It was just another day, I woke up at 4 am in the morning still looking tired and weary. I stood up, took a huge plastic bag, skipped breakfast and rushed to the door which is my usual set up. Not even a split second I have reached my destination. I was there in the slums, taking leftover food from the trash. Handling them carefully as if they're as precious as gems. As the sun started to rise, I went back home and started to cook the food I got which is now known as "pagpag." This is my life, the life of the unfortunate.
"Pagpag" is a term used for leftover food from fast food restaurants. People whom are from the slum areas of Manila are commonly known as "mambabatchoy" who scavenge pagpag in garbage sites and dumps.
Why did this become a routine for some Filipinos? you may ask. This is actually a result from extreme poverty in the country. Having to battle hunger on a daily basis is unlike any other challenge, for it is a matter of life and death.
The National Anti-poverty Commission warns against eating pagpag because of the threat of malnutrition and diseases such as Hepatitis A, thyroid, diarrhea, and cholera. Health risks include ingestion of poisons, toxins, and food-borne illnesses. Despite these, a vendor of pagpag claims that no one has died eating the pagpag he sells. Likewise, there are people who do not get sick out of eating pagpag due to overproduction of antibodies in their immune system, although there have been children who became ill from consuming pagpag.
The National Statistical Coordination Board recommended the administration of the Philippine President Benigno Aquino III to reduce poverty. Pinky Soliman, the secretary of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said that the government has been addressing the issue and helping poor people through feeding programs and conditional cash transfers.
Little did we know that many Filipinos are struggling from poverty. Resulting to not being able to provide for their everyday needs, even as simple as food for daily consumption. We tend to forget how privileged we are for the things we have. We tend to complain for not being able to get our "wants," that we forget to thank for having our "needs." Us, being the fortunate and lucky ones, let's put ourselves in their shoes, maybe we wouldn't even survive a day in their lives.
With every grain of rice you've wasted is equivalent to a responsibility and a commitment. Promise to appreciate every bit of food you have in the table. The food you consider as trash already, is a feast in the eye of the less fortunate.
LIPAAD Science and Technology Writing (English) Best Output
2019-2020