cashing in on someone else's poverty

I’ve been reading a bit of news from manila lately about a poor 6 year old boy who was asked to dance a sexually provocative dance on national tv while the host, the boy’s relative(s), and the audience watched on with glee. I will not post the video here, nor will I mention the name of the show—if you’re reading this, you’ve probably seen it and read a lot about it already—it breaks my heart that the kid had to subject himself to ridicule and humiliation to make a few bucks. I detest the host for his arrogance and his disrespect of EVERYONE he worked with – staff and audience included.

It makes me sad that there are people out there who are cashing in on poverty in the guise of ‘helping the poor’. If they are really out there to help the poor, people do not need to make a fool of themselves in front of millions of people just to get help. If the network or the show is on a mission to help, their stage is really not the platform to do it and they SHOULD NOT be making money out of the people’s plight. It defeats the purpose. Lalo lang nagmumukhang kaawa-awa ang mga tao.  yes, they'll get some money, but it's like selling a piece of their dignity and self-respect. 

It’s not enough to talk just talk about things like this and do nothing. If we don’t come up with solutions, we contribute to the problem. So what am I going to do about it? I came up with an idea shortly after we saw the bbc program ‘toughest place to be a bus driver’, the place being again, unfortunately, manila- that each time we throw a party at home for birthdays and other gatherings, in lieu of gifts to the celebrant, I will have a ‘tip jar’ on the kitchen island. Our guests are free to put money in the jar (if they don’t then paul and I will strongly encourage them to make a small donation) and whatever amount we collect will be given to a deserving family in the Philippines via our parent church’s outreach to the poor. It’s a small gesture, but at least, no one has to make a fool of themselves on tv to receive some help to tide them over.


I mention this to encourage each one of you to do your part to help someone in need out there. Hindi nyo naman susustentuhan ang mga taong ito, but we can all make a small difference in someone’s life.