Pagpag/Batchoy

Not so long ago I got to watch a documentary about the increasing poverty rate in the Philippines. Unlike other news about poverty, this one did not only show pictures of garbage or beggars, it showed how people try to cope up with poverty and survive through the so-called PAGPAG/BATCHOY. You may be wondering what pagpag is. To all those unaware, pagpag are left-over food dusted off from garbage bags delivered from fast food chains. They wash it and afterwards they cook it and then that's their meal. Shocking right? It may even make your stomach sick but that's not what these people need today. They are in a great battle for survival. This is reality.

There are three branches in the operation of the pagpag system.

First- TAGA-DELIVER 2 am
One person will clean-up in fast food chains and in return he gets to bring their left-over food or what is seemingly for us garbage but for them wealth. He then drives, using his pedicab to a place they call 'bagsakan' where many people are waiting. The bagsakan is a warehouse. It is dirty and sometimes when it rains, there's water all over.


SECOND- TAGA-PAGPAG 3 am
Upon arrival of the delivery, people who are called 'taga-pagpag' will start working. They open the bags and then they do the 'pagpag'. They dust off the left-over food and separate it from those which are already bones. Most of the times they get fried chickens but not very often there are hotdogs and burger patties. They do this for hours not trying to waste a piece.




THIRD- TAGA-LAKO 6-7 am
After separating the food, they distribute them to the people who will later on sell it. They are called 'taga-lako'. They wiegh them and place them in plastic bags. Each bag cost abot P25. They sell it to the residents of Smokey Mountain. Amazingly, people are actually eager to buy some.




This is how the trade goes. Then, the pagpag will be cooked again. It can be cooked in different ways and the most popular dish are adobo and fried pagpag. While mothers are cooking, the kids are waiting and you can see the joy in their face. They don't care where it came from, all they know is that they will again be able to taste their favorite meal, fried chicken! It broke my heart seeing them. They were given no choice. And this is the saddest part. The unequal distribution of resources has done its part. It saddens me knowing the fact that some people are wasting money and food while some are struggling to survive.





No one in this world has the right to drop judgement on them. It's is the Philippine economy dictating them to do this. Who would want to eat left-overs? No one right? So why do you think do they stick to this kind of life? It's because they want to survive. They don't do this because they're lazy or anything, this is because they were given no choice. They are not in any way a lesser person compared to us.

To all those people especially the city officials who are blaming these people, you might as well try to think it over. Don't try to was your hands. You are also responsible. We are all responsible for the welfare of our fellowmen. Why are we placed in a better social status than them? It's not to insult them but to help them. The minds have become so narrow as time passes by. The eyes have become so blind. The hearts have become so cold. What's next?





Photo courtesy:
www.reuters.com
www.flickr.com