Doing “Sugal”

Beside a Siomaian near Mom’s Corner.

We met these two children holding plastic cups near a food house earlier. They were siblings – one was 5, the other was 12 - holding out the rain just hoping to gather coins form passers-by.

They said that their father was just blocks away doing his usual thing – doing “sugal” as what the 12 year old girl said. We asked her, what would you do with the money if we give you. She said, with an innocent smile and an honest tone, that she would give it to her father to help him with this usual thing.

We got the logic.It was tragic. Both of them stopped schooling already and just spend the whole day begging. In that situation, giving food is better than giving money. But aside from all this, you can still see the hope radiating in their eyes. They told us they want to learn and that is all that matters for that moment.

Their story is the story of the streets; one of thousands of people who have fallen into the gaps of our "economic" development. The cycle continues unless a fundamental shift of political and economic power towards the masses happens. Nothing will really happen if 80% of the nation's wealth is controlled by just 20% of the people - nothing. We can start with the kids. Hope the father will also change.