Badjao’s in the Alabang area–why are they there?

A reader emailed Alabang Bulletin and asked us if we could write about the Badjao’s present in the Alabang area along Alabang-Zapote Road.

If you’re in a jeepney, these kids would just hop on the jeep then give out these white envelopes then start drumming on their home-made drums for like a minute then they turn to the passengers then ask for the filled-up envelopes.

Yes, what they’re doing is somewhat illegal and yes, you sometimes find them “nakakaawa” but most of the time they are just annoying. Annoying in the sense that they are seemingly forcing the passengers to give them money. They linger when you don’t give them money. Is this to embarrass you in front of the other passengers because you didn’t put anything inside the envelope?

Maybe we should just prepare food like sandwiches for them when we ride jeepneys to Alabang.

OR maybe, the authorities in-charge can do something about this. Maybe they can be the ones to give these children food or a place to stay.

We are not being bad or insensitive to their plight but we just really condemn alms giving and begging on the streets.

There should be a program for these kids. Seriously.