Moment 2 - Badjao Kids

Manila is a favorite place for dreamers and ambitious people alike. Some people look forward to earn a spot here because they believe that this is a promised land. For some, most probably, yes. But not all are fortunate as the others.

There was one time when the major streets of Manila were suddenly invaded by Badjao people. I don't know if the whole tribe came to town but they were mostly kids and teens. I simply wondered who brought them here but this place is not part of their natural habitat. There are no houses built on the shallow sea waters, no bancas to ride, and no open sea to dive, and no fishes to catch.

Actually, the very first question that came to my mind was, "How did they get here?" For sure, a couple of them would not look suspicious but when you see a group of them wandering the streets of Manila  will definitely raise some questions. They were running after the buses and jeepneys, holding tightly unto cans and plastic pipes tied together with plastic coverings enough to make sounds, and once settled in any manner inside the bus or the jeepney, they will start singing songs which only they can understand.

Well, at first, it was amusing and entertaining. Since we were used with the kind of songs we hear everyday, it was an entertaining scene hearing them deliver their own tribal songs and accompanied by the graceful beating of their fingers on their cans. I wonder about the lyrics and the message of the song. And the way they perform, it seems that they are actually musically gifted. If only there could have been some ways to allow them perform on stage, definitely, it will be a different "them" that we will be seeing.

Anyway, just like everyone else, I was intrigued about the the white envelopes they were carrying. When I happened to receive one, a call for help was written in Tagalog. The funny thing was, almost everyone carried a bundle of the same white envelope with the same written message in Tagalog but they can't actually speak one.

Is this another kind of scam? Who are the people manipulating these kids? Why is it that our government officials are not acting on this matter? These questions repeatedly played at the back of my mind that time.

I have to admit that I turned my blind eye away from them. Actually, it is not my practice to hand over them some loose change because time and again, someone might be collecting them at the end of the day. I would rather give them food if I have one in my bag.

But the idea of white envelopes made me wonder. What if someone was behind the mobilization of these kids and the kids cannot deliver their quota at the end of the day, what kind of possible punishment they had  to endure? Or they simply wanted to earn an honest living in order to support their family?

When I asked them for a couple of pics, they hesitated at first. But I assured them that I am not a member of this and that. Eventually, they gave in. They even offered me a part of their daily performance.

The way they smile made me realize that they are still kids. They remind me that despite of life's intricacies and hardships, there is always a room for happiness. And though their daily existence is a struggle on the streets, they can still manage to smile.

To date, these kids are no longer around the streets of Manila. I hope that they were able to find a modest place to live and start anew together with their families. I hope that someday, they will have a chance to earn their rightful place in our society and make a decent living. And I pray that they will not come back again to the streets of Manila doing the same thing all over again.