Here in the Philippines children asking for alms is not a new thing. You would see them roaming around the city trying to catch the attention of anybody walking asking for money and food. What do I feel about it? pity for this kids because at a very young age they would have to resort to this kind of thing just to be able to eat and anger for the parents for not being good providers to this kids. But now pity has been replaced remorse to this kids because of an incident I recently experienced. While walking in the busy street of Tacloban City,  somebody tap on my elbows, thinking it was a friend I stopped walking and looked back only to gaze down at a streetkid ( that’s what we call them here), I would say from his build I would say he was 10 years old but when I asked him he told me he’s already 12 years old. From the looks of him he has not eaten for about a week and hasn’t taken a bath for a month with the smell emanating from him. Nevertheless without asking him what he wants, I told him to wait for me. Then I immediately entered a fastfood chain and ordered a chicken and a rice with drinks to go. Then I went back to the place where I met the streetkid. He was there waiting for me. When I handed to him the food, he just looked at it and very kindly told me that he much prefer to ask for money instead of food. I ask him what he wants withand  the money when the food is already available, he just smiled at me. Then told me again the food will make do because he can sell it to the other streetkid. Not contented with his answer I prodded him to tell me the reason why he wants to ask for money, to my chagrin somebody behind me shouted that he will use it to buy “rugby” (a substance used by some to keep them “high”, cheapest form of drugs here in the Philippines). What a waste of my time and money. Good thing the kid who answered back told me that he would appreciate the food, I easily give him the food I bought and just look at the other kid with dismay. He told me that the food I will give him will last only for four hours and he will get hungry again whereas if he sniff “rugby” he will not go hungry for a day. Why is it that this kids are out on the street and not in classrooms. Why is it that the lessons they learned on the street is leading them to nowhere and eventually to hell? A lot of questions popped up in my mind but nothing has yet been answered. I then continued walking and forgot where I was going because of what happened.