THE POVERTY on the streets of Manila shocks first time visitors.
But world leaders will be spared the sight when they attend this week's summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
In a "clearing operation" Philippines municipal authorities have rounded up several hundred mostly indigent and homeless residents of the sprawling city, including more than 140 children, and detained them without charge.
Many of the adults operate food carts or sell scavenged items on the streets and live in squatter shanty towns, home to millions impoverished Filipinos.
Many of the children are beggars.
"They were merciless. They took our things or did not allow us to bring our belongings," Dario, a scavenger arrested on the waterfront Roxas Boulevard, told Human Rights Watch.
World leaders including US President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will see a veneer of cleanliness when they peer from their limousines during the two days of talks, where participants will parade in culturally distinctive shirts designed by their Philippine hosts.
"The removal and detention of homeless and impoverished residents from where they live and work without due process is a violation of their basic human rights," said Phelim Kine, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
Rounded-up adults and accompanied children have been taken to the Manila Reception and Action Centre, a government-run shelter for street children.
The facility made headlines last year after a photograph of a severely malnourished child went viral on the internet, prompting a parliamentary inquiry and its temporary shut-down.
Children with no parents are sent to government-run shelters.
Officials of Manila city and surrounding municipalities have admitted the operation but told reporters it was not just because of the APEC summit, claiming round-ups were undertaken regularly.
But Catherine Scerri, deputy director of Bahay Tuluyan, a non-government organisation campaigning for children's rights, said it was aimed specifically at APEC.
"When we asked the children . . . they do not feel they're being taken away from danger, they feel they're being caught," Ms Scerri told the Rappler news site.
"They feel they are being punished and they don't know why," she said.
Rights groups said a similar operation was launched on Manila's streets ahead of the Pope's visit to the city earlier this year.
The Apec summit is being held from November 17 to 19.
Mr Turnbull is then due to fly to Kuala Lumpur for a summit of East Asia leaders hosted by Malaysia's prime minister Najib Razak who is embroiled in controversy following revelations that US$700 million mysteriously turned up in private bank accounts in 2013.
Mr Najib has refused to explain the source of the funds or what happened to the money, while denying he pocketed any for personal gain.
But world leaders will be spared the sight when they attend this week's summit of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
In a "clearing operation" Philippines municipal authorities have rounded up several hundred mostly indigent and homeless residents of the sprawling city, including more than 140 children, and detained them without charge.
Many of the adults operate food carts or sell scavenged items on the streets and live in squatter shanty towns, home to millions impoverished Filipinos.
Many of the children are beggars.
"They were merciless. They took our things or did not allow us to bring our belongings," Dario, a scavenger arrested on the waterfront Roxas Boulevard, told Human Rights Watch.
World leaders including US President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will see a veneer of cleanliness when they peer from their limousines during the two days of talks, where participants will parade in culturally distinctive shirts designed by their Philippine hosts.
"The removal and detention of homeless and impoverished residents from where they live and work without due process is a violation of their basic human rights," said Phelim Kine, Asia director at Human Rights Watch.
Rounded-up adults and accompanied children have been taken to the Manila Reception and Action Centre, a government-run shelter for street children.
The facility made headlines last year after a photograph of a severely malnourished child went viral on the internet, prompting a parliamentary inquiry and its temporary shut-down.
Children with no parents are sent to government-run shelters.
Officials of Manila city and surrounding municipalities have admitted the operation but told reporters it was not just because of the APEC summit, claiming round-ups were undertaken regularly.
But Catherine Scerri, deputy director of Bahay Tuluyan, a non-government organisation campaigning for children's rights, said it was aimed specifically at APEC.
"When we asked the children . . . they do not feel they're being taken away from danger, they feel they're being caught," Ms Scerri told the Rappler news site.
"They feel they are being punished and they don't know why," she said.
Rights groups said a similar operation was launched on Manila's streets ahead of the Pope's visit to the city earlier this year.
The Apec summit is being held from November 17 to 19.
Mr Turnbull is then due to fly to Kuala Lumpur for a summit of East Asia leaders hosted by Malaysia's prime minister Najib Razak who is embroiled in controversy following revelations that US$700 million mysteriously turned up in private bank accounts in 2013.
Mr Najib has refused to explain the source of the funds or what happened to the money, while denying he pocketed any for personal gain.
The Roxas Blvd seafront has hundreds of homeless people along it's kilometers long shoreline. I've never seen them bother anyone. Most of them have small push carts selling drinks and food. Many also offer traditional massage. In the evening they sleep along the sea wall.
These people do not steal or even beg. They try to do a honest job to support themselves. I recognize many of them from over a decade of frequent visits, along with their dogs.
In the north the sea front ends at the US Embassy, yet I've never seen the Embassy security hassle them. Their camps start from right at the perimeter wall.
When you spend time walking the streets of Manila you can't help but to think how much could be done to help the homeless with so little money and effort.
Yet the Philippine Iglesia Ng Christo church chose to spend USD 213m to build an indoor stadium called the Philippine Arena able to house 55.000 spectators instead.
Nice priorities.
Despite their abject poverty and downright hopeless situation the street people of Manila I've had the chance to get to know a bit more have been the kindest, most unselfish and considerate people I've met in my travels that have taken me to over 90 countries.
You live on the streets, eat from the garbage and your own government treats you like garbage too.
What do you think they dream about when they fold out their piece of cardboard and go to sleep on the sidewalk ?
Posted by Herbert on November 17, 2015 09:40