There's a saying to be kind to the poor but listen, the poor aren't always oppressed nor are they always good people. This is the problem of the victim card mentality of Pinoys... it gives way to support the beggar culture which has in a way relation to the squatter culture. In fact, why are we always having Mr. Lazy around? Currently in the Philippines there is a PHP 500.00 fine for giving to beggars but how strictly enforced is that? Sad to say, even some Philippine police may be guilty of the lax implementation and are also giving to beggars. Worse Pinoy pridists have a pride
What could be the cause of the beggar culture? I would admit giving to beggars seems a noble thing but it isn't. In the Philippines there are the problems of the sea gypsies called Badjaos who go there for "easy money" and the children are made to beg to support their lazy parents. Some of these parents really don't do anything at all so they want money, they beg and they may even steal. Another is the lazy relative syndrome. True this lazy relative may not be begging at the streets but he is a free loader and still a beggar nonetheless. Some of them become OFWs not for noble causes but to feed that lazy relative. It's all done in the name of KKK- kaibigan (friends), kamag-anak (relatives) and kababayan (countrymen).
Why should the beggar culture go away? There is a Chinese proverb that says, "Give him fish and he will have a meal for a day, teach him how to fish and he will have a meal for a lifetime." The Philippine government keeps tolerating mendicancy, these beggars turn in return into foul leeches that suck off the blood of the industrious. It kills any possible labor force that could be used for huge companies. Some people do jobs like janitorial or manual labor out of poverty and lack of education so their children don't follow. Others work while going to school to get a better job. But if it's all done to feed a lazy relative, then that's tolerating parasitism. No matter how good one's salary is, it was only meant to take care of family needs but never parasitism. The beggar culture is what could be called as, "You work or you don't work, you don't get paid." Hmmm... that's what Bobo Muna wants doesn't it?
I guess Filipinos have not learned from the lessons of the character Juan Tamad who in some versions, later becomes industrious. If beggars are tolerated out of pity (except for the disabled) then we are discouraging work which in turn destroys the workforce since money should only be paid to people according to work. Beggars can be very annoying indeed even to the poor who strive hard to survive. Worse, it can ruin potential foreign investment which could have improved the Philippines to alleviate it from poverty because of a government that actually rewards the lazy and punishes the diligent.
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