Is Poverty Illegitimate?

How did I get to that question?

I was mulling over how many reads my article "Legalizing Prostitution in the Philippines" has had recently. It must be posted on someone's Facebook or other account because it is getting a lot of looks.

The thoughts came at me in this order for reasons I am not empowered to understand:

• I wonder if people who live in Manila understand what life in the poor rural areas is like.

• I wonder if they realize many people don't even have birth certificates and some government documents require Filipinos to declare themselves "illegitimate" if their parents weren't married.

• An "illegitimate" child is the child of parents who are not married.

• Many people in rural areas have "common law" marriages because husband or wife have no birth certificate and therefore they can't get married. They also don't have the money to pay what the Civil Registrar requires, or the marrying authority, or for the medical tests, or for the NSO registration.

• My visits to the NSO office to get proper certificates for my wife and son were unhappy occasions. The NSO officials were mindless and rude, treating people as if everyone were illegitimate.

• I wonder what would happen if NSO recognized it's job is not to label people "illegitimate" but to make sure poor people know they are worth something, that they are not just legitimate, but are VALUED by a nation that is proud of its struggles, its history, its heritage and its people.

• Is poverty illegitimate?

• I wonder how we can make the poor within the Philippines feel valued.

That is one huge challenge for the Philippines, ending the disenfranchisement of the poor. Bringing people of little means into the prosperous, productive Philippines.

I personally don't think this can be done by giving out money as is currently done. Nor can it done by stamping "illegitimate" on people's birth certificates, or the foreheads of their esteem.

Article 176 of the Family Code of the Philippines states the rights of illegitimate children:

Illegitimate children shall use the surname and shall be under the parental authority of their mother, and shall be entitled to support in conformity with this Code. However, illegitimate children may use surname of their father if their filiation has been expressly recognized by the father through the record of birth appearing in the civil register, or when an admission in a public document or private and written instrument is made by the father.  Provided, the father has the right to institute an action before the regular courts to prove nonfiliation during his lifetime. The legitime of each illegitimate child shall  consist of one-half of the legitime of a legitimate child. Emphasis in bold by JoeAm

So I guess an illegitimate Filipino is only half a real Filipino, eh?

I went to dictionary.com for the definition of "illegitimate" because I am very serious as to this point. There is no need to burden Humpty Dumpty with a definition.

Illegitimate (adjective): (1) born of parents who are not married to each other; born out of wedlock; an illegitimate child. (2) not legitimate; not sanctioned by law or custom. (3) unlawful; illegal: an illegitimate action. (4) irregular; not in good usage. (5) logic; not in accordance with the principles of valid inference.

So the definition of the word is pejorative, "having a disparaging, derogatory, or belittling effect".

It is prejudicial  to the child. Disparaging. Derogatory. Belittling. It continues to disparage when the child reaches adult-hood and requests government services.

Is this necessary, this taking away of a person's self worth? This declaration that so many Filipino citizens are unlawful or irregular or not in good usage?

I think not.

How can we grant all citizens a right to be whole and healthy and proper if they are born in the Philippines? How can we help people without much money feel they are an important of the Philippine social fabric?

Well, a positive first step would be to require an attitude adjustment at NSO so that the organization does not posture its clerks as inspectors of Philippine legitimacy. NSO should be conducting outreach to welcome newborns as if they were valuable, cherished, even. No matter the situation of the parents. NSO ought not expect parents to come into the office begging for recognition as if they were a burden to the Philippines. The NSO responsibility should be like that of the Census: get out into the field to make sure all Filipinos are  recorded in the registry of citizens and have proper documents. Free documents. As if the State values their birth and citizenship and enjoys having them.

• Enough NSO scowling.

Second, children of unmarried parents should not be declared "Illegitimate". I don't care what the Churches say, and if the law demands it, change the law. Why slander a child on his first day on earth? Why stamp a brand on his esteem "irregular". Record the child of unmarried parents as "freeborn" or some other positive description. Or simply ignore the distinction, for it OUGHT TO BE meaningless to a child's well-being. Each child is innocent upon birth, unmarked.

• We ought to make sure that kids are uplifted by the State, not put down.

Third, during school make sure kids know they are important members of the State's wealth, health, productivity and success. Introduce the idea that they are an important part of an economic model that cherishes skill and opportunity.

• Give kids a path to grow richer and they will grow richer. And so will the nation.

Fourth, upgrade TESDA so that everyone has a career in sight, whether they go to college or directly into the job market.  TESDA has been created to build skills. Make sure the skills taught are actually needed in the Philippines.

• Orient training to the economy's need. Create an upward pull to worker success.

Fifth, get more manufacturing going in the Philippines by ignoring the artificial patriotic standard of whether the owner is Filipino or Foreigner.

• Foreign investment is not inherently a security risk.

Sixth. Emphasize career opportunities everywhere and stop filling jobs with favorites and friends. Pass an Equal Employment Opportunity Law. Give more people the pride of being upward bound. That sense of opportunity - of hope - will eventually work its way into poorer areas of the Philippines.

• What distinguishes American productivity from Filipino? The motivation that comes from believing that there is OPPORTUNITY for a hard-working person.

Poverty is the most significant element contributing to the INSECURITY of the Philippines. It is more threatening than a bullying China. More dangerous than Muslim terrorists. More intimidating than NPA rebels.

So it seems to me that is the challenge.

Bringing poor people in from the cold, in from their role as outcasts from the robust, growing Philippines. Seeking to make them LEGITIMATE participants in an economic model that cherishes skill and opportunity.

Government should be investing in a social infrastructure of INCLUSION and OPPORTUNITY. NSO is key. So are schools and TESDA and getting manufacturing into the Philippines. So is promoting a sense of opportunity in the job markets, rather than the blessings of favor and family.

And mediocrity.

And exclusion.

And a nation of way too many poor people considered substandard at birth.