STREET CHILDREN IN THE CITY (004) By: Owen S. Bayog

Without parental guidance children living on the streets may succumb to this one.  

A photo shot in 2006 during the MassKara Festival of Bacolod City.

STREET CHILDREN IN THE CITY (003) By: Owen S. Bayog

The population of street beggars which are mostly children continue to rise.

STREET CHILDREN IN THE CITY (002) By: Owen S. Bayog

Street Children - are those who live in the streets, some because of poverty, others ran away from home due to abuse.  Deprived by family care and protection - who will care and protect them?

STREET CHILDREN IN THE CITY (001) By: Owen S. Bayog

Public Officials both in the local and national level have promised the people that their lives will be better - time passed, others retain their posts but the plight of the people in the streets has not changed at all.

25 Years After Edsa By: Owen S. Bayog

I was in Grade 4 during the Edsa Uprising in 1986.  I can vividly recall that Cassette tapes containing the speeches of Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. were illegal and newspapers containing releases about him were scarce.  My teacher was fond of me when I would gather my classmates and discuss what I have learned about Ninoy and why the country was under Martial Law. 

Years after my teacher and I bumped into one another and told me that she was right when she said that I might be an activist when I grow up.  I did, but not because of Ninoy Aquino.  I was among the student leaders holding a pen, a campus journalist and later on was with the National Patriotic Alliance (Bagong Alyansang Makabayan - Negros).

The experience has taught me of the National and Democratic movement where until now has my respect.  Over the years – people change and evolve, and so did I.  I am now with the Fourth Estate being a photojournalist and writer.

Last Feb. 25, I was with fellow journalists covering the Edsa People Power commemoration.  I instantly recalled the experience when the people took the streets to call for Marcos to go down from the presidency.  I saw thousands of people went to the Bacolod Public Plaza – the unity of the people to remove Marcos from power.

After 25 years – the time and people do change, but I could still hear speeches saying that Edsa in 86’ was a peaceful revolution and a miracle.  It was not a revolution but a people’s uprising, the leaders were changed but the political system remained the same. I also noticed that after 25 years people do not walk out from their houses to commemorate the day we regained our democracy from a dictator – they now arrived with cars in a motorcade.

An avid Pinoy supporter told me in a facebook comment: “We marched and walked to the streets to rally during the Martial Law Days, we can now ride. 

 Again, time and people change and evolve.  What the people should march and protest about is the ever increasing prices of oil and other commodities, people should assert their right to land jobs and own parcels of land to till. Filipinos should be given access to free education and social services rather than having a government that is subservient to foreign rule, spending more on military budget and debt servicing.  These are the issues that has not been resolved by EDSA and we continue to face today.#

RAGE AGAINST THE DYING OF THE LIGHT By: Owen S. Bayog

Members of the militant youth trooped to the Fountain of Justice to call

on the present government to put a stop on the Privatization scheme. Torches lit the 

streets in front of the Bacolod City Hall as activists held their rally. 

FLOWERS FOR VALENTINES By: Owen S. Bayog

A rose costs P30 a piece at the Bacolod City Public Plaza.