• 7 hours ago
Unang Balita is the news segment of GMA Network's daily morning program, Unang Hirit. It's anchored by Arnold Clavio, Susan Enriquez, Ivan Mayrina, and Mariz Umali, and airs on GMA-7 Mondays to Fridays at 5:30 AM (PHL Time). For more videos from Unang Balita, visit http://www.gmanetwork.com/unangbalita.

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Transcript
00:00For decades, poverty has been a problem in the country.
00:04Many families lack in food, housing, and education.
00:09And among those who are completely affected are children.
00:13Even if they don't have a voice in the election,
00:15they want to convey a small wish to the next leaders.
00:19Here is the special report of Darlene Cai.
00:31TUPAS FAMILY
00:47In one question, the Tupas family's morning begins.
00:52Will they be able to eat enough today?
00:55Will they be able to eat enough today?
00:58Or will they be able to eat enough tomorrow?
01:04Baby Lyn is on her way to the temporary helping complex in Tondo, Manila.
01:11Wherever she sells, her children also sleep there.
01:18One of them is Quinay, 10 years old.
01:21Jonalyn is her real name.
01:23Quinay is her nickname.
01:25Why did you become a Quinay?
01:27Because I'm a Quinay.
01:30She is the youngest of 11 siblings.
01:32Selling old clothes is the first thing her mother gives them.
01:38That's why at a young age, Quinay is no longer a part of their lives.
01:43It's sad.
01:45It's hard.
01:46It's hard.
01:48What does it mean by hard?
01:52It's hard when you want to buy something, but your family won't let you.
01:58Other kids tell them,
02:00Why aren't you studying, Quinay?
02:02We're already studying.
02:04She told me to go home to the province.
02:08That's all she told me.
02:10Then Quinay told me,
02:12Mom, why didn't you enroll us yet?
02:14Because I want to see the school.
02:18It hurts, mom.
02:22Why?
02:23It hurts inside.
02:30Not all of Babylyn's children are going to school because they are Kapos.
02:38That's why instead of going to school,
02:40Quinay is playing on the streets of Tondo with her siblings and other kids.
02:46What do you feel when you see your friends at school?
02:50Jealous.
02:51Jealous.
02:53Because?
02:55They're studying.
02:57Sometimes, she practices reading and writing with her cousin's help.
03:03I read notebooks.
03:06Why?
03:07I read books and stories when I was a kid.
03:11So that when I go to school, I can learn a lot.
03:23Poor Quinay.
03:25Her dream is to finish her studies and become a doctor.
03:29But for now,
03:30it's still a bad dream because even though her mother, Babylyn, is no longer healthy,
03:36her income is still not enough.
03:39Aside from farming,
03:53Babylyn is also struggling to earn more.
03:57She's picking up trash in their area so that she can find something to sell.
04:04She's lucky if she can eat three times a day.
04:09We only drink water when we're hungry.
04:18The Tupas family's daily budget is only P100 for food.
04:22For eight people, they eat Pagpag.
04:29They buy Pagpag from Evelyn,
04:31which is a mix of leftover food that is thrown away.
04:40Evelyn washes the leftover fried chicken, burger patty, chicken nuggets, and more.
04:46She will season it and cook it.
04:50No one has come here yet.
04:52My stomach hurts because of eating Pagpag.
04:57Their dish is called Adobong Pagpag.
04:59They will spend P30 per order for lunch and dinner.
05:06Before I feed them, I make sure that they are well-washed.
05:10Then, I will cook it while it's still hot.
05:16Queenie and her family's story is no different.
05:21Almost 11 million young people in the country are not able to study
05:26based on the 2020 census of the Philippine Statistics Authority or PSA.
05:31The government said that only 3 million are poor in their last data in 2023.
05:37The number is declining compared to previous years
05:40because of the government's various programs to address hunger and poverty.
05:45However, based on the latest survey of the Social Weather Station in SWUS,
05:50more than 17 million families say that they are poor.
05:54This is the highest number in more than 20 years.
06:00One of the people helping them is the Blessed Children Foundation,
06:04an organization in Manila.
06:06In their more than two decades of experience in helping,
06:09the poor families here in Tondo and other places in Manila do not run out of food.
06:15There are still a lot of people who are hungry.
06:17When we provide family funding,
06:23there are still a lot of people who request nutrition.
06:26Why can't we get food?
06:28Why can't we focus?
06:30Why can't we buy what we need?
06:32Because food is the priority.
06:35That is why more programs should be implemented
06:39to improve the lives of those in need.
06:44Politicians should be able to help the people on the ground.
06:50For me personally, it's not just the statistics.
06:54It's not just one person or one community.
07:00The number of poor Filipinos is decreasing based on the government's data.
07:05However, many people here in Tondo, Manila, do not feel that way.
07:09But they do not get tired of hoping that
07:12when the winners of the next election sit down,
07:16they will be able to get rid of poverty.
07:20It is no longer enough to sow seeds for the many who are suffering.
07:25This is where programs and policies should be implemented
07:28that will provide concrete solutions to the hunger,
07:32lack of housing, and lack of education.
07:35Queen Aysemayo will not be able to vote yet
07:38because she is not yet of the right age for voters.
07:42But she is with those who will be affected by the next government decisions.
07:50This is her message to them.
07:54Barbie, school, family, house.
07:59These are my wishes.
08:04It may be simple for many,
08:07but Queen Aysemayo is praying because her hope is still alive.
08:12She hopes that one day she will wake up
08:15without asking if there is enough food on the table.
08:21This is the first news.
08:23Darlene Cai for GMA Integrated News.

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