Overcoming poverty by respecting human rights

By Fr. Shay Cullen

The sad reality of the beautiful scenic Philippines and its kind and friendly people is that too many live in man-made poverty. If you have survived and overcome poverty and made it to a happier life, you will understand the story of Nick. If you are well off, thank your parents for saving you from poverty. Thank them for your education and count your blessings everyday and help others with your blessing.

It is education that saves children from poverty, hunger and a lost life. The gross injustice and inequality that causes such poverty alienates 20 million Filipinos who live in slums on the edge of hunger. Nick is a 16-year old boy and his parents are among those poor throwaway people. They survive day to day in any way they can.

None of Nick’s family- parents and elder siblings- finished elementary school and so they cannot be employed. As many as 7.9 million Filipino children and youth from the ages of 5 years old to 24 did not go to school in 2022 to 2023, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. They have little ability to read and write. Nick’s parents never had a regular job and worked sometimes part-time in construction for a few days. His mother washed clothes for neighbors and earned a pittance. What they earned was never enough to feed them all.

They lived in a tiny hut where they all had to sleep close together on mats laid on the concrete floor and ate one meal a day. Sometimes, they eat “pag-pag,” recooked restaurant left-overs of half eaten dinners of the rich. This poverty is the result of some corrupt politicians. It is at the heart of the social injustice ignored by many in a so-called Catholic country. The Philippines is a relatively rich country yet twenty million Filipinos suffer hunger while another 10 million come close to it. A nation of kind good people where 0.1 percent own 46 percent of the total wealth of the nation.

The Christianity as Jesus of Nazareth wanted and worked for was a society, a kingdom, here and now, where equality and justice for all predominates. Corruption, inequality and injustice go mostly unchallenged by the Church except by the brave and courageous human rights and justice advocates, some brave bishops and priests among them, but too few. Lay Christian advocates for social justice speak out against corruption and are red-tagged as subversives and rebels like Jesus himself was. It is hunger that dominates the lives and thoughts of the 20 million poor, day and night. How to find money to buy food is a 24-hour pre-occupation.

Nick’s parents were given loans for food by a rich drug dealer with the nickname Nomad. They had to sell his drugs on the street to pay him back and buy food. They were in debt bondage. They took the maximum risk for the smallest gain. They sold methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as “shabu,” a dangerous drug. They were caught and jailed awaiting trial.

Nick had to pay the debt owed to Nomad so he had to sell drugs also. He had no education to get a job. He was caught by a police undercover buyer. He was spared extrajudicial execution unlike 30,000 others allegedly killed by police as part of a massive crime against humanity being investigated by the International Criminal Court. Nick was charged with drug selling, but being 16 years old, a minor, he was sent by the judge to Preda Foundation home in Liloan, Cebu, supported by Aktionsgruppe Kinder-in-Not based In Germany.

There, he could discover his value as a person and feel his dignity and grow in self-confidence. He felt accepted, understood and welcomed to a life without fear or punishment. He received his personal needs and friendship and learned the value of his life and respect for others.

Nick is learning the value of education as the road to survival and prosperity and a life of dignity. Now with value formation, alternative education and Emotional Release Therapy, he is changing. He has a better, happier chance in life and a way out of poverty and to stay out of jail and make a new life.

Damien is another of the 7.9 million youth that never got to school and wandered the streets in poverty and lived with his street friends. They survived by doing odd jobs, and whenever  hungry, by stealing food in the market. The vendors complained to the police in Plaridel, Bulacan. Damien and some of his friends were arrested. They were kicked and beaten and taken out and two shot dead including Damien’s best friend. It seems extrajudicial execution is common practice there.

Damien was tortured. He was tied to a chair and his fingers were beaten by the police using a hammer one by one. He screamed in pain. He was electrocuted twice to confess to crimes he did not commit. He was beaten, kicked and finally thrown in a jail cell. There, he was rescued by Preda social workers and brought to the Preda home and healed and cared for and had Emotional Release therapy during which he screamed out his anger at the corrupt police. He, too, will have a chance at a new life. He will learn and overcome poverty and support his future children. There is always hope no matter the crimes against the people by those sworn to protect them.

One day, the majority will rise up educated and wise and they will elect a majority of good and just people to lead them and do away with the torturers and killers, corrupt and unjust, and together build a new just Philippines where human rights are finally upheld, honored and respected by all. A dream worth working for. Help others, contact www.preda.org.