Balic Balic , Sampaloc Manila
People
& Community:
Balic-Balic
is a squatter community with a difference! It is built on the narrow strips of
land on both sides of an old, but still operating railway line into Manila. The
land belongs to the National Railway Company and fifteen meters on each side of
the track is officially for railway use. The squatter’s houses however are
built along the track no more than three meters away, and it is estimated that
more than 20,000 people now live here in cramped conditions, half of them below
the official poverty line for Manila.
Lifestyle:
Unemployment is a major
problem and every day, groups of tattooed men are to be seen drinking alcohol,
gambling, and drug pushing, all along the tracks. Due to these and other vices,
there are many dysfunctional families in the community and domestic violence is
common.
Less than 50% of the
children complete their elementary schooling, only about 14% manage to complete
four years of high school, and only around 4-5% would gain admission to college.
Health
status:
In common with other squatter communities, the railway
dwellers of Balic-Balic are vulnerable to various communicable diseases because
of the difficult environment. Common endemic diseases prevalent in the community
are diarrhea, typhoid fever and tuberculosis.
In the rainy season because of a nearby polluted water
source, many people contract Dengue Fever. Needless to say, poor sanitation and
improper garbage disposal are major contributing factors in all of this. Due to
financial constraints however, treatment for health problems is rarely sought
before the need is acute.
Religion:
Several
religious groups are present and active close to the squatter community but as
one would expect in this predominantly Catholic country, the majority of people
are Roman Catholic.
Many
people were forced to join the Catholic Church in past centuries, and out of
this came Folk Catholicism, which is a mixture of Catholic belief, and the
former animistic belief of the Philippines.
Many
Filipinos go to church on Sunday, but often they are still under the influence
of Animism and superstition. Superstition is more important than the Bible, and
one is saved by good works rather than by grace.
Bukang Liwayway works together with Balic-Balic Bible
Church, which has a small room close to the railway track.