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PHOTO ESSAY: How to (literally) sell yourself to survive
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In all of his 35 years, Genesis has lived in Tondo, Manila. Though he provides for his family most of the time, he’s vocal about his rift with some of its members. “Sabi ‘ilaw ng tahanan,’ magbibigay liwanag. Nasaan? Pundido na. Ang ‘haligi’ namin, inaanay na,” he narrated. “Buti pa sa kalsada kahit wala akong haligi’t ilaw, ‘yung sarili ko puwede kong gawing haligi, ‘yung sarili ko puwede kong gawing ilaw.”
Having no one in his life he can call his own, Genesis adopted a three-year old boy. “Halos kapantay ng buhay ko ang pagmamahal ko sa batang ampon ko,” he said.
Genesis gives up some of his body parts so that he can provide for both himself and his adopted son.
In one of “Front Row”’s visits, the team were able to witness Genesis selling his tooth for Php 100 to a dentistry student. “Aanhin mo ‘yung magandang ngipin kung kumakalam naman ‘yung sikmura mo?,” he asked. “Hindi bale nang mawala ‘yung ngipin ko basta’t busog ako. Nakangiti pa rin ako na busog na busog [kahit walang ngipin].”
For Php 300 to 500 per bag, Genesis also earns by selling his blood to patients in hospitals who need it. The doctors inside usually have no knowledge that there’s an exchange of money going on, given that Genesis is always listed as a “donor”. “Para lang kagat ng langgam. Noong unang tusok lang naman ang masakit doon, pero ‘pag nasa loob na, wala na,” he shares. “Pagkatapos nang ikatlong buwan, puwede ulit ako mag-donate.”
From 2010, Genesis has sold blood four times. Although the selling of human blood is illegal under Republic Act 1517, there are still a number of violators who choose to undergo this act to earn money easily. Violators can be punished by imprisonment within a month to a year or by a fine of Php 100 to 1000.
“Hindi lang ngipin at dugo ang binenta ko. Ang pinakamahirap na binenta ko talaga sa parte ng katawan ko [ay] itong kidney,” Genesis said. In a desperate move to protect his family during the most challenging time, he sold his kidney. In return, he earned Php 120,000, allowing him to help in his family’s financial endeavours. He was also able to pay for the building of their house.
Theirs was a broken family. Apart from their parents being separated, one of his siblings was also put to jail because of a drug case. In Genesis’ visit to his brother, he had to ask during an argument: “Bakit, mali ba ‘yung nagawa ko? Nagpatanggal ako ng bato, naipatayo ko ang bahay...mali ba ‘yun?”
Because he had to use his body parts in order to earn a living, Genesis often receives negative comments from the people around him. “Madalas nilang sabihin kaya mahihirap dahil tamad. Ilang beses kaming naghanap, wala rin naman kaming makita. Kumatok kami, hindi rin naman kami pinagbubuksan,” he shares.
Many people are unaware that Genesis is an ex-convict. “Kasi ako ay ex-con nga, wala akong mahanap na trabaho, hindi ako makakuha ng NBI, hindi ako makakuha ng police clearance...ang hirap,” he explains. “Naghahanap ka ng trabaho. hindi ka naman tatanggapin. Kaya nakakapagbenta tuloy ako ng ngipin, dugo, itong bato ko. No choice na eh.”
Genesis believes that although many people cannot accept what he’s doing to somehow support himself and his family, he’s already been forgiven by God. “Siguro naman tinanggap niya na rin ang pagsisisi ko kasi hindi niya naman ako palalakasin ng ganito kung hindi niya pa rin ako pinatatawad eh,” he said with tears. “Mahirap pa ngang hingan ang tao ng tawad kaysa Panginoon.” —Donna Allanigue/CM, GMA News
