A third of the population of the Philippines is under 14 years old. The great poverty especially in the rural regions of the Philippines means that more and more children and young people grow up with only one relative (grandmother), without a father and often without a mother. In fact, parents are forced to emigrate to ensure the livelihood of their families. In addition, many parents find themselves in the situation of having to send their children to the city to find work: they have to work in small industries, on construction sites, in agriculture, in families or in hotels.

Abandoned by their future husbands and fathers, many young mothers - single mums – emigrate abroad as all-round caregivers and housekeepers, in order to ensure a dignified existence for their children, leaving the children with their grandparents.

Exploitation, prostitution and child trafficking are the order of the day - a bitter reality that has worsened after the devastating hurricanes and earthquakes (Hayan 2013, Odette 2021, many others) and the COVID19 pandemic.