Tatang lives in the streets of the Philippines' urban Manila with his granddaughter, Ester. Tatang makes- ends-meet the easiest way he knows, through stealing and pick-pocketing. He does it with Ester as his aid and apprentice. One incident goes awry and Tatang gets beaten up by a group of men. Tatang bitterly takes out his misfortune on Ester and starts to feel useless. Ester on the other hand, starts to make it up to Tatang by becoming the breadwinner. She becomes better and better with stealing and Tatang realizes that he created a monster in her. One day, Tatang hears a gunshot - a moment that will serve as a wake-up call and will change the rest of his being.
