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American Journal of  
Society and Law ( AJSL)

Prevalence of  Beggars and Street Children in the City of  Sorsogon
Emma S. Perena1*, Edna L. Hapin1

Volume 2 Issue 1, Year 2023
ISSN: 2835-3277 (Online)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54536/ajsl.v2i1.1230
https://journals.e-palli.com/home/index.php/ajsl

Article Information ABSTRACT

Received: January 22, 2023
Accepted: February 13, 2023
Published: February 21, 2023

This study determined the prevalence of  beggars and street children in the City of  
Sorsogon.   It focused on the profile of  beggars and street children, the determinants for 
street begging and presence of  street children and the problems encountered as perceived by 
the respondents. The study is both a quantitative and qualitative descriptive method of  
research. A survey questionnaire is the main instrument in gathering the data. An unstructured 
interview was also utilized to supplement  the interpretation of  the results. The respondents 
of  the study were 153 street children and beggars in the city of  Sorsogon. They were 
purposively and conveniently chosen.  The street  working children have the age range from 
5-15 years old,  most of  them were male, did not finish their elementary grade, have stayed 
for 1-5 years, physically fit and Bicolanos.  Poverty is the common cause of  begging and 
becoming working street children in Sorsogon City. The respondents perceived being prone 
to hazards and risk  in the streets as the most distressing problems. It is recommended therefore 
that the different institutions, the local government, church and other institutions may 
collaborate and  extend their knowledge and assistance to these street children and beggars. 
Further, it is recommended that a sustainable rehabilitation scheme should be endeavoured 
by the local government, that it would encompass the diverse needs of  the beggars and 
street children and promote the upliftment of  their social well-being thus, children should 
be sent back to school and the government may provide educational provisions to support 
their educational needs. Create and deliver a responsive and sustainable livelihood program 
that would promote social progress to help these people alleviate poverty.  The church may 
also conduct education to these children and beggars that would inculcate moral values and 
uplift their social beings. Intensify the implementation of  related policies and strengthen the 
conduct of  activities that would discourage street children and beggars from coming back 
on the streets.

Keywords
Prevalence, Beggars, Street 
Children

1 Sorsogon State University, Philippines
* Corresponding author’s e-mail: emmaperena@yahoo.com

INTRODUCTION
One of  the advocacies for national development is to 
achieve social progress and advancement of  people in an 
urban and rural area. The conditions of  social stability and 
the principle of  equal rights are paramount to economic 
and social development. Government requires a medium-
term development plan that translates the programs and 
projects that promote social development and poverty 
reduction. However, despite the efforts of  addressing the 
problems that hinder development ,urban problems are 
still considered as  global challenge.
Begging and increasing number of  street children are the 
universal urban problems. This scenario is not peculiar to 
any country of  the world.  The  World Science Report in 
2010,  revealed that there are up to 150 million existing 
street children in the world.  According to West (2003), 
street children are those who live in the street and are 
separated from family. They are classified as groups that 
are vulnerable to risks and coming to a conflict of  law. 
The characteristics of   street children are those who 
engage in  begging, shoe shine,  as flower seller, barker, 
etc. There are also events that these children are used for 
petty crimes.
An estimated 1.5 million street children are scattered  
in the Philippines based on the  2008 report of  PSA. ( 
Philippine Statistics Authority). Majority of  them or 70% 
occupies the Manila area. In the absence of  updated data 

in the Philippines on begging, it is evident that beggars 
in the streets are visible everywhere. Begging and the 
increased number or street children often equated with 
poverty, hence it could be feasible that the increasing 
number of  poverty incidence by 25.8 percent in the early 
2014 report of  PSA could be linked to the increasing 
number of  beggars and street children in the country.
The right to protection against violence, abuse, and neglect 
is expressly stated in the Convention on the Rights of  the 
Child. Additionally, it emphasized the need for protection 
against financial exploitation. The key elements of  these 
articles apply to the situation of  street children. According 
to the PSA, data on children, including other non-income 
indicators on children in poverty, are crucial since they 
represent the future of  our country. The recent data on 
education in the Philippines indicates that the nation’s 
human capital has declined in quality.
Street begging and the presence of  street children are 
global issues. Even developed nations are not immune to 
this social hazard, which may not always be adequately 
supervised or controlled by responsible adults and 
includes the two coexisting categories that UNICEF 
refers to as those “on the street” and those “of  the 
street,” despite the fact that it is significantly higher in 
developing nations.  In the Philippines has been struggling 
and battling poverty for over decades. Children suffer 
the most from its pervading societal problem since they 

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are the most vulnerable group in the population. (PIDS 
2014). The UNICEF reported there are about 150 million 
street children in the world. 30% of  the population in 
the Pacific Region belongs to a poverty line, 40% of  this 
population are children and young people. ( West 2003).
Osa and Ayano (2012) point out that street begging 
is associated with homelessness, poverty and family 
rejection. They also mention that children or young 
people are the most who engage in begging. They also 
suggest that counselling is needed in the particular 
problem and it should start on the family.
Street children are also vulnerable to sexual abuses. Mehta, 
et al (2011) found that street children manifested to have 
sexually exploited.  These children are being trafficked to 
the commercial flesh trade. Incidents of  sexual assaults 
on the streets happened at night due to exposed and 
unsafe sleeping place and  is taken advantage by strangers, 
older street people and other street kids.
Baltazar et al, (2012) purported that demographics of  
beggars showed the causes of  street begging. Their study 
revealed that poverty, laziness, disintegration, traditional 
life and death of  parents are the causes of  incidence 
of  begging. The findings encouraged socio economic 
security among families and provide awareness on the 
negative consequences of  begging.
The  city of  Sorsogon is not exempted from urban 
problems. It also evident , the presence of  street children 
and beggars in the streets in the vicinity. They are visible 
and they can be seen everywhere. Begging and the 
street children in the city of  Sorsogon is an outcome 
of  homelessness and displacement. This is also due to 
the result of  some factors such as physical disability 
and mental illness. The street children in Sorsogon 
same with other street children also work as peddler, 
barker, shoe shine cleaner, beggar  etc. There are also 
reported incidents where these children are involved 
in petty theft and drug use. Vandalism and other petty 
crimes are sometimes associated with street begging The 

rising number of  beggars displays the social condition 
and poverty threshold of  particular community. This 
scenario is alarming for the fact that these children are 
prone to risks and misfortunes. The general welfare of  
these children and beggars are at stake. These conditions 
have motivated the researchers to undertake a survey in 
Sorsogon City along the increasing number of  beggars 
and street children.

Objectives Of  The Study
This study determined the prevalence of  beggars and 
street children in the  City of  Sorsogon.  Specifically, 
it answered the following questions: (1) determine the 
reported beggars and street children from year 2012-2016 
(2) determine the profile of  beggars and street children 
along age, gender, educational attainment, length of  stay 
in the street, classification, health condition, ethnicity; 
(3) identify the determinants  of  the presence of  
beggars  children in the streets; (4) identify the problems 
met by the beggars and street children and (5) provide 
recommendations based from the results of  the study.

METHODOLOGY
This study utilized a descriptive method of  research. 
The study is both a quantitative and qualitative research. 
The survey questionnaire was the main instrument 
used in gathering the data. It was supplemented  with 
documentary analysis and structured interview to get 
an in depth interpretation of  the data gathered . The 
instrument contains the profile of  the respondents, 
determinants of  the presence of  beggars and children in 
the streets  and the problems met by the respondents.  
A total of  153 beggars and street children served as 
the study’s respondents. They were purposively and 
conveniently  chosen as sample of  the present research.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
It can be gleaned from the table that there is  an increase 

Table 1: Reported Street Children and Beggars in the City of  Sorsogon
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Street Children 189 189 189 201 205
Beggars 15 18 21 25 30

Source. Sorsogon Provincial Social Welfare and Development

of  street children and beggars from year 2012 to 
2016 based on record of  the PSWDO. Some of  these 
street children and beggars are coming from nearby 
municipalities who regularly go for begging in the city of  
Sorsogon. According to the PSWDO, during October, 
there are about 10-15% increase of  street children and 
beggars in Sorsogon City who were identified as badjaos 
who are coming from Samar, Leyte and Cebu. These 
people temporarily live on street corners and sidewalks, 
beg for alms, and leave the place  in January.
Despite the intervention activities of  the local government 
for the children and parents, beggars and street children 
are still prevalent in the city. The PSWDO explained 

that many activities have been conducted by the agency 
such as food assistance, educational assistance, balik 
eskwela program, counselling services, life skills activity, 
education campaign, street education, feeding program 
and rescue operations for street children. While for the 
parents livelihood assistance and education campaign for 
Child Rights are offered to them.  However, same would 
go back on the streets  and  It has become a trend and 
usual course.

Profile of  the Respondents
Age
Table 2 presents the age of  the respondents. It can be 

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viewed  from the table that majority of  the respondents 
were children or minors,  ranked second are the beggars 
and streetchildren who their age ranging from 16-25. 
While the 3rd rank are beggars ranging from 46-78 years 
old, there are minors and adult beggars on the streets. 
This also connotes that at a very young age these children 
were exposed to risks and hazards in the streets.  The 

constitution stresses that children should be in the care 
of   parents and guardians and protect them from any 
exploitation and negligent treatment.  It suggests that 
their age shows these children should be at school and 
learning rather than working for a living.  On the other 
hand, there were some adults who also on the streets who 
engage in begging as the means of  living.

Table 2: Profile of  the Street Children and Beggars in Sorsogon City
Age F R
5-15 years old 106 1
16-25 years old 18 2
26-35 years old 6 5
36- 45 years old 7 4
46-78 years old 16 3
Gender
Male 112 1
female 41 2
Educational attainment
Elementary level 130 1
Elementary graduate 23 2
Length of  stay in the street as beggar and street children
1-5 years 73 1
6-10 years 50 2
11-and above 10 3
Classification
Street living children 13 3
Street working children 61 1
Children from street families 9 4
Beggars on the streets 38 2
Beggars of  the street families 32 3
Health condition
Physically fit 127 1
With disability 26 2
Ethnicity
Bicolano 131 1
Badjao beggars 22 2

The same table revealed that majority of  the respondents 
were male. This means that most of  the street children 
and beggars in Sorsogon City were represented by men.  
This indicates that the street children believe as the culture 
dictates that man is the one responsible for providing 
the needs of  the family. they explained that men were 
stronger and more resistant to the harsh conditions in the 
streets. They believe that they could better survive than 
females.  The findings also conveys that parents are aware 
or permit their children to work in the streets.
It can be seen from the table that the respondents have 
reached only the elementary level and only few graduated. 
This  shows that these respondents had to stop attending 
to school because they were obliged to work for a living.  
The table also shows the length of  stay in the street as 
beggars and street children. It shows that most of  the 

respondents have  in the street for1-5 years. This  was 
followed by 6-10 years and above. This indicates that since 
the majority of  the respondents are street children.  Their 
length  of  stay varies to their age.  While on the other 
hand, the beggars are represented by adults  and begging 
is their primary source of  living thus, this it is presumed 
that they already stayed in the streets for longer time.
Meanwhile, it also shows that as to classification, it is 
viewed that most of  the respondents were street working 
children, who spend most of  their time in the streets, and 
return to their home regularly. This indicates that these 
children were deprived of  the right to have  the basic 
education.  Although the government has provided free 
access to education to all children as their prime right, 
these children would prefer to work because  providing 
the basic need like food is still a challenge to them.

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The table also revealed that 127 respondents are physically 
fit while 26 were respondents have physical, mental 
disabilities and illness.   The result shows that most of  
the respondents who are physically fit  are the street 
working children. While most of  the beggars are those 
with disabilities. However,  ethnicity, custom are added 
variables to begging. The badjao beggars disclosed that 
it  has become their practice that has been passed from 
generation to generation that begging is an economic 
activity, thus a source of  income.
It can be deduced from the table above that almost street 
children and beggars are indigenous of  the locale.  This 
means that the street children and beggars are conducting 
their activities in their home areas. While a number of  
beggars are migrants who stay in a place for a shorter 
period of  time and then transfers to another. They come  
from a different home origin such as Leyte, Samar and 
Cebu. Namwata et al (2011) stressed the ethnicity as the 
demographic dimension is one factor that influences 
beggars to migrate from one place to another.

Determinants for begging and staying in the street
The children  respondents disclosed the following reasons 
why they are on the streets were:

As a source of  living
The respondents both the street children and beggars, 
poverty and lack of  financial resources  were the main 
reasons why the beggars and the children are on the 
streets. They take the chance of  asking  help from the  
benevolence of  other people. The street children at very 
young age were forced to work to help their parents to 
survive their daily needs. About 40% of  the street children  
work as barker, vendor in the wet market and an errand/
baggage boy.  The parents disclosed that they allow their 
children to work and help them as they themselves as 
parents could hardly ease the financial burden for their 
subsistence. This is attributed to the large number of  
members in the family, and some households, only the 
father works  as the primary source of  income, while the 
mother has to stay at home to rear their children.  Parents 
earn below minimum, the family belongs to poverty line. 
However despite the impoverished life, the children are 
full of  hopes and  dreams. Some of  them would  wish 
that they could go to school regularly as they believe 
education will alleviate them from economic disadvantage. 
Though entangled with the realities of  poverty, it never 
stops them from hoping that their families could have 
a better living. The adults expressed that their age and 
their limited educational qualification could not permit 
them to engage in a decent job. Aside from this is the lack 
of  financial capabilities of  their families to support them  
were some of  the reasons why they prefer to beg.

Old Age
While for the beggars, they explained that these are the 
only means they could support their daily needs primarily 
their food. Since most of  the beggars are at old age, 

which constitute 11% of  the total sample population, 
they claimed that there are no chance for employment 
opportunities that may be offered to them due to their 
limited physical abilities. Another factor, most of  the 
beggars have their family and children, however, it is 
explained by the beggars that they have to work for living 
on their own since, their children were also struggle to 
sustain their daily needs thus, it forces these beggars to 
live independently.

Family challenges
Children revealed that they stay in the streets for they ran 
away from their families because of  domestic violence 
they experienced from their parents. A child explained 
his father is a drunkard who many times hit him when 
drunk.  Thus he preferred to stay on the streets on work 
on his own as he feels safer than in his home.  Another, 
is the rivalry with sibling and cruelty of  their relatives, 
when  their parents died, they live under custody of  their 
relatives however, the child revealed that he experienced 
maltreatment and this caused him to ran away and stay 
on the streets.

Abandonment
A child beggar said, he began begging when his parents  
left him when he was nine years old to work in Manila. At 
present the child, go for different places and ask for food. 
In the afternoon he would stay at downtown for begging. 
There are occasions the child sleeps at the street corners. 
When interviewed, he said that he has no place to go 
home, he does not even know his relatives.  He said he 
once rescued by DSWD and brought to shelter, however 
he escaped for he was not comfortable living with his 
fellow young boys. He also unveils, he likes to stay on the 
streets for he could easily get money from begging.

Disability/illness
Some of  the beggars of  old age and  children who served 
as informants of  the study are suffering from physical 
disabilities and mental illness. 6% ot the recorded street 
children and beggars are with disabilities. Few respondents 
divulge that their disability is their reason why they are 
on streets and begging is their make for a living. While 
one minor who has mental illness begs for alms and there 
are incidences this young boy was bullied and resulted 
to physical abuses. Another case, is a young boy who 
suffers from filariasis, this illness he revealed caused him 
humiliation from among his classmates and the reason 
why he stopped from going to school and led him to 
begging. The child revealed since he acquired the disease 
he has never yet undergone any medical treatment, this 
is due to financial constraints. In an interview conducted 
with the parent, the young boy was inflicted since 2013. 
Her husband abandoned them with other two boys  and 
she works as a laundry woman on a part time basis since 
she also suffers from  tuberculosis. In as much as she 
would want that her young boy be treated however she 
has to prioritize their daily need.

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Migration
Some of  respondents identified and claimed themselves 
as badjaos beggars. This is an ethnic tribe that is also 
known as sea gypsies. The ethnic group has a very distinct 
culture. However, due to conflict and forces between 
the government and rebels in the Mindanao, they were 
displaced and live in an extreme poverty. it has become 
their practice to migrate from one place to another, and 
not to stay permanently in one place they said that begging 
is the easiest way for a living. They also explained that  one 
of  the reasons of  moving out from their place is because 
of  the scarcity of  the source of  living from their place.   
The PSWDO disclosed that during Christmas seasan, 
there is a 10-15 percent of  badjao beggars scattered in 
Sorsogon City and tend to leave the city after the season.
These aggregated reasons provide a clear view that in 
this  situation  children are the most vulnerable and the 
ones who suffer most. It also portrays  that these children 
manifest the ability to help their family for daily living. 
Moreso, it also appears that these children would rather 
risk and gamble  their lives to the hazards in the street just 
to help their family or provide their own daily needs. This 
result  is  consistent with the  findings of  Osa and Ayano, 
where they revealed the four causes of  begging indicated 
by the respondent, poverty and homelessness in particular 
are covariates frequently associated with begging.

Problems encountered
The respondents  confided that since most of   their time 
were spent in the streets as this serves as the venue of  the 
source of  their living, they experienced varied problems. 
The  street children and beggars  revealed that they got 
sick because of  the harsh weather, others experienced 
physical abuses  particularly the children who were  bullied 
sometimes by their fellow children who are older than 
them.  Some children were exposed to different vices and 
peer influence.  While the adults explained that sometimes 
they met an accident particularly those with disabilities.   
They also disclosed that sometimes they received harsh 
words from the people.  These unfavorable conditions 
indirectly and directly affect their activity according to 
them.  This means that they perceived these problems 
as the most distressing circumstances. PSWDO revealed 
flocking  of  the badjao beggars on the street of  Sorsogon 
City sanitation becomes a problem.  Many complaints 
received by the authorities about the unruly behaviour of  
these badjao beggars. Likewise, the Womens and Children 
Protection Desk (WCPD has recorded a number of  
incidences where the street children are involved in theft, 
bullying, and other petty crimes. Record showed for the 
year 2016 fifteen minors, whose age 9 as the youngest 
have committed petty crimes.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Based from the findings, conclusions were drawn.  
Most of  the street children, their age are ranging from 
5-15 years old, majority are male, have an educational 

attainment of  elementary level, have stayed in the streets 
for 1-5 years, they are street working children and beggars 
of  the streets, physically fit and bicolanos.  The primary  
reason for becoming  street working children and beggar 
was due to multidimensional poverty.  It found out the 
respondents experienced varied problems in the streets 
while working and begging.

• It is recommended, therefore that the different 
institutions, the local government, church and other 
institutions may collaborate and extend their knowledge 
and assistance to these street children and beggars.

• Further, it is recommended that a holistic and 
sustainable rehabilitation scheme should be endeavoured 
by the local government, that it would encompass 
the diverse needs of  the beggars and street children 
and promote upliftment of  their social well being 
thus, children should be sent back to school and the 
government may provide educational provisions to 
support their educational needs.

• Create and deliver   responsive and sustainable 
livelihood program that would promote social progress 
in order to help these people alleviate from poverty.

• The church may also conduct education to these 
children and beggars that would inculcate moral values 
and uplift their social beings.

• Intensify the implementation of  related policies and 
strengthen the conduct of  activities that would discourage 
the street children and beggars from coming back on the 
streets.

REFERENCE
Andrew West (2003). Street Children In Asia and the Pacific. 

https://think-asia.org/bitstream/handle/11540/2287/
margins.pdf?sequence=1

Bermillo, Zyra. (2012). Extent of  Implementation of  
Comprehensive Program of  Special Protection 
of  Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and 
Discrimination Act (RA 7610). Convention of  the 
Rights of  the Child Primer

Bhaskaran, R., & Mehta, B. (2011). Surviving the streets: 
A census of  street children in Delhi by the Institute 
for Human Development and Save the Children. 
Delhi: Save the Children. https://www.academia.
edu/22166370/Street_Children

Namwata, B. M., Baltazar, M. L., MGABO, M. R., & t 
DIMOSO, P. (2012). Categories of  street beggars and 
factors influencing street begging in central Tanzania.
https://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/res/
article/view/19479

Philippine Institute for Development Studies (2014). Child 
Poverty in the Philippines. Provincial Social Welfare 
and Development Report 2012-2016.

Philippine Statistics Authority Report. (2008).
Philippine Statistics Authority Report. (2014).
Women and Children Protection Desk report.(2010). 

World Science Report. (2010).

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