The rich man in the passage is described as wearing extravagant purple and fine linen clothes as a display of his wealth and status. He holds lavish feasts every day, while the poor man Lazarus desires only to eat scraps from the rich man's table, food that was meant for dogs. The passage contrasts the extreme luxury of the rich man with the desperate poverty of Lazarus and suggests taking collective, united action or "balikatan" to help the poor rather than ignoring or dismissing their situation.

5. The rich man is presented as
"dressed in purple and fine linen"
There is of course the prestige and the
power that go with wearing those clothes,
proclaiming, perhaps, even warning:
"Bigatin ako. Ingat ka bago mo ako
galawin."
Moreover, the Gospel states that this rich
man "feasted sumptuously every day"
(note: every day).

9. No daily fiestas but he simply "desired to
be fed with what fell from the rich man's
table", the food that is supposed to be
reserved for the dogs.

19. Kibit balikat: is the gesture we do
when we do not know what we are
asked or when we do not want to be
involved.
Balikatan: is when people decide to
unite and to act; it is collective action.