Filtered By: Publicaffairs
Public Affairs
Gutom (Hunger)
Episode on February 13, 2006 Hunger is a daily reality for a growing number of our population. The latest Social Weather Stations survey notes that in the last quarter of 2005, more than two million families, or 14 million Filipinos, experience hunger. The figure represents one of every six Filipinos. In an attempt to understand this gut issue, reporter Jay Taruc immerses himself for one week among families referred to in the survey. First-hand experience truly changes his perspective on the issue of hunger. What used to be just an empty lot went on to become known as Barangay Pinagsabugan, after several families started building shanties in the area and the population eventually boomed. Rolan Barron, 28, makes a living by scavenging for garbage from a canal and selling ââ¬Åreconditionedââ¬? plastic sprayers. His meager income has made feeding his wife and seven children a constant problem. Living in a shanty built on the edge of a dirty canal, Rolan also grows on a small patch of land sweet potatoes and grated coconut, which he feeds to his children when they have nothing else to eat. Rolan only finished third grade in elementary school so finding a job is difficult. The children cry when they are hungry. ââ¬ÅThey say their heads are aching. They become rowdyââ¬Â¦they cry out that they are hungry. But I tell them not to shout as the neighbors might hear,ââ¬? says Rolan in Filipino. At Barangay Baseco in Manila, Jay learns how residents cope with everyday hunger through ââ¬Åaltanghapââ¬?, a Filipino word that takes the first syllables of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They survive on a single meal each day, then go to sleep to let hunger pass. One morning in Baseco, Jay woke up to find the residents gathering what was to make up their dayââ¬â¢s altanghap -- mussels and snails called ââ¬Åsundot-kulangotââ¬?. They search for sundot-kulangot through Manila Bayââ¬â¢s muddy shores that also serve as their garbage dump and toilet. The families have become unmindful of the health risks, especially the children. Whatââ¬â¢s important is their stomachs are filled. The Tome family in Port Area, Manila does another way to survive everyday hunger. They earn a living by selling rejected newspapers to junk shops. They have learned a way to stretch the few pesos that they earn to ease their hunger. ââ¬ÅWe make it enough. Sometimes, I ask them to buy 25 pesos worth of kaninbawââ¬Â¦thatââ¬â¢s rice in soupââ¬?, Mang Angelito says in Filipino. According to the SWS survey, the average poor family misses eating one day every three months. But in the five days that Jay spent with these families, he witnessed hunger that is much worse than was reflected on the survey.
More Videos
Most Popular