Jose Miguel M.

Madrid 10/25/2023
HUMSS301 No. of words: 500

Poverty is a societal illness that still plagues our nation to this day. Some may deem it an
inevitability that is to be accepted, a sacrifice meant for the greater good, or for the overall
development of our society. Yet this statement rings hollow, a false justification that disregards
the lives of impoverished families and communities in the Philippines. Poverty isn’t just some
concept that is to be examined through statistics or theoretical deliberation, it is a physical
problem that is rooted in truth, and manifests in real-world consequences that numerous people
must face. These realities behind the curtain are often overlooked when discussing societal issues
like poverty. Each number or figure stated in reports and overviews signifies a community, a
group, a family. A living and breathing human that lives beyond the charts and percentages and
struggles with the actuality of it all.
In 2005, GMA Network placed these issues on the forefront of national concern. Each
household confronted with the images of malnourished children and struggling Filipino families.
Little kids with ribs and spines protruding out of their skin, enlarged stomachs, pale lips, and
tear-stained faces. Nothing short of absolute pain was present in their expressions, with an almost
melancholic naivete in their eyes. I-Witness, a documentary series airing on GMA Network, was
no stranger to presenting the harsh realities of Filipino society, uncomfortable truths were never
shied away from. Through an exploration in the community of Pugad Lawin, renowned
journalist Kara David interviews different families in this impoverished area of Camarines Norte.
Immediately, we were thrust into the perspectives of these families, their reasons as to why they
have lived this way for years seemed all too familiar to situations seen on the news currently.
2016 saw Kara David return to these families, only to find that the situation has only
remained the same, if not worse. In a sad turn of events, we find out that two of the children in
the documentary, those same children we had built a bond over in the first part, had passed away
due to disease. An abrupt end to their lives, ones that could have been more, experiences and
emotions never to be felt by them again. An abrupt end, that sadly is the norm for families like
these. Even in death, poverty never lets them rest peacefully, as the land to buy a proper grave
plot is too expensive. Instead, an overgrowth of plants and leaves serves as their gravestones.
I acknowledge my place as a privileged person, each harsh truth uncovered about their lives
just stings my heart a little deeper. It puts a lot of things into perspective, how we as individuals
never acknowledge the struggles beyond our bubble of ignorance. A thought kept repeating in
my head while watching the situation unfold in front of me: they all deserve so much more. But
then I piece it together, maybe the idea of something “more” is a promise only meant for the
privileged. A harrowing realization.