The documentary of iWitness called "Basurero" by Jay Taruc vividly

talks about the contemporary poverty of Manila. The first part of the
story talks about how the poverty-stricken families survive, as
represented by Jennifer's family in Cubao, through alms begging on the
streets during the day obtaining leftovers - which they colloquially
termed "batchoy"- from eateries during the night.
The next part of the story focuses on the "tambakeros" or scavengers
who live in the dump site of Tondo. The tambakeros were of all ages who
collect scrops from the tons of garbages disposed every day risking their
health, their future and just their life for a day's meager sustenance.
Meanwhile, the latter part discusses the other face of Smokey Mountain
which was rehabilitized by forming a non-government organization called
"Resource Recovery System" as headed by a former scavenger.
The exposition played its work well as it served as an eye-opener
about the seeming commonly stereotyped “poor Filipinos.” As Taruc
immersed himself with his subjects, one can imagine himself being on the
doomed slippers of the ill-fated. Especially to youths - capable and free
enough to take liberal education - it reiterated the value of what we have
unlike those kids who were deprived of the rightful privilege they ought to
have had.
Although these people don’t go to schools, they do their trade orderly
and with as system, accordingly, where one’s gain would depend on
one’s hard work and giving along the way. “Buhay ang pakikipagkapwa
tao at respeto.
Numbers and other elements in economics don’t repudiate the facts of
what was depicted. The sufferings of the innocent children who were
brought up by and being penniless were the results of corruption and
felonies of those in the seats of the past and current administrations such
as the incessant rotten governance of politicians.
Providing jobs and an amended social control would be an obvious
propaganda for those in office as transparent actions are direly needed,
and not just demographics recorded every year for each administration
to brag about what it has done for its people.
Relating this to Filipino Psychology, indeed, Filipinos, as evidenced
even by the simplest ones, are resourceful, resilient and resistant. But this
psyche shouldn’t be just stagnant and remain as it is to grow another
generation alike. As aimed by the documentary, these traits shouldn’t be
just the way they are as they must be reconsidered to reestablish our
identity, adjusted to adapt to the principles of an empowered drive to
better the community.