines have been arrested and detained since 1995....
- Department of Social Welfare and Development (Philippines)Department of Social Welfare and Development (Philippines)The Philippines Department of Social Welfare and Development is the executive department of the Philippine Government responsible for the protection of the social welfare rights of Filipinos and to promote social development.-History:...