EDITORIAL – The tragic case of Jennifer Tampus

The Freeman

August 16, 2024 | 0:00

Usually people die on the streets in traffic accidents or violent crimes, but recently a woman died on the street while giving birth to a child.

According to a report by this newspaper, Jennifer Tampus, 39, of Sitio Tabay Lawom, Barangay Tisa, Cebu City, a woman who lived on the streets with her partner, died last Wednesday while giving birth to a child along General Maxilom Avenue.

Tampus went into labor and gave birth to her baby right there on the sidewalk. It was already dead when it came out. For some reason, Tampus also refused to be taken to the hospital and later died.

Their situation is tragic, but not an isolated one. Many people live on the streets. They come in many forms: from children climbing onto public transport and singing as they ask for coins, to old people sitting there begging, to men of working age who look like they could actually get a regular job but choose to loiter instead.

Their constant presence is often interpreted as a denigration of our status as a highly urbanized city.

Progress always brings misery; people are always attracted to places where there are jobs and opportunities to earn money, but not everyone can find a place there. So people just try to live where and how they can, even if it is not human dignity.

Admittedly, there is no clear solution to the problem of homelessness. As a city in the middle of a province, in the middle of a region – not to mention that we are the largest city in this region – we inevitably have to accommodate our share of people who have nowhere else to go.

One thing is clear, however: If nothing is done and the city continues to develop more and more areas to create jobs and income opportunities, we will have to expect even more homeless people and perhaps even more tragic cases like that of Jennifer Tampus.