This Is How We Tolerate Poverty
Poverty is caused by many things, and our ignorance plays a part in it
There are many things that cause poverty such as climate change, social inequality, and lack of infrastructure. However, the biggest contributing factor to this universal issue is a poor educational system. The thing is, the world would be a completely different place if everyone had equal access to quality education.
I was 17 when I first visited the underworld of Metro Manila. I took the Literary Service Training for my NSTP, and we taught basic English and Mathematics in the slums of Payatas. My ignorance of the real issue made me hate the experience initially. I was part of the problem. I did not understand the importance of our presence in the community. Nevertheless, my perspective completely changed when my NSTP partner and I were assigned to tutor this very timid 12-year-old girl. My heart broke once I realized that she can barely even read or answer basic math problems. They say that we write our own story. What they do not tell us, however, is that it actually comes with a pre-filled template. The children we see in the streets, deprived of a proper childhood and quality education, will grow up and make their own choices. Nonetheless, those choices will never make their lives any more comfortable than those born into wealth. Education may not be all a person needs to succeed, but it does open doors, windows, vents, and even pet flaps.
The K-12 program is important for a developing country like the Philippines. It equips students with the required skills and knowledge that will land them a good job, especially if they do not intend to pursue college. However, the Motorade Life and Livelihood Assistance Foundation, Inc. (MLALAF) has been creating opportunities for Filipinos long before the existence of the educational shift. MLALAF is a foundation that aims to be the catalyst of positive transformation, by providing an Alternative Learning System (ALS) in the urban poor communities all over Metro Manila. MLALAF founder Vicente N. Ongtenco recounts, “Not enough elementary graduates can go to high school; and not enough high school graduates can go to college.” It was an unfortunate truth that they did not want to simply watch from afar, so they came up with the ALS foundation to do something about the problem. They aid the adults and out-of-school youth to achieve spiritual development, educational advancement, and economic empowerment. More than that, they also offer college scholarships, feeding programs, and outreach projects.
A common Filipino saying goes, “kasalanan mo na kapag namatay ka’ng mahirap.” It is a fallacious, toxic, and classist mindset that denies the contributing faults of those who are in a privileged position in life. The masses are commonly blamed for electing incompetent leaders and making irrational decisions in general. Some will say that it is all because they are uneducated — but what if we are actually part of the problem? One in every ten Filipinos do not go to school, which totals to 3.8 million out of school youth. We (the people who live a comfortable life) have the means and the resources to make their lives a little more comfortable, even in the simplest way possible, yet most of us never bother to do so. It is more of a collective fault, rather than an individual one. We are not separately liable to provide riches to every impoverished man we see. However, we have become passive of how the rigged system works and I understand that it can sometimes be no more than a survival instinct. Because of this, though, we contribute to the struggles of marginalized people by looking the other way. We see them as a burden, rather than a responsibility. We first have to make better decisions for them to learn to do the same.
I believe that MLALAF recognizes this invisible string that connects us to the poor communities of the country. They own up to society’s ignorance by doing the works of God. They reach out to the lost, the least and the last of the society to pull them up to their feet. The foundation has turned the lives of many Filipinos. A lot of them used to be below minimum wage earners who had to do all sorts of jobs to make ends meet. What MLALAF does is train these individuals to acquire skills and knowledge that will land them better jobs and a better income. I believe that business students, such as myself, should always be reminded of their social responsibility out in the world. Eventually, they will have to make significant decisions, so they must remember to not only contribute to the economy but also support society. Organizations such as MLALAF help me sink my feet deep into the ground and open my eyes to the harsh realities we can collectively improve.
“If you are educated, you consider yourself equipped.” — Mr. Vicente Ongtengo
Education falls as a fundamental human right. It is essential in order to practice other human rights. Acquiring quality education liberates people in many ways. It develops them to become well-rounded; it opens doors for jobs that will provide for them and their families; and it helps pursue their life goals. As Mr. Ongtengco said, “If you are educated, you consider yourself equipped.” Despite the weight of education’s importance, it is still not accessible in many communities. With that, it is important that we each offer a helping hand because there is always something we can do to help them better their lives and better all our future.
No help is too little, and there is no impossible vision, too. As the saying goes, “No man is an island.” Every living being on Earth are chained to each other, and have the power to affect the next person with every decision they make. The Butterfly Effect says that small alterations in one state can result in grand differences in a later state — even ones as simple as a flap of a butterfly’s wings. Thus, everything needs to start somewhere. If we want a better world, we should help others acquire better opportunities. Radical change requires a beginning. The state of humanity is visible through a simple glance at the children of our world. So, if a chance to help comes along, take it.
