Did you ever notice that sometimes you have a perception of how something is, yet when you put it to the test you find out that you were wrong? Maybe you aren’t 100% wrong, but you are also not right.
This happened to me last week, and both Feyma and I were kind of shocked when we realized how wrong our impression was.
On my birthday last week, Feyma and I went out to lunch at a nice restaurant here in Davao called De Bonte Ko. It is a Dutch Restaurant, owned by a friend named Henny. We really enjoyed our meal there, and the staff there really treated us in a first class way as they always do when we visit. We realized that we had some business in the downtown area, and it was easier to just walk from De Bonte Ko to take care of our business, so I asked Henny if it would be alright for me to leave my car in the lot until I finished my business downtown, he said it was no problem. Well, I had about half of what I ordered for lunch left over (spare ribs), and asked for it to be put in a “doggy bag” for take out. I told Feyma that I hated to waste it, but since we weren’t headed straight home, I would just give it to one of the street kids that I saw while we were walking. She thought it was a good idea too.
So, we were off walking through the streets of downtown Davao. We had a few stops to make, and ended up walking maybe 8 blocks or so through the City streets taking care of business. I was keeping a sharp eye out for the right person to give my extra spare ribs to, but I was not finding anybody. I was hoping to give it to a youngster that was begging on the streets – not a specific person, just any such kid. Funny thing was, we walked through all those blocks, and I never saw a beggar at all, let alone a kid! Finally, when we just got back to where we started I saw a kid begging about a block down the street, so I walked down there and gave it to him. He sure was grateful for the food, and it made me feel good to share it with him.
But, you know, my perception was that I would run into 3 or 4 such kids in the first block that I walked! That’s what Feyma expected too. Is it that there are fewer beggars now? Did I just happen to get “un-lucky”? Whatever the reason was, both Feyma and I were shocked, and we even joked that you could not even find a beggar on the streets when you needed one!
What do you think? Does this surprise you, like it did us?
Hi Bob,
you are right bob when i was in town in october last year i notice the same thing. i have been coming to davao for about six year now with my wife to see her family . we have notice a lot less begging on the streets now, its a good thing .
Hi Andy – Yep, I agree…. it's certainly a good thing!
Here in el rio we get beggars going house to house about once a month. There's some squatter housing down by the river where they live. It's actually no too many people though. I have noticed less in the downtown areas as well. I used to get mobbed whenever I went to McDo at Victoria but the last time I went there wasn't one anywhere around. Maybe the police are chasing them away? I feel for thier situation, most beggars here are destitute and are not beggars by choice, unlike the ones I see in the States.
Hi Bob: It's very interesting that you point this out, because I remember when I came down to Davao a few weeks ago, I didn't at all see any street children begging for alms! It was quite refreshing. It must be a good indication of the poverty and income inequality situation in the city.
Of course it's always very kind to alleviate poverty in our own little ways, but in Manila there are simply too many children and families on the streets to determine who to help out! And it's just not my perception. Give to one kid, and the rest of them will follow suit. Sometimes it makes one feel guilty to "choose" whom to give to. Aren't you glad Davao hasn't that problem?
Thanks very much for sharing this story. Cheers!!! 🙂
Hi BrSpiritus – I don't ever recall ever having any beggars here around our house – not counting kids singing Christmas Carols – so it is nice. I would not enjoy having beggars coming after me in my own neighborhood!
Hi Migs – I was so surprised to not have found a bunch of street kids, and happily so. I can only imagine how it must be there in Manila!
Back in the mid-70s, the _Firesign_Theater_ released a comedy album entitled, "Everything You Know is Wrong." Though it's pure satire, it still "bent my mind" quite a bit. 😕
Ever since, I've found myself to be most successful whenever I based my decisions on the title's premise! 😆
Hi Paul – I never heard of that movie before, although I think it would interest me based on the title!
I recently had the pleasure of showing my Mother in Law and Father in Law who live in Sto.Tomas, Davao del Norte the sights of London when they visited us last month.
They were very very surprised to see plenty of beggars and people sleeping in shop doorways over never mind in Davao City !!
In fact they were saying they saw less beggars in Davao as well.
Scott
Well I have to update what I said earlier. Venice and I went to Uyanguren to buy a scoop for the rice bins and shop at NCCC for the store. I had one kid appraoch me so I gave her some money… soon I felt like Idiana Jones in the scene from Temple of Doom when he's in the indian villiage… so many beggars. Maybe it's just location lol.
I remember on my first trip to the Philippines I encountered a group of children begging on the streets of Manila. They kept saying "please rice". I gave them a handful of pesos, and I remember them running across the street to a grocery store and buying ice cream cones. Kids will be kids.
Bob – maybe Mayor D – gave an ultimatum to these beggars? or put them somewhere – DSWD, or the beggars found another 'good' area … nevertheless, it might be a good indication also that these beggars are taken care of by the local government – if that is true – i will be glad to hear that…
You always see beggars on the walkway crossing the road going over to Victoria Plaza some bad cases there sheltering from the sweltering mid day sun. Usually there is a blind guy that i always gave money too when i crossed there, he had a old withered cracked skin hand with a few fingers missing, he played some sort of string instrument with a couple of strings on it and a plastic cup hanging from the end.
As a previous poster said you usually get alot of kids outside MacD V Plaza. Once i was there, there was a western young couple who bought about 10 burgers for the kids. There eyes lit up! Problem is every foreigner they expect the same treatment.
What gets me is that they are often dodging the traffic i was scarred that one of them would get knocked down. I use to sit there and observe who would give money and who would'nt and there reaction to be being pestered. Mostly i would say fellow filipinos would not give and some would get really annoyed often i would see foreigners give. It seemed a cruel world when inside you see youngsters with there parents playing and tucking into their burgers when there is another child tapping the window asking for food.
Sometimes i did get a bit annoyed at them asking me for money so i did not give everytime but then you feel guilty that you hav'nt. You cannot win you can only accept thats the way it is.
re not seen many kids on the street well i know what they do with a few stray dogs rumour has it! round them up at night and feed them to the Crocs in Crocodile Park! 😯
Hi Scott – Wow, I bet your in-laws enjoyed their trip to the UK immensely! That's great to hear! I remember when Feyma first went to the USA, she was shocked that we had beggars there too! 😆
Hi BrSpiritus – If I had to guess, I would venture that Uyangaren is probably the biggest hotspot in town for beggars.
Hi Joe Parisi – Ha ha… that is indeed funny. Oh well, at least they had something to eat!
Hi Marygrace – fewer kids begging is a good thing, that's for sure!
Hi graham – Good to hear from you! Ah, you mean in the Pedestrian Overpass near Victoria? Yeah, there are always beggars in there! The crocodile Park? 😯
A few weeks ago I was riding a Jeepney a handful of beggar kids had been following me ad they jumped on the back of the Jeepney to continue trying to beg from me. We didn't go far till the driver stopped and ran them off.
I believe it was the same day that I had a couple little boys follow me across a 4 lane street to continue begging. Where they seem to be most annoying is in the wet market though. You can tell where I am by the crowd of beggars. Its so annoying that I haven't been to the market in months.
I have noticed some places seldom have beggars though don't know why they pick certain areas.
Hi John H – Very interesting! Sounds like they were really pestering you. If you don't mind my asking – what City are you located in?
I'm still here in Davao
I should have mentioned those were exceptions. Most of the time they aren't that persistent. When I first got here some kids tried to block me from getting in a taxi till I paid them. I was just as persistent and ignored them though lol. However I have been back there several times and had no problems I would guess someone put a stop to that since it was in front of a mall.
I rarely give them anything not wanting to encourage the behavior but I have given to a few that were obviously disabled adults and one little girl who was just so irresistibly cute lol.
Hi John H – OK, here in Davao…. Thanks for the reminder.