THE ENVELOPED: A NEW INNOVATIVE STRATEGY OF THE STREET CHILDREN – A CASE STUDY
THESIS : STREET CHILDREN TODAY FIND WAYS AND MEANS TO ASKED FOR AN ALMS BY WAY OF GIVING AN ENVELOPED TO RIDING PUBLIC /PASSENGER FOR THEM TO EARN A LIVING? THEIR PARENTS TEND TO TOLERATE THIS KIND OF ACTIVITY BECAUSE THEY ENCOURAGED BY THOSE THEY PERCEIVE AS THEIR WAY AND SOURCES OF SURVIVAL. I. Statement of the Purpose A. Demographic profile of the children (background profile of the subject
1.1. Gender;
1.2. Age;
1.3. Number of Siblings;
1.4. Order of birth of the subjects;
1.5. Marital Status of Parents
1.6. Mother and Father’s
1.7 Educational Attainment

B. What behavioural characteristics are manifested by the children-subjects as observed by the parents and teachers in terms of:

4.1. Social Behaviour 4.2. Cultural Behaviour C. What policy recommendations may be proposed based on the findings of the study? D. How are these habits of the children-subject in terms of:
3.1. The total number of hours spent in the street during and after school days; and
3.2. The total number of hours spent in the street on weekends and or holidays II. Definition and scope of the enveloped begging children. III. Reasons why this enveloped begging children was tolerated by their parents;

A. Common explanation : poverty B. Other explanation such as; 1. Resources 2. Traditional ideology 3. Institutional Response a. Police b. Child Psychologist c. Social worker d. Court e. Community and environment IV. Solutions A. Public awareness B. Crisis lines C. Legislation

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION: A. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY.
In this age of brisk and technological progress, modern-day Philippine society is beset by numerous maladjustments and crucial tribulations challenging the best powers of national leaders and social scientist.
This research undertakes to present simple as possible the basic concepts of sociology and anthropology that would contribute towards awareness and clearer understanding of the social conditions that are perceived as social problems. It is also meant to let researcher, professionals, academe, as well as the students realize that the said tribulations are capable of solutions through collective action of the citizens of the country or should I say from us. It can be indispensable source of research especially for the growing numbers of Indigenous People (IP’s) now in the metropolis and it is timely and relevant investigation for our topic is the Enveloped beggars: A New Innovative Strategy of Badjao’s street children socio economic aspect of survival; A Social Search Investigations and Assessment. It is a research study in related to social and scientific issues. The study presents needed materials in a concise and thorough manner geared to current educational trends and adopted to the academe as part of their continuing tools on a broader aspect.
The growing number Badjao in Manila has been identified by many concern organizations particularly the Non-Government Organizations (NGO) and some private organizations are fast alarming that many of them responded to the interest of violations of human dignity, violations, exploitations and most probably abuse.
One of the respondent and concern NGO is the Sun for All Children (SFAC), a child social institution wherein one of its basic aims is to provide educational assistance to this Indigenous People (IP) and become productive and model citizen of their ethnic groups. Who are the Badjao’s? The Bajaus are a Filipino Muslim Ethnic group nomadic, seafaring people often referred to as sea gypsies and group of boat dwellers people. They came from two (2) tribes, the Bajau tribes and Bajau Laut tribes. Bajau Laut tribes are known as the sea gypsy people like other island people of the Pacific Ocean in southern Philippines and other small islands. Their religion is Sunni Muslim.
They originated from Zamboanga, Basilan, Jolo provinces, Tawi-Tawi and scattered throughout the Sulu Archipelago in Philippines.
For many years Bajau Laut lived in the ocean and travelled using lepa-lepa, a handmade boat which many lived in.
The ocean is still their main source of living - fishing, collecting clams and mussels, and pearl farming.
Bajau are peace loving people, known to be very gentle and shy indigenous people, trustworthy in spite of being illiterate. They love to sing and dance the "IGAL"
Most of their ancestor’s are known to be living peacefully and survive by way of catching fish and other sea foods, very few of them were engaged in planting and most has to eat crop roots vegetables and fruits that naturally grows near swamps. Culturally speaking, this Indigenous People is popularly peace loving kind, very close family ties as you can see most of their households are composed of 2 to 3 families. Bajau houses are built and stands near the sea which is made of bamboo and wooden scraps and coconut leaves. There is no furniture or rooms, just a single space for everything like washing, bathing, cooking, sleeping and used as toilet.
Fishing, building boats, and working with iron are primarily male occupations. Women generally weave mats and market pottery. Their staple food is cassava which is dried by pressing very tightly in clothes and cooked without oil and other sea products.
The Bajau are 100% illiterate that kept them from acquiring basic services such as proper 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: 2.1 Age 2.2 Sex 2.3 Educational Attainment 2.4 Religion affiliation 2.5 Place of origin 2.6 Family composition 2.7 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 being implemented by the NGO’s and LGU’s.

* Basis to motivate the government or individuals concern to make programs that mostly benefited the badjao community, and utilized their learned skills by way of helping each other not be dependent to each other but likewise independent.

* This study can awaken government authorities and policy makers to support NGOs call for action activities in order for them to offer adequate services to their constituents particularly the Badjao community and be able to set suitable and feasible programs for community development specially in preventing migrations to urban communities (offers livelihood programs, TESDA skills training etc.)

For the Badjao Community

* It could be a way to ventilate and make known the voices of the Badjao residents and it could be understood widely and to mobilize them in order to build security and common good for their community.

* 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 Researcher / Students / People/ Academe
For the researcher, this study will give them a deeper understanding on the lives and aspirations of the badjao community and it can improve our skills in working with the badjao community directly and develop our human interactions with them.

* For Social Workers, this study will help them be equipped in working with Barangays, NGOs/LGUs/Pos and Faith base organization. As well as the Philippine Christian University in guiding future students who may opt to study and venture similar or related study. This can be use as reference and utilize as bases for conceptualization of helping cultural communities, indigenous people or Barangay.

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS:
This study focused on the situation of Badjao community and their children assisted by NGOs concern operating in the Barangay 704 Zone 77 of Malate covered by District 5 City of Manila. The study will be limited to 2 to 3 NGOs due to time frame and single out one Barangay, approximately Forty (40) families or an equivalent of Two Hundred Forty Two (242) individuals.
Interviewed was conducted during weekends or holidays for the researcher to prepare. At least 3 families were interviewed by the researcher and were able to make home visit and discovered their pitied conditions.
Related literature showed herewith is taken from several offices and gathered through interviews and focus group discussions conducted by the researcher thru the assistance of Sun for All Children project coordinator. It is participatory action since the community was mobilized and participated in the whole process of the study, thus realize its lack of coordination, leadership and motivation in meeting, the needs of the community. Some of the laws related mentioned is read, browsed from libraries and some are reference materials stored from the NGOs who also participated in the study. A recent seminar forum was a tool also to help the researcher understand the broad and importance of the Philippine cultural minorities.
The researcher conducted several interviews and area visitation to be accurate with the data and reliability facts given here. The NGOs here mentioned are generally focuses on CHILD Protection and Development aspects with children as target beneficiaries of most of the NGOs that are the focus of the study.

CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK and REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE and STUDIES

SOCIAL ORDER

COMMUNITY
People’s Organization
COLLABORATIONN
PARTNERSHIP

LOCAL
BARANGAY
(Stakeholders)
Non Governmental Organization
(NGO’s)

ar

COORDINATION

Figure 1 developed the idea of roles into collectivises of roles that complement each other in fulfilling functions of society. Some roles are bound up in institutions and social structures (economic, educational, legal and even gender based). These are functional in the sense that they assist society in operating and fulfill its functional needs so that society runs smoothly.
Individuals in interaction with changing situations adapt through a process of "role bargaining.” Once the roles are established, they create norms that guide further action and are thus institutionalized, creating stability interactions across social interactions. Where the adaptation process cannot adjust due to sharp shocks or immediate radical change, structural dissolutions occurs and either new structures (or therefore new system) are formed, or society dies.
The researcher will be able to apply these theories in the context of Parsons functional theory by which the different Non-governmental organizations together with the local community leaders and local Barangay authority would identify their problems and issues throughout their collective effort. By this guidance or theoretical framework the community will be able to assess collectively and further develop a close partnership towards the development of the community.
The theory can been relevant to the partnership of the community, stakeholders and the different organizations who supposed to be functional towards coordination, collaboration towards partnership in achieving the total development and social order and social change in delivering social services for the community, specifically the Badjao community.
Professor Angelito G. Manalili an author of Community Organizing for People’s Empowerment had made a very clear framework on community Development for People’s Empowerment and Self Reliance. The framework has transpired the undersigned researcher to do a research study using community organizing through the stake holders and the People’s organization and the Non-Governmental Organization.

Historically speaking Badjao is uncertain. According to a legend they came from shores of Johor, Indonesia. They live in clusters of houseboats Badjao were originally on the land based Samal group but branched off into boat dwellers as a result of their occupation. (Noel Reyes 1995)
Another story of theory is that Badjao have been nomadic, seafaring people for almost of their history. Many badjao still practice the same traditions and lifestyle, they commonly called the “sea gypsies.” They mostly live or stay in the area of Sulu Sea, off the south-western coast of the Philippines and the various seas surrounds the Indonesian Island of Sulawesi.
The badjao like many other distinct group, have lost some of their cultural heritage, as some of their stories were re-told to the next generation. They also beginning to lost their adopted ancestral land domain and communities. Accordingly, even most of their traditional seafaring boats building craft are also losing, as they replace their handmade lipa-lipa boats with commercially built, mass produced one. (Sather 1997).
Originally, they were peacefully seafaring people living on the Sulu Island or scattered island in Mindanao who have become both war and economic refugees. They are war refugees because over the past several years, they have caught in the violent crossfire between Muslim separatists and the Christian backed government in Manila. Apparently, they have been victims of over fishing by other groups using explosive devices such as dynamite to high tech fishing trawlers. Some of the other Badjao migrated to the city to look for possible resources that they can use for their everyday life and one of those areas they migrated are the National Capital Region (NCR) where you may distinguish them when they give you an enveloped in the jeep, while waiting they sang.