Ramos, Josephine Mari G. Prof.

Domelyn Reganit

FA24/ English

The poverty-stricken Filipinos need more attention from the community than what they
are getting. Many Filipinos live in slums, its undeniable but we shouldnt just make it an
elephant in the room. As a citizen of our own country we should try to improve this
community. We have been through so much, our history books can tell you all about
that. Starting from the Spanish era, the Japanese and the Americans we have seen our
potential of durability. Now that the Colonization is over, we have now become a
highway to typhoons. Typhoons coming from this and there has become a common
thing, but just because its common doesnt mean its normal and that we should ignore
it and we should move on to the next issue. Poverty-stricken needs attention from the
community because everything starts with the community. Citizen is the most powerful
factor in a state and we should realize that the government is just under our power.
Everything the citizens, if united, order must be granted. Remember the People power
or EDSA Revolution? We citizens have united just to bring Marcos down. Havent we
realized our true power from that? Do not purely blame the government, everything is
partly our fault. We are the one who put them in their place. Typhoon Mario is a wakeup
call, it is meant to wake us up from the reality of our community's condition, not just our
environment. It is a sign that we should do something about it. We Filipinos keep
ignoring the real issue distracted by our own social media life and teleseryes. Yes, Mario
typhoon was still a little kind to us compared to Yolanda, with it's minor casualties and all
but it doesn't mean that its irrelevant and not worth some change in our perception. If
we have only done something earlier to help the condition of the poor we might have
prevented something and Mario would have just been another storm that passed for
example: allocating the right budget to help the poor instead of some government
officials stuffing it in their already full pockets. By setting the right budget we could have
relocate them in safer areas and safer area means even less casualties and all the
focus of rescuing wouldn't be on them, because there are also people that need help in
a subdivision, in baranggays etc. Set jobs for them. That's one of the reasons of
poverty, excluding the laziness of some people, there is the problem that companies
mostly only hire people with degrees. So what does people who could not afford
education would do? Of course they would strive hard to live. If no one would accept
them for a job then what are their choices left? To ravage trash bins, steal and beg
.People are tempted to go the easy way. That is why there is high criminal rate here
and most of the criminals came from the slums. At least the most obvious crimes.
Government officials' crime is one thing and less obvious because of all the cover up
they can put up using their money, also there's this issue about criminals entering our
country. The problem is that we are letting them. Filipinos are known to be hospitable
but I think that letting criminal masterminds enter our land is too much. People are
tempted to accept money in exchange for disrespecting our land. We Filipinos have
grown careless to everything except ourselves. The way I look at it, Mario is a is
purposely blown in our direction, if you look at the map of how it is all connected. Surely
it must be. We Filipinos have lived in our own shell of thick skin when it comes to action,
only minding our own problem, but showing our onion skins when it comes to words.
We are to blame, not point fingers at whoever is closest the issue. By helping them we
help ourselves. You see it's a system, it only works if all the other parts are working, but
of course it's not only just about helping the poor. The poor also need to help
themselves. Don't try to be a burden to someone who's helping you, help yourself too.
The change truly and only starts with you, if you let it. Community is much more
powerful if it realized how much power it has.