starving kids, who's to blame?

@maryannemax (12156)
Sweden
January 27, 2007 4:51pm CST
i always get to see news about starving kids and that people always blame the government saying that the government is the cause of poverty. on my view, why do people always blame everything to the government? why can't everyone contribute rather than pointing blames to someone else. here in the philippines, there are too many starving kids. mostly, those who belong in the squatter's areas (slums). kids in those areas seem to just multipy every now and then. i am shocked upon seeing a family with 12 or 15 kids living in this very small house they call home. okey. it's none of my business. but haven't these couple thought first of their kids' future. ofcourse, for example, the man is just working in a vulcanizing shop earning 100 pesos a day. his wife stays at home to take care of the family. how can 100 pesos feed all 12 or 15 children? we should all do our part. sometimes, we should realize that it's us to be blamed about and not other people nor the government. if we just take steps, just simple steps for the better, everything will be okey.
9 people like this
65 responses
• Philippines
28 Jan 07
parents definitely are the ones to blame...you see there are many things around us that can be a source of income if only parents will try harder and work harder..though the government has its part also but the parents have the greatest responsibility to give their children a happy and bountiful living..it is part of the responsibilities they promise to carry when they vowed to get married and make their own families
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Jan 07
I don't think that this is true in every case and in every country. There are many places on earth where parents can try and find "sources of income," as you say, only to find none available. There's still a big problem, particularly in Latin America and Africa, with equitable distribution of wealth and resources.
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
27 Jan 07
yes we all seemed to have this problem, I see a lot of families struggling but I have also noticed a lot of them are still smoking so I wonder where their priorities, as far as Governments are concerned I think they should fix this world up first before they go off exploring other worlds, a lot of money goes into that, and of course the countries that are sending aid (money) to some other countries, yes the majority of people are hungry but the people sunning the countries are living in huge palaces some with gold taps so to speak...something need to be equalled out a bit or something...something is not right.
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
27 Jan 07
i won't agree much on you. well, if i am a rich person, i cannot give all my money and feed all people who are starving. just because one is rich does not mean that she/he has the responsibility to feed everyone just to make people say that there's equality. everyone should strive harder for the better. not just rich people doing stuffs like this.
1 person likes this
• Canada
28 Jan 07
The government may have a lot of fautls but I can't see how anyone can blame the government for mistakes we the people have made on our own . It is us the people who take the decision to have a baby any time we sleep with someone . And you can't possibly blame someone else for this . If you live in an area of poverty and cannot afford more children you should take extra precautions not to have anymore and if you have a child and cannot care for it then you always have the right to give it to a family who would be better equipped to care for the child .
1 person likes this
• United States
28 Jan 07
Well, the government here in the Philippines is really corrupt anyway. A vulcanizer elsewhere wouldn't be making only 100. And as you can see, because of this low pay the couple doesn't have any other past time but hanky panky hahaha... sad fact but these people aren't educated about birth control and so forth... Anywa, even people who are college educated out here cannot afford to buy a car or a house in their lifetime. Just look at you, you have a foreigner boyfriend... I wonder why.
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
28 Jan 07
so, what do you mean? that i am a gold digger because i have a foreigner boyfriend? we did not fall inlove in an instant. we started out as friends and went way up. if you can just go and face him, he'll proudly tell you that i never asked even a cent from him. you're a nurse and to tell you, i am a pharmacist. if i do have a foreigner boyfriend, it's none of your business. you got the guts to judge me? i am 28. and i am a responsible person taking care of a brother who has leukemia. and eventhough, i strive hard to earn money for him along with my parents. you don't have the right to judge me for who i am.
@cheenlly (3477)
• Philippines
28 Jan 07
i think that is out of the line ms. marief2nurse.What has to do with having a foreigner boyfriend. Its none of your damn business. I think its sounds an insult and its not right to judge someone. KNow the person first before saying like that and do not generalize all people in the Philippines because if it is then your one of it. Even the poor ones aware of birth control they just dont have the willingness to do it. Government try to educate people but they just refuse to learn. I bet your aware of that. You should be ashamed of yourself saying like that.Dont like to offend you but i think your very arrogant .
• United States
28 Jan 07
Don't generalize the people in the Philippines. Other intelligent college graduates can definitely buy a car or even a house. It depends on how you manage your money and your future. You're maybe a nurse but I think your "money" is eating your brains and heart out. You should know better where you came from in the first place. Besides, having a foreigner boyfriend is none of your business.
@hottie0728 (1732)
• United States
28 Jan 07
I think the first one to blame are the parents. I think they don't have enough knowlegde that's why they ended up having 12-15 kids. Philippines is a Catholic country, the church is against contraceptives that's why the people there are most likely do it the natural way. I think the government should also take responsibility. They should have programs for poor and illiterate people so that they would be able to help them survive and contribute more in the society rather than being a useless citizen.
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
28 Jan 07
first of all, thanks for backing me up with that nurse who thinks that i am a gold digger. i certainly am not. thank you so much. and you are right, families should be responsible on how many children they can really afford bring up. and everything will atleast be better.
@yanjiaren (9031)
28 Jan 07
it is a collective problem, governmental, municipal and individuall..we ALL have a responsibility..this is why we have to find better ways of cooperating..on every level..civil and individual..
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
28 Jan 07
that's so true. everyone has responsibility in contributing to making our lives better.
@ebfh2006 (175)
• United States
28 Jan 07
I agree it is a collective problem. Even small donations from individuals make a difference. In some countries aid cannot get through to the people due to hostile or corrupt Government intervention or war. Governments and municipalities need to cooperate with Aid agencies and come up with plans to get the aid through to where it is needed.
@getnbuy (1312)
• United States
28 Jan 07
I don't know why people think the government should take care of everybody. People need to learn to take care of themselves. The family who has so many children should use birth control. Perhaps a government could teach the people how to fend for themselves, use birth control, etc. Education plays a major role in getting people out of poverty. I also believe, like you say, that those who have plenty should help the poor. but, not so much in hand outs as in education and giving them chances to succeed.
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
28 Jan 07
our government in the philippines is trying to promote birth control programs. but most don't want it. saying that it's not what they want. and they just suffer in the end.
@chiyosan (30184)
• Philippines
10 Feb 07
i wouldn't blame the government afterall it was not the government's doing that there was another kid in your family. it was lack of family planning and a result of being a irresponsible parent. i blame their parents first, why have a kid more than you can afford? it is just not possible.
@cheenlly (3477)
• Philippines
28 Jan 07
the people itself should realize that and not blame the government. I hate when i hear that people blame others like the government for the poverty they are suffering when they have already aware about it and still having many kids. The fact that they know that the world is having poverty they should have the initiative to make a family planning. They have the mind to think what is good an not for their family. The government give knowledge and teach about family planning and other stuff but still they continue having a big family. Those people should be responsible of themselves.
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
28 Jan 07
lack of initiative and lack of willingness to do their parts. that's so hard to accept but it's mostly true.
@hellboi (661)
• Philippines
29 Jan 07
it is the parents' responsibility to provide for their kids' needs: food, clothing, shelter, medicine, education and a lot. so before you try to pop out a kid be sure you have a nice plan and a stable job to be able to provide for those needs which are really a lot. i think it is really irresponsible for some to just keep on having a child while they can't even provide enough for the growing kids they already have. i think parents should think twice everytime they would want another one because it would be very unfair to the kids if they live in such poor conditions.
@Aussies2007 (5336)
• Australia
9 Feb 07
I totally agree with you. And I see "red" when you mention a guy having 15 kids. It is these very sort of people who are responsible for creating poverty in this world. As long as birth control is not enforced in the same way than China did... the situation will get worse every year. I have no sympathy at all for people who have more than 5 kids. They get everything they deserve. Even in the wealthy western world... it is a struggle to bring up 5 kids these days. Most people only have two or three.
• Philippines
28 Jan 07
Like you, I think our government is not the one to be blamed. If parents dont have them in the first place, there wont be kids that will starve. They cant just have kids and do nothing and blame it all to the government.
@maryannemax (12156)
• Sweden
28 Jan 07
it makes me feel sad because sometimes, others make other people with better lives feel guilty. i mean, we worked hard to get to where we are today. we did not win the lottery or so. we strived hard to have a better life. i am 28 and still, i am not prepared to have a kid. i want to atleast be prepared financially, and emotionally for my future kids. it's us who make our own future. if we are in agony, it's us to be blamed.
@ajinomoto23 (1057)
• Philippines
9 Feb 07
Hunger, Poverty. Many children are neglected - Money is the reason. Who can solve the problem of Population and Poverty - The government has a share to the problem the rich has a share to the problem. There should be some organization to provide food and education to the poor. Concerned Citizen can help - like the Gawad Kalinga. the Cooperative in other countries is sucessful. Now we have the Micro-financing - each member get 5,000 pesos to start a livelihood. There are many concrete ways to alliviate poverty.
@bubuth (1815)
• Philippines
22 Nov 12
I think we can blame the government,we can also blame our self. I heard that there are countries that can support the need of people who are lack in financial to buy foods. Their government support them and the government give them foods, I think our government can also do the same if they will stop corruption. We can also blame our self because some of us have a good income but sometimes we just spend it in not so useful things instead of helping other. That is only what I think.
@remaster74 (4064)
• Greece
28 Jan 07
What do you prefer more? Spending money to make arms and wars or spend money in order to fead all the world? That's why we all blame the governments. Because they spend too much money in wars and arms and never on their citizens.
@Brooke3 (610)
28 Jan 07
I think there are so many people and organisations who are to blame for child poverty. In my opinion the fact that there is child poverty is unacceptable. Over here in the U.K we have child poverty and we are supposed to be a wealthy nation, there is something clearly wrong with this. I think there are irresponsible parents who should stop having children if they can't afford to feed them, but then it is also necessary to look at why they keep having children. Is it religious? That leads to the question of whether religions such as Catholicism are irresponsible for encouraging people not to use contraception. Is it because they can't afford the contraception? Which then leads us to question whether the government should provide cheap or free contraceptives. I'm just trying to illustrate that it's a very complicated issue. i think most people could do more to help but there seems to be this attitude of "it's not my problem" like if it's not your children or you who is starving then why help? But I think as human beings we should all try to help each other as much as possible.
@venshida (4836)
• United States
28 Jan 07
The government is not to blame. I think the individual is responsible. I have three kids, and i knew I could not afford another so I stop. I think in most places birth control is readily available, and I think people for one reason or another choose not to use it. It's sad to see the poverty, but I think only with education and family planning we can eliminate this problem.
@sayuri001 (130)
• Japan
28 Jan 07
I understand what you feel I mean I often wonder the same like you. Sometimes people in our country is not that responsible enough to think what will happen to them in the future. They just keep multilpying, and not even thingking how they child will grow up if not given proper education and everything the children needs. And then, when everything seems hopeless and helpless for them they will think of anyone or anything to blame like government,poverty and stuffs like that. But the truth is, they should be blamed because of not being responsible citizen, parent and human to our country. I feel sorry for the children begging for money in the streets, children at their young age worked because their parents don't bother to take care of them, i feel sorry for those children who don't go to school and continue to grow up without proper education. And I think the person should be blamed for this starving kids and hapless victims are their very own irresponsible parents.
@SWAP007 (88)
• India
28 Jan 07
tellme do u have kids.. if u have kids take care od then so nicely that they willl help u then
@aslygirl (531)
• Philippines
29 Jan 07
Its very hard for anyone to understand the life of this people and how they survive their daily life.The main reason of this problem is ourselves.If we only have responsive discipline and we should learn self-control and personal responsibility.Then no uneducated and starving child.