“EARNING my daily living, and daily living...”
That’s the first line of a poem by Ibukota Sendja of Indonesia, which I learned during my Asian Literature class.
Somehow, those words mean something for this current news about police rounding up perhaps hundreds or a thousand “tambays” in the country in an effort to keep the peace.
In the eyes of the government, tambays represent trouble. But the “tambays” are workers, trisikad and taxi drivers, and urban poor who find the street their respite, a break from the routine of work and sweat. The street is also where they can spot their next passengers and work.
Taking the poor off the streets means taking them away from their daily living. And it also means taking them away from their other daily living of taking a break from their daily grind, communing on a common place be it a karenderya, a bukohan, or just under the shade of a tree, while they banter about the day or about their friends and family.
The Duterte government is always known for strict rules. In Davao, smoking is banned in public places. Occasionally, trisikad and tricycle drivers who dared traverse highways get their livelihood confiscated. There’s a new law that constricts liquor drinking inside the house.
One may say these laws would keep discipline in the house. But in this state of things, when prices are driven up with the new Train law and rise of fuel costs, is discipline really the solution?
One should look at the reality that the poor are harder up in these times, endo, demolitions and all. The streets are their source of livelihood.
If the government wants to get rid of tambays, they should start with the “tambays” in Congress. That’s a good punchline I read from a Facebook political meme. My friend also agrees, as our “brilliant” lawmakers are good with their 4 P’s: pungko, paminaw, painit, pauli (Seat, listen, snacks, go home).
Seriously, the way to help the tambays is not to lock them up. Many administrations tried that before, from Marcos’ curfew and haircut policies, to Aquino sweeping away the homeless during APEC. I thought Duterte has the feel for the poor. But the way he ranted against striking jeepney drivers and the Kadamay members, who want to occupy neglected government housing units, I think his government is more of the same.
We are still in need of a government that gives adequate jobs, housing and social services, the means to empower them to find better daily living.
tyvelez@gmail.com