Children have the right to have adequate food, a healthy and active body. But what if they became aware of the rotten and tainted food of their world? According to the Probe report, witness the lives of young hunters and their food is called pagpag.
The tikoy is delicious when it is soaked in eggs and freshly cooked. But will you still eat it when you find out from the garbage?
This is the food of the Macopia family. Picked up from the trash by 11-year-old Dayang.
Dayang's mother, Aling Lourdes, just removed the blackened and moldy part of the tikoy. Soaked in egg then fried. When cooked, the Macopians feasted on the tikoy.
Dayang picks up trash every day with her best friend Angela
Plastic, cans, steel, bottles, cartons or anything that can be recycled, Dayang collects for sale to earn money to buy food.
But Dayang is more eager to find food. It is said to be more important than recyclables.
Dayang proved to Probe that there really is food in the trash.
"Bread, sometimes fruit, sometimes fish or chicken," said Dayang.
Dayang found some pork fat from the pile of garbage he had dug. Pickled to be his family's dish.
When the food is picked up in the trash.
"That's why it's called pagag. Because sometimes' isn't there a worm 'right? You'll shake it like that, eh' they can't be removed. That's why it's called pagag," explained Aling Lourdes.
Just as the sun was setting, Dayang and Angela were already descending into the trash.
The things we don't need in the trash go. But for those like Dayang and Angela, they take what they eat from the trash.
Dayang and Angela are dealing with a large number of flies in the trash can of food dumped by people of high standard of living.
Even in this situation, Dayang said that she is happy with her daily garbage collection to find leftovers.
"Because the food I pick up comes from here. Because they throw away the leftovers of the rich and then we take them," said Dayang.
Ever since Dayang was born, she has been eating mostly. Dayang has also realized the excitement.
Dayang's parents were involved but of the eight siblings, she was the only one who followed in her parents' footsteps.
Wanting to help her parents, Dayang is often thrown in the trash.
"Because when I don't press, I also don't have a toilet," said Dayang.
Dayang's mother said that she was always absent from class because her son's priority was garbage collection.
Because of the garbage, Dayang learned to earn money because she knew her family needed it more. Apart from money, Dayang also thinks about what her siblings will eat.
"It's hard to say that, stubborn Even if you force him to come in now ha. That won't shut up. Even if his father tells you to come in Dayang try not to come in. Later he will be gone, you will not see. How do you do that to get in? " story by Aling Lourdes.
Concern for the family is also the reason for Angela to always be with Dayang.
"He was kind to me. He always took me with him wherever he went. I will also imitate Dayang, helping her parents," said Angela.
Honey here, dig there. Dayang and Angela are really investigating the pile of garbage.
Angela and Dayang are already aiming for food, plastic and rotting foods.
At the same time, Dayang's mother, Lourdes, was involved. He dug up a plastic bag of rotting vegetables from SM Supermarket.
From the dump, the couple went straight home. Rinse the pots obtained - cassava and salted eggs. In the same basin of water, mother Lourdes also washed her hands.
Even though it was from the trash and it was dirty, Dayang's pick was still delicious. It is said to be even tastier than the fish and other foods you buy and even if it is dirty, they are confident that eating it will not harm their health.
"Because it boils well," said Aling Lourdes.
It is true that boiling or heating food kills germs but the chewing is still not good for the body, according to Dra. Rebecca Abiog-Castro who is a nutrition specialist in children.
"Maybe the germs can die again, die whatever microbes are there. But the point is the nutrients of food it may not be there anymore. 'Isn't what we want in food is we get all the nutrients. Because for the food to be preserved its nutrients must be at the right temperature and the more you cook it, several times, the more the substances, nutrients will be reduced, "Castro explained.
Castro added that hepatitis A, typhoid, diarrhea and cholera can be contracted.
But the Macopians were not afraid. They reason, even one of the diseases mentioned by Dra. Castro has not yet landed on them. And by the grace of God they are still alive.
"Their immune systems must have been challenged a lot. So if you are constantly exposed you are always exposed 'to those,' to germs, 'to bacteria, you develop your immune system, you produce anti-bodies. So maybe that's what is happening to them. They don't get sick because they've been exposed to this kind of environment. So they have also produced a lot of anti-bodies, which protect them from getting sick, "Dra. Castro.
Dayang and breakfast are already laying eggs and dinner. The gossip was their dinner that day.
Thanks to the effort, the Macopia family seems to be saving a lot of food. They only buy rice and seasoning from the recyclables they sell.
Vegetables and chicken are Dayang's favorite foods. Every day, this is what he finds in the kitchen - those thrown by restaurants or from house to house.
"I hope they have leftovers, just distribute them to the poor. Because they are just wasting them. If they give, I will take them. I will take them home and then my siblings and I will eat even if I don't eat anymore, just I see them eating and then they are full, "said Dayang.
"Because I feel sorry for [my siblings] when they stare and then they ask for money from my mother, I feel sorry because my mother can't give any money either."
Dayang is a happy child. Always smiling and very easy to get along with. But it is obvious that he is carrying something heavy. Even if he wanted to stop squirming, he could not.
"I hope we get out of poverty. Because I also have a hard time getting rid of it. I hope someone helps us with what grace, I hope someone comes to us with food or something, or help," she cried.
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