In the summer of 1997, Ricky, a 12 year old boy died of TB (tuberculosis) accompanied by an advanced stage of pneumonia. One may wonder why such an energetic young soul could die of such a disease designed for much older folks who have little or no knowledge on proper health practice whatsoever.
Since he was 9, Ricky worked as stevedore/utility boy on a pier that caters mostly to ships carrying cement sacks for its cargo. His job exposed him to dust and to a pretty heavy concentration of asbestos, which aggravated his already worsening colds.
Like Ricky, there are more than 250 million working children across the globe. All trying to make ends meet with a meager salary on a daily basis. Although outlawed by international conventions on child labor policies in every country, child labor still proliferates rampantly even in first world countries such as the US and in Europe.
In Asia, the most populous continent, has the largest share of the worlds’ working children 61%, followed by Africa with 32%. Latin America and the Caribbean have 7%.
Though data vary by country and region , world wide figures show that more than two thirds of working children are engaged in agriculture and related farming activities; the rest are in manufacturing, trade, hotel and restaurant, domestic service, transport, construction, mining and quarrying. As well, a large number children work on street hawking goods, shining shoes, running errands and cleaning cars. Only about 5% of the worlds working children are found on the semi formal sector, like export industry.
In some countries, up to 20% of economically active children in rural areas, and up to 5% in urban areas are under the age of 10.
In all the regions of the world, more boys than girls work, with average ratio of 3 is to 2. However, if domestic work in their own household is to be taken into account, girls would exceed the number than that of the boys. Some survey results show that the majority of children working for 9 hours or more, everyday of the week, often do hazardous occupations. A large number suffer injuries or illness fr5om their work, more than 20% according to our surveys. Some 50 to 60 million children ages 5-11 work in hazardous conditions.
Source of statistics: the ILO
Children are also trafficked across continents to be sold as slaves and are submitted to prostitution, and in spite of the strict prohibitions international child protection laws implement, child pornography is more dangerous and more psychologically damaging than any other form of child abuse. It is noteworthy that about at least a million children a year are forced, or otherwise coerced, to enter the sex trade for the purpose of prostitution and pornography; many of them are sold and trafficked across international borders.
In countries where national security is futile, children are gathered in the hundreds to take part in arms struggle. Currently there are more than 300,000 child soldiers, many of them forcibly recruited, are taking part in armed conflicts around the world. Some are already adolescents but most are as young as 10 years old. Their living and working conditions are harsh, worse; they are compelled to witness and participate in acts of brutality and banditry.
In the Philippines, the national capital region or the NCR in particular, holds the highest recorded number of children in labor (788,565 in 2001). In region 5 there are 68,320 child laborers recorded. There are more unrecorded working children in the streets of every metro city in the country now, and they are growing in an alarming rate.
The leading cause of child labor boils down to single denominator, Economy. In third world countries such as the Philippines and India an average family may have to scrounge for whatever meager income the family makes in a week. A growing number of displaced children are roaming the streets everyday, driven by poverty.
The Department of Justice Special Committee for children anchored through the Republic Act No.7610 compel the people to recognize that the dignity of children should be respected, maintained and preserved through the defense and protection of their rights.
I have often thought of that fateful day Ricky past away, and I never cease to imagine how many more Rickies are out there in the world, trying to earn that dream, somehow hopeful that life would someday be fair to them and grant them back what life took away...the child within. For whatever faults, however mischievous, and for whatever simple wishes they have, they are, for all the life in the world, still children.
Consider this.
idlegrass
Thursday, February 28, 2008
what's in store?
The headlines appear to be bleaker and bleaker everyday. Exploitation of child labor in the Philippines and some countries, rather than being checked, appears to have increased. Child prostitution is also on the rise, so are the number of street kids who took to the streets as a safer refuge than those dysfunctional households they used to call home.
Armed organizations, in a zealous last ditch effort to recruit combatants are now, more than ever, opening their doors to inspire children of highland communities to join the “cause”. They defiantly take advantage of the naivety and ignorance of young lumads in ridiculously formulated hopes to strengthen their ranks.
So answer me this: kids, are they tomorrow’s hope or tomorrow’s tragedy? It is a question adults of today need to look deeply into their morale fiber to answer.
Meanwhile, child labor, child prostitution, incest, child recruitment as combatants continue to infect the dank and deteriorated alleys of our society. In addition to that, the growing drug trade and the decreasing age among those who partake in the pleasures of narcotic chemicals cause alarm among the concerned public. Hence, it is of perennial importance that we act without haste and without mercy. And attack we must. Swift and ruthless in any which way possible, to combat the hard and brutal blows this cruel society brings upon us. Then, maybe, just maybe, we may be able to answer the question above with lesser guilt than we already have.
idlegrass
Armed organizations, in a zealous last ditch effort to recruit combatants are now, more than ever, opening their doors to inspire children of highland communities to join the “cause”. They defiantly take advantage of the naivety and ignorance of young lumads in ridiculously formulated hopes to strengthen their ranks.
So answer me this: kids, are they tomorrow’s hope or tomorrow’s tragedy? It is a question adults of today need to look deeply into their morale fiber to answer.
Meanwhile, child labor, child prostitution, incest, child recruitment as combatants continue to infect the dank and deteriorated alleys of our society. In addition to that, the growing drug trade and the decreasing age among those who partake in the pleasures of narcotic chemicals cause alarm among the concerned public. Hence, it is of perennial importance that we act without haste and without mercy. And attack we must. Swift and ruthless in any which way possible, to combat the hard and brutal blows this cruel society brings upon us. Then, maybe, just maybe, we may be able to answer the question above with lesser guilt than we already have.
idlegrass
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
keeping the balance
people are dying everyday. from hunger , from senseless corrupt politics that breed weapons of mass destruction, from the unfair wars that we so horribly endure and witness, from our constant irresponsible onslaught to the environment, from the relentless rape of our women and children, from the unforgiving media that feed us negative images everyday, from the lack of education, from malnutrition, from famine , from AIDS, from inter-cultural differences. yes we are dying, unless WE DO something about it.everyday, species of plants and animals are getting extinct. gone from the face of the planet forever; and for every specie that goes over the edge, thousands, even millions more humans suffer from its loss, and for every single child that dies of hunger in Africa, thousands ,even millions more of other species suffer from its loss. we must act . now. we must forever keep the fragile balance amongst humanity and the world we live in.
idlegrass
idlegrass
Bare footin’
For some time now, the vast wondrous mountains of Mindanao have been the favorite getaway of nature lovers, artists, spiritual junkies, environmental warriors and peace weavers. The elegance and magnificence of Mt. Apo does not cease to captivate the reflections and struggle of her peoples’ passion, which, in more ways than one, has made Mindanao the Land of Promise.
Different array of people’s cultures and a magical display of landscape, Mindanao could be the foremost frontier in tourism industry. The Manobos and the Bagobo tribes of Davao city, the Mansakas of Davao Oriental, the Subanon tribe of Zamboanga peninsula, Dibabawons of the north and Talaandigs of Bukidnon; all contribute to the islands’ magestic diversity. These peoples’ cultures have weaved and sculpted the traditions, which we, mindanaoan’s are most envied of.
The diversity of the island is not limited to its culture and people, the fact that Mindanao is strategically located where monsoons and typhoons are not a threat; thus, agri-business and agri-infrastracture are basically the rich sustaining life blood of the island’s economy.
Located in the southern part of the Philippines, Mindanao, industrialized as it may be, nurtures various species of flora and fauna that immensely adds to the islands’ appeal. These species however, had been in constant peril of extinction, if not for the support of some very concerned environmental organizations that caters most their services in the protection and preservation of the islands’ natural reserves.
The peoples’ fight against environmental degradation is not over yet, should never be over, and probably would go on for as long as there are people here in Mindanao; who since time immemorial, have been fighting for their right to be equally free from abuse; and for the right of their motherland to claim them as the rightful heirs to her abundant bosom. The struggle is not so much for the present generation, but most importantly, it is a fight for the dream that the children of tomorrow might still have a single simple glimpse of their heritage that had once been forever promised to them.
idlegrass
Different array of people’s cultures and a magical display of landscape, Mindanao could be the foremost frontier in tourism industry. The Manobos and the Bagobo tribes of Davao city, the Mansakas of Davao Oriental, the Subanon tribe of Zamboanga peninsula, Dibabawons of the north and Talaandigs of Bukidnon; all contribute to the islands’ magestic diversity. These peoples’ cultures have weaved and sculpted the traditions, which we, mindanaoan’s are most envied of.
The diversity of the island is not limited to its culture and people, the fact that Mindanao is strategically located where monsoons and typhoons are not a threat; thus, agri-business and agri-infrastracture are basically the rich sustaining life blood of the island’s economy.
Located in the southern part of the Philippines, Mindanao, industrialized as it may be, nurtures various species of flora and fauna that immensely adds to the islands’ appeal. These species however, had been in constant peril of extinction, if not for the support of some very concerned environmental organizations that caters most their services in the protection and preservation of the islands’ natural reserves.
The peoples’ fight against environmental degradation is not over yet, should never be over, and probably would go on for as long as there are people here in Mindanao; who since time immemorial, have been fighting for their right to be equally free from abuse; and for the right of their motherland to claim them as the rightful heirs to her abundant bosom. The struggle is not so much for the present generation, but most importantly, it is a fight for the dream that the children of tomorrow might still have a single simple glimpse of their heritage that had once been forever promised to them.
idlegrass
the sad truth
There is a saying that children of today are the leaders of tomorrow. The heirs of what adults of today have left behind. Yet, there is little joy in considering just what is left behind by today’s adults.
According to the Department of Natural Resources, less than 20% of our original growth forests remain. Of the commercial forests that have taken their place in some areas, only 8% of these remain standing beyond the period when those trees are ready for harvest.
Most of our forests were not replanted with commercial forests. Most of that land was converted to farm lands or residential subdivisions. As such, those areas can never be reforested again.
Aside from cutting of trees and clearing of forests, logging, legal and illegal alike, has dramatically destroyed natural habitats of forest fauna; such as the timor, certain simians, and wild fowl. Many of these species endemic to the natural make up of the land are now on the endangered species list. Some are on the verge of extinction. All on the cruel hands of humans.
Deforestation also leads to siltation of rivers and contamination of our coastal waters where rivers feed into the sea or into a gulf. Greenpeace international and other environmental groups are warning against any further siltation of coastal waters. According to them marine and aquatic life are dangerously threatened by continued contamination of coastal by siltation.
Global warming is no longer considered a matter of alarmist propaganda; its threat is as imminent and as real as the sun rising each morning. The “breech” in the ozone layer above New Zealand is so dramatic that it is already being credited with the increase melanoma among people living in the western pacific region south of the equator.
Many ecologists, meteorologists and other expert scientists seriously believe that the damage in the ozone layer may become irreparable if we continue our abusive ways.
With the continued degradation of the ozone layer, skin cancer cases will increase and ultra violet rays would eventually destroy certain life-sustaining enzymes, and life as we know it, will somehow change dramatically. “A nightmare where the living will envy the dead”, to paraphrase astronomer and novelist, Carl Sagan.
Sagan, Isaac Asimov, even early science fiction and science fantasy writer, H.G. Wells predict a world of misery and suffering, all attributed to man’s insensitivity to his environment. His habitat.
Ultimately, our works of doom appear to be terrors of reality.
idlegrass
According to the Department of Natural Resources, less than 20% of our original growth forests remain. Of the commercial forests that have taken their place in some areas, only 8% of these remain standing beyond the period when those trees are ready for harvest.
Most of our forests were not replanted with commercial forests. Most of that land was converted to farm lands or residential subdivisions. As such, those areas can never be reforested again.
Aside from cutting of trees and clearing of forests, logging, legal and illegal alike, has dramatically destroyed natural habitats of forest fauna; such as the timor, certain simians, and wild fowl. Many of these species endemic to the natural make up of the land are now on the endangered species list. Some are on the verge of extinction. All on the cruel hands of humans.
Deforestation also leads to siltation of rivers and contamination of our coastal waters where rivers feed into the sea or into a gulf. Greenpeace international and other environmental groups are warning against any further siltation of coastal waters. According to them marine and aquatic life are dangerously threatened by continued contamination of coastal by siltation.
Global warming is no longer considered a matter of alarmist propaganda; its threat is as imminent and as real as the sun rising each morning. The “breech” in the ozone layer above New Zealand is so dramatic that it is already being credited with the increase melanoma among people living in the western pacific region south of the equator.
Many ecologists, meteorologists and other expert scientists seriously believe that the damage in the ozone layer may become irreparable if we continue our abusive ways.
With the continued degradation of the ozone layer, skin cancer cases will increase and ultra violet rays would eventually destroy certain life-sustaining enzymes, and life as we know it, will somehow change dramatically. “A nightmare where the living will envy the dead”, to paraphrase astronomer and novelist, Carl Sagan.
Sagan, Isaac Asimov, even early science fiction and science fantasy writer, H.G. Wells predict a world of misery and suffering, all attributed to man’s insensitivity to his environment. His habitat.
Ultimately, our works of doom appear to be terrors of reality.
idlegrass
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