Both good and bad

You can tell the holiday season has started when you start seeing the usual street children singing songs, dancing in front of your car, complete with homemade musical instruments, or simply asking for money by your car window. Some oblige while others simply dismiss them. Apparently, these mendicant children do not just ply the streets and sidewalks, but malls and business establishments as well. I know that begging inside malls and business establishments is not allowed, and security guards are quick to cite these children and lead them out, although some children do not take this well.

A video taken inside a mall shows a child that has entered a mall being hysterical and combative towards the security guard leading her out of the establishment. The guard was simply doing his job of not allowing beggars inside the mall, which obviously the child was doing. But upon exiting the mall, other street children came to the aid of the accosted child and started maltreating the guard. As the guard simply led the child out and headed back into the mall, one of the children threw something at him that hit him in the head. The children then scampered away. But it's as if the guard can't do anything about it. Had he fought back, I believe he would have been in deeper trouble.

But the problem is that these children know that they cannot be touched. They know that they are still below the minimum age by which they can be criminally charged. That current age is fifteen years old. But children engaged in criminal activities have lately become younger and younger. We have heard of the bag and necklace snatchers, the food thieves in public markets, the "gagamba boys" of EDSA who forcibly open cars and steal whatever they can. Many have pointed out that the fact that the method by which they engage in those particular crime shows organization, equating to maturity. Indeed, the whole crime is orchestrated to perfection at times.

House Bill 6052 aims to lower the criminal liability of the youth at twelve years old. My goodness, what was I doing at twelve years of age? I believe I was still playing with toys. But it seems for street children, the age of play and crime has already been blurred. An informal poll concur with the lowering of the age to twelve because many of these children are already resorting to violence. They no longer just call your attention and beg, they physically harm to get what they want. The video at the mall proves that point when seemingly the youngest of the gang threw the object.

Still, there are some who give to these mendicants, whatever age they may be. But beware, there is a law that forbids the giving of anything to beggars. Ironic, but true. The argument that if nobody gives, they will stop begging is strengthened by this law. In fact, there is a debate as to whether it is also time to stiffen the punishment and fines to those giving to beggars. I for one believe that giving to beggars only reinforces their belief that if they keep on asking, they will receive. I would rather give to charitable organizations that are tasked, or have taken the burden of caring for the poor and needy. Many do prefer giving food and the like instead of money, as opposed to not giving at all.

Inasmuch as we all want to help and share what we have especially during the holidays, there are still some things to consider. There is a bigger picture to all of this. The government and the private sector have to combine their efforts in removing children from the streets and putting them on programs that will help them in the future, particularly education. Teaching them to fish, rather than just giving them fish, so to speak. Easier said than done, I know. But it has to start somewhere.

Otherwise, we will still have children on the streets, both good and bad.