HBSE103-Soc.

Realities
Sir. AR Makipagay
Assignment #2

1. The documentary film “Salat” showed real social issues like severe poverty, poor
housing condition, poor sanitation, malnutrition, no safe playground for the kids, no
running water, no proper comfort room, health issues are not addressed (i.e primary
complex), crowded and unhealthy environment, a widow with six children (all
undernourished), no regular job/ income, no proper lighting, high risk of fire, no
space for doing their lessons.

2. The problem is very extensive. We can see on the film the face of poverty as the
main problem. They have no food on their table, can’t eat on proper time, three times
a day, they have health issues and nutrition problems. No available opportunity for
employment which I see the cause of their poverty. Their mother earns P 40.00 from
peeling pieces of garlic, which can’t support them proper/ healthful meal. All she can
buy is a pack of instant noodle, wake them up around eleven in the evening just to
put something on their stomach. Worst times she have no money to buy food so she
borrows money to her elder brother who is sometimes can’t give them support too.
They usually eat ones a day and it is sad that they are used to it. Their mother is
suffering from severe malnutrition too. She skips meal and/or sometimes give her
part to her children. Mary Rose shows poor performance in school because she is
always hungry and not feeling well. Her siblings are always on the street playing,
naked and hungry. They borrow bath soap to their neighbor since Mary Rose doesn’t
want to take a bath without soap and go to school without taking a bath. In her
school, she looks stunted and underweight for her age, compared to her other
classmates.

3. Despite these problems due to their poverty, their mother doesn’t want her family to
scatter. She doesn’t want to give-up her children. They need help. She doesn’t know
what to do. She just accepted the fact that she’s just poor and will die poor. She
needs counselling to bring her hope, someone to uplift her faith to the Lord and the
feeling of being loved and cared. Mary Rose at the age of 10, early awakened to
reality because of their situation but she keeps on dreaming. One day she will help
her siblings and mother. She wants to study and thinking that one day they can
afford to eat fried chicken. She wishes to get out of that dangerous environment that
they are in. She wants to be far from that chaotic place. Other than the services from
4P’s program and feeding projects from schools and private sectors (which is a great
help already), organizing the whole barangay and tapping all government programs
will be the answer for all these issues in our society. Ask help from NGOs for a
running water, proper lighting, and proper playground for the kids. Educate the public
about sanitation, health and nutrition. To approach the barangay Agriculturist to
teach/help people to grow their own vegetables. Tap the barangay Nutritionist to
educate them how to prepare a healthy meal without spending much. Teach them
family planning and help them be a responsible parent to their children. A project
from the government like micro finance to help them with their daily income, give
them guidance etc. and later on offer them additional skills training for greater
opportunity and choices. Addressing health issues with coordination from the
Regional Health Unit.
Submitted by: Cielo I. Adecer
BSSW Student