I wish to bring this personal reflection to the street. The place where I really feel moved with compassion and generosity towards our less fortunate brothers and sisters is in my car. In the Philippines, especially in the major cities, street children and beggars will more often than not come up to your window and beg for alms. They will knock on the glass or press their entire torso up against it in the hope that you will hand them a peso or two. If they see coins in your car, they will point to them and make faces. If you or your companion happens to be eating or drinking something, they will make attempts to ask you for your food. What’s even worse is that with some kids, if you refuse them alms, they will scratch the side of your car or hit your window.

In spite of all of this, I no longer give alms. Ever since I was fortunate enough to have my own car, I cannot remember an instance where I gave a kid coins or food. Although I do feel compassion and pity for these people, I always turn them away. The reason is that some, if not a large number of these kids, use money for all the wrong reasons. Some of them use it to get their hands on illegal drugs. Others gamble. Aside from these, a number of other wrongdoings abound, such as excessive drinking, which can lead to crime.

What these kids need is not money or pieces of food. What they need is love, compassion, and education. They need to be taught how to fend for themselves in the future. They cannot depend on begging for alms from others to sustain themselves for the rest of their lives.

It is through moments like these where my personal view on TD arises. I see Tulong Dunong not merely as a scholarship program. To me, it is my own little contribution to giving these kids a chance. I don’t want to give them money or a free way to high school. I want to teach them the importance of hard work, diligence, and discipline. I want to teach them faith in God. I want them to learn things money cannot buy. These are the things I want to give out of my car window.

Our national hero, Dr. Rizal, once said that the youth is the future of the country. He was right. Help them in their education today. Show them love and compassion now. In the future, they will no longer be the children we see on the streets today.

It’s about giving them a chance for a brighter future.

Acknowledgements

• by Robbie Reyes, TD Tutor 1998-1999 (Robbie Reyes was a senior in the Ateneo de Manila High School, batch 1998-1999. He served as a tutor for English at Old Balara Elementary School)

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