Summary
Highlights
Manila has an estimated 30,000 street children who beg or steal to survive. The war on drugs further exposes them to harsh legal measures. There are concerns about proposals to lower the age of criminal liability, making younger children susceptible to imprisonment. Children frequently experience negative encounters with the law, including police violence and arbitrary arrests.
The video opens by showcasing the dire situation of street children in the Philippines, many of whom sniff glue to cope with their harsh realities. It describes their living conditions, often in overcrowded, dungeon-like jails for children, and notes the countless child casualties of the war on drugs.
Christian, 17, leads a gang living under a bridge in Manila. They choose this location to avoid police harassment. The children, some orphaned and some with parents, rely on each other for support, considering themselves a family. They face constant danger and harassment from authorities.
Police in Batasan conduct raids targeting drug dealers, glue sniffers, and minors violating curfew. Over 1,300 children have been arrested for drug-related crimes in two years. The documentary shows police arresting two alleged underage methamphetamine dealers, highlighting the vulnerability of minors to the drug war. Many crimes are linked to extreme poverty.
Manila's social services conduct 'rescue operations' to clear streets, often forcibly removing children who have nowhere to go. Children dislike institutions, finding more freedom and a sense of agency on the streets. The rescue and release cycle is frequent. Institutions for children are described as prison-like, with bars and overcrowding.
Raymond, arrested for breaking a bus windshield, is sent to a correctional facility. His mother struggles to navigate the legal system to get him released. The conditions in these facilities are depicted as extremely poor, with insufficient sleeping spaces, unsanitary toilets, lack of running water, and widespread abuse from older inmates.
Maricel, a single mother of six, struggles to provide for her children by selling used clothing. Her children often wander the streets, leading to their repeated 'rescue' by social workers. This highlights how extreme poverty drives children to the streets and makes it difficult for parents to care for them.
Priest Shay Cullen of the Preda Foundation rescues children from overcrowded and abusive correctional facilities. He recounts finding children under 15, too young to be in these places by law, enduring violence from older inmates. Preda provides a home for boys, offering them a chance at rehabilitation and education away from the justice system.
Thousands of children have been orphaned or have parents in jail due to the war on drugs. Johnny and Sandra's parents are imprisoned, leaving them with their grandmother. Johnny works at night to help the family, missing out on school. The grandmother expresses her pain and hope for her grandchildren's future, desiring they avoid the same fate as their parents.
Mary Grace, 16, is pregnant and lives in extreme poverty in Tondo, Manila. Teenage pregnancy is a significant issue in the Philippines, with many young mothers dropping out of school. Her boyfriend is jailed for allegedly stealing Coca-Cola bottles, illustrating how minor offenses lead to imprisonment in overcrowded and inhumane conditions. Mary Grace hopes for a better future for her child.
Christian goes missing after being taken by the police. Louise Suamen from the NGO Bahay Tuluyan intervenes. Christian recounts being arrested, accused of stealing, and beaten by the police until he passed out. He copes by sniffing solvents to forget the trauma and fear.