As Duterte’s drugs war rages on in the Philippines, nation’s children are paying the price
- Hundreds of youngsters in the slums of Manila are plunging further into poverty as families are torn apart by drug-related killings, new research finds
- Faced with financial hardships, these children are at greater risk of dropping out of school, leaving them prone to exploitation and child labour
Jona Javier Abbott lost her husband on September 6, 2016. He was a drug addict and was shot near their home in a slum of Metro Manila. No warning, no chance of survival.
These children are now at greater risk of not completing school either because of trauma, stigma or lack of financial resources, a new study of the nation’s poorest families has found. Many also risk becoming victims of child labour and exploitation, the research shows.
Life was hard for Abbott’s family when her husband worked as a vegetable vendor. But it became nearly impossible after he died. The 30-year-old woman, a caregiver, now struggles to make ends meet every day.
She fears for the future of her children – aged between six and 12. “The money is not enough for me and my children. I need to feed them and buy things for their school projects,” Abbott says.
