The Philippines has one of the world's largest populations of street children. A 1996 report of the non-government movement End Child Prostitution in Asian Tourism (ECPAT) showed that the Philippines had 1.5 million children living or working in the street of 65 cities. Metro Manila alone had at least 75,000 street children.
ECPAT claimed that many children in the street were working as pickpockets and beggars and that around 60,000 children were either sexually exploited or driven to prostitution. According to the Dangerous Drugs Board, 325,000 children were using illegal substance, particularly rugby.
About 100 million children in the world were said to be living in the street as of 1994.
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Children - young ones who are expected to live a life full of innocence and joy. This is ought to be the meaning of the world children. How come we see a lot of children running in the streets with bare feet and asking for alms from whoever passes by? Why is that young as they are, some are already involved in pickpocketing, prostitution and the like?
It's sad to think that these 1.5 million street children are not given the chance to experience the joy of being a child and how it feels to be like one. Instead of seeing them in schools and playgrounds, they are out there in the streets earning a living, a kind of earning under the influence of evil things such as stealing, selling illegal drugs and such. On the other hand, their parents are the ones having fun and only think of themselves. Ironic isn't it? Their parents should be the ones finding ways to be able to send their children to school and provide them their needs. In turn, these children should not be thinking of earning money and experiencing the ruthless society at their young age. If only all parents play their role properly, then there would no children running and sleeping along the streets at night. We would find them only in schools, playgrounds and in their homes. We may see them laughing and joking around despite being in their situation but deep inside, behind their eyes, one could see the sadness of having experience these unlikely things in life. These children should be given the chance to enjoy life as a young and be able to experience the good life. I just hope that there would come a time that no children will be suffering and experiencing hardships young as they are. :)
FROM THIS :(
TO THIS :)
