The Enveloped: A New Innovative Strategy of the Street Children – A Case Study

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health care, education, community development, civil registration and all basic human needs and services.

They have only 1 or 2 meals a day which is most of their children are severely malnourished and has very high mortality rate especially among infants.

There are no clinics, hospital, toilets, school, medicines, electricity, postal service and potable drinking water. There is neither government institution nor NGOs that cater to the needs of these people.

The Bajau are categorized as "the poorest among the poor" and the most primitive among the ethnic group in the Philippines.

In early 80’s this groups were harassed by the pirates the Moro and the Muslim bandits in Mindanao. Such disturbance, move them away from nearby municipalities but were openly discriminated. They evacuated to the central side but were ignored and most of them were condemned.

In early 90’s majority proliferated increasing in the most populated cities then later on occupied the busy street of Manila.

Their visibility in the metropolis was now the focus of our study and this was already addressed to the government.

Year 2000 when the City of Manila, DSWD – NCR and PNP agreed to rescue most of Badjao’s families who are dwelling on the street sides and parks of the greater Manila areas.

National and Local government, private citizens, students, non-government organizations, and even us called them an “Eyesores” especially when they started living on sidewalks, using corrugated boxes as their mats.

Since majority of them are illiterate and they don’t have proper skills and most of them land jobless, and you may noticed that most of their children are now in the streets seeking alms to survive. Badjao’s are known to be much closed family ties and you will mostly see them in groups.

The researcher conducted this investigation for the purpose of the common good citizens, the future of our indigenous tribes specially the young one, and look for the comprehensive programs offered by the government and non-government organizations for our indigenous groups. This study also aims to carry out to raise the voices of the cultural minority and to find ways and means of helping them without losing their own cultures and even more inspire other to do the same things. This study is also an inspiration to our future generation to formulate practical, suitable and feasible policies to uplift the lives of our Indigenous People and become government partners in building our cultural heritages in the near future.

B. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY:

The study aims to know the social condition of one of the displaced cultural minorities in our country, the Badjao children and their family socially assisted by the Non – government organizations. Specifically, the study attempts to answer the following questions.

1. What is the socio-demographic profile of the child in terms of:

1.1 Age

1.2 Sex

1.3 Educational Attainment

1.4 Religion affiliation

1.5 Place of origin

1.6 Family composition

1.7 Length of stay in Manila.

2. How long they have been in Manila or other parts of Metro Manila? What is their life before living in Manila?

3. What are their needs, problems/challenges usually encountered in their daily life? What is their source of living?

4. Who are there mentor and how this envelope begging starts?

5. What are the plans and programs and services extended by the government? Particularly the DSWD or NGO concern catering this particular group of Indigenous People (IP).

6. Are they protected? What government agencies or institution that they can rely on aside from the DSWD? What is IPRA law?

7. How the local government is doing to minimize and at the same time, what are programs or measures they made to prevent them to stay or seek alms in the public utility vehicles.

8. How these NGO programs and services were utilized to solve the identified problems of the badjao.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY:

The study could be as:

For Non – Governmental Organizations (NGOs)

 Basis for the creation of new strategies, activities and programs that have not yet implemented by the current NGOs assisting the badjao community in Barangay 704 to reduce the social problems of Brgy. 704. The researchers believe that this documented study is significant to different sectors too.

 Basis of the NGOs and local government unit to assess their existing programs and services if it is necessary to addresses the problems to the Barangay and formulate a plan that could best fit to solve the growing numbers of badjao in the area.

 Reduce the social and educational difficulties of the Badjao children and their family thru the assistance of the NGO plus the programs and services extended by the national and local government agencies.

For the Barangay

 Mean to work together and collaborate in coming up with a holistic and realistic program that addresses the problem of Badjao community in Barangay 704.

 To uplift the living conditions of the badjao particularly in Brgy. 704 who are in great risk in their present environment?

 Basis of the NGOs and local government unit to assess their existing programs and services if it is necessary to addresses the problems to the Barangay and formulate a plan that could best fit to solve the growing numbers of badjao in the area.

For the Government (Local/National)

 Finding of the study could be a tool to motivate the government. NGOs, faith based organizations, Peoples Organization (POs), or development worker to make programs and mechanisms that will benefit the Badjao’s and duplicate the initiative of the NGOs in partnership and openness.

 Basis for policy and program development by the government agencies relative to the community based programs