Thoughts from a jeepney ride: How do we heal stereotyping and give chance to the living?

Have you ever realized that a simple daily encounter can launch many questions without answers?

I take tricycle, jeepney, bus and sometimes motorcycle (habal-habal) on my way to work every day. Recently, one of my jeepney rides have brought a different angle of seeing things, an eye-opener and thought-provoking scene.

In a third-world country like ours, it is not surprising to see beggars here and there. When I give alms, I usually pick and give only to children or those who look physically invalid. That is because of the thought that they are not fit to find a living so they need help. I know that some people will say those beggars are just acting to gain sympathy and take advantage of good hearts. Some would say that the lazy parents are just using their children to earn a living through begging. I have heard more than enough of those and I don't care. If they are just acting then that is their problem, not mine.

^Source

On the other hand, there are beggars that I ignore. If they look well and able then I wonder why I should give them alms when they can find a job and take care of themselves. However, that perspective was challenged through my encounter with a man in a jeepney. His words echo in my head from time to time.

^Source

The man who was about on his late-twenties suddenly jumped into the jeepney while the driver was trying to maneuver and squeeze into the morning traffic. He was dirty. He did not take a seat but sat on his back in the middle in front of us passengers. Then he started his declaration in a not so fluent Filipino language. I did not memorize his exact words but the message is here:

"Ma'am,sir, wag po kayong matakot sa akin. Hindi po ako mandurukot. Hindi rin po ako magnanakaw. Ako po ay isang Badjao mula sa Basilan na nakikipagsapalaran dito sa Maynila kasama ng pamilya ko. Yan po ay sa kadahilanan na ang aming pinagkakakita-an ng hanapbuhay ay kinamkam. Ang aming taniman ng saging, wala na po. Kahit sa bundok, wala kaming mapuntahan."

"Marahil ay naiisip niyo, pwede naman kaming maghanap ng trabaho para hindi na humingi sa inyo. Nais po namin talaga yon. Kaso lang, hindi po kami tinatanggap."

"Kahit po konting barya o kung ano mang maitutulong niyo ay malaking tulong na po sa amin. Kahit po mga biskwit para sa mga bata. Mainam na pong humingi kami kaysa magnakaw. Maraming salamat po."

^Source

"Ma'am, sir, please do not be scared of me. I am not a robber. I am not a thief. I am a Badjao from Basilan who is taking chance with my family here in Metro Manila. That is because our source of livelihood was usurped. Our banana plantation is gone. Even in the mountains, we got nowhere to go."

"You may be thinking why don't we find job and not depend on alms. We really want that, but we are not being accepted."

"Few coins or whatever you can spare will be a great help to us. Even biscuits for our children. It is better that we ask than steal. Thank you very much."

Then he started distributing envelopes wherein we can put our donations. This scene of beggars getting into buses or jeepneys to ask for donations is not new to me. But to hear the beggar's short story is.

"Even in the mountains, we got nowhere to go."

"... but we are not being accepted."

Those phrases hit me real hard. And here is why...

Basilan is a province in the southernmost part of our country. I have never been there (maybe yet) but I have read good things about the place. It is rich with natural resources thus a great location for agricultural production like this coffee plantation covered by Britannica. On the other hand, Basilan is notorious due to insurgencies as we see on the news from time to time. Because of that, I guess many have this stereotyping of people from Basilan to be dangerous. There is nothing mentioned as to how the man's real property was usurped but it is maybe due to insurgency. And again, he said they got nowhere to go. That may be possible if rebels keep tailing the residents and harassing them. I can only imagine.

Then I remember this song of Merle Haggard.

The branded man paid for his debt yet people are not satisfied. What is more with this man who may not have done anything yet being rejected by default? The man's story may not be true. He may be just creating a drama, who knows. But assuming his story is true, I questioned myself and the society that I live in.

• What do we do with people like him? Throw them somewhere? Bury them alive?
• Isn't not giving the man a chance to find a decent means of living like killing all his chances? Aren't we the ones driving people to do evil things if they can't get good chances and resolve to theft and other crimes?
• How easy do we judge by generalizing and stereotyping when we do not even know if the man is one of those rebels or just living a simple life in the farm?
• What will we do if we are him with nowhere to go and not being accepted by the society?
• Why don't we give people a chance?

At first, I did not want to give anything because the man looked perfectly healthy to work instead of beg. However, again assuming his story is true, I have no answers to my questions. That made me obliged to put something inside the envelope that he handed to me.

I did not know what to say. I guess the answer to my unspoken question will sum it all: How do we heal stereotyping and give chance to the living?

Join #ccc for Guaranteed 👍 Daily Income 💵 and Payout 💸 for Newbies (2.0) 🐟 🐜 🐛 in #ccc 👣 and Follow 👣 the Honor Code 🏅 - the Creed (Conditions and Limits Inside) AND the latest update <<< please click to read.