We first timidly arrive in Tondo (Smokey’s next door neighborhood).
When you live in Manila and work for an international organization, such as ADB, you can live comfortably without ever acknowledging the existence of Smokey Mountain and Tondo.The Canossian fathers have been working with the people in Tondo and Smokey for the past 18 years, and they are glad we can spend some time teaching Italian to the kids whose studies are sponsored by families in Italy. (This year alone, over 1000 kids are sent to school thanks to the support from families in Italy). The first time in Smokey, we find it difficult to breathe. We are also quite scared of the children as they could be very well carrying around the entire specimen of diseases known to the world. And possibly some unknown ones too. Those amongst us who lived in Africa think, at first, that Smokey is not as bad. It takes a couple of times to “appreciate” the magnitude of the surrounding misery. To realize that this is pretty much as close to hell as it gets. Yet, there is a deep sense of dignity about Smokey’s residents. They literally live in garbage… and they still wash their clothes, their hair and their homes. Nevertheless, if you are born in Smokey, you are doomed. You know you’ll live and die there, sooner rather than later. And, by the way, in case you forgot… if you are born there you do not exist. So, even if you get out of Smokey… you have no place to go. No documents. No past and therefore no future.Are you, by any chance, wondering how a society can tolerate all this? It’s surprisingly easy. These people provide a necessary service… completely free of charge. There is no financial or social cost involved in the “transaction”. There’s only a moral cost… and, frankly, not many people seem to be anxious to take the burden. Especially not the local and national governments as there are no votes to gain from Smokey.(Remember? These people do not exist)