Despite government neglect who says poor Filipinos are a miserable lot? An alternative Wow! Philippines photologue

Knowledge is power, everybody including these children seem to know except (inept) government. With funding for education taking a backseat in government priorities, these schoolchildren experience early on that they must struggle on their own to become truly empowered.

Field Trip: Bayugan, Agusan del Sur

FERVENT CHILDREN OF BAYUGAN. 

Manobo and Visayan children at a hinterland elementary school in Bayugan, Agusan del Sur run by the nuns of the Missionary Sisters of Mary rehearse their repertoire for an inter-schools festival. They are quite fervent as they sing the national anthem and salute the flag although their plight tells a lot how the government they have pledged their loyalty to have acutely neglected them. Social services rarely reach their community and they only get to have a taste of government presence during election season and military operations when government agents and politicians promise them the moon and the stars. It won't be long before they lose their innocence and come to ask basic questions and seek answers elsewhere. (Sitio Tagpalico, Barangay Santo Nino, Bayugan, Agusan del Sur. October 21-25, 2009)

 

RESPONSIBILITY comes at a young age. 

The boy attends to a more pressing concern before going to school -- letting the family carabao graze and making sure it gets a dip at the river every morning. (Brgy. Sto. Nino, Bayugan, Agusan del Sur. October 26, 2009)

STONEMILL. 

Carl Adolp Pansoy, a seven-year old Manobo boy grinds precious corn on a stone mill, a family heirloom, for their meal. He attends classes at the hinterland multigrade school. He says he will be a farmer and vows to take care of his widowed mother when he grows up
 

SMILEY. 

Wilson "Plong-Plong" Sandaya, a seven-year old Manobo boy, is all smiles upon sensing a photo opportunity. In 2008, German doctors who did a medical outreach in Agusan del Sur postponed his harelip operation until his respiratory illness, probably tuberculosis, is cured. Treatment is uncertain since Plong-Plong's family obviously could not afford medicines, and so his cleft stays indefinitely. (Sitio Tagpalico, Barangay Santo Nino, Bayugan, Agusan del Sur. October 21, 2009) 

JUSTICE!

for the victims of the Maguindanao massacre!

End WARLORDISM!

East Coast Davao Oriental

Signature "ukay-ukay" RTW is the fashion of choice for many poor Filipinos. These are mostly relief clothes from abroad channeled by customs and port officials to the blackmarket. Bargain prices attract shoppers in downtown Mati, Davao Oriental.

The woman is picking coconut shells beached by the waves, not sea shells. When asked why, she says she will make "uling" and sell it to buy rice. Coconut charcoal fetch much better prices than copra. Manay, Davao Oriental. July 31, 2009.

Under the bridge. Manay, Davao Oriental.

A smile for the camera. Children have fun riding a carabao-driven cart hauling coconuts. Brgy. Santiago, Caraga, Davao Oriental.

MAHAL ANG BUGAS, BARATO ANG KOPRAS. This young boy seems to mull over the steep dive in copra prices while kopreros deftly extract the coconut meat to be kiln-dried later.

Prevailing farm wage is around 130-150 pesos for every thousand coconut unhusked. A hardworking koprero can unhusk up to 2,000 coconuts on a lucky day but must take precautions or be impaled by the sharp metal stake if he gets careless.

Local compradors buy well-dried copra at 10 pesos per kilo but usually deduct a kilo from each 60-kilo sack for "resicada" or moisture content. (Photo taken July 31, 2009. Barangay Santiago, Caraga, Davao Oriental.)

The view on the road to Pusan Point. July 31, 2009.

Fishermen repair their boat. Barangay Santiago, Caraga, Davao Oriental on the way to Pusan Point, July 31, 2009.

Pusan Point in Caraga, Davao Oriental is the easternmost point of land in the Philippines and faces the Pacific Ocean. During the Second World War, Japanese troops established a beachhead at the peninsula.

Final destination. Barangay Santiago, Caraga, 31st July 2009.

NO FIRST SIGHT, FIRST LIGHT. Bad weather on the last day of 1999 kept watchers from witnessing the January 1, 2000 "millenium sunrise". Foreign media outfits who flocked to Pusan Point to document the first sunrise of 2000 went home frustrated. A rusty road sign is all that remains from the much hyped East Coast tourist attraction.

A Philippine Fiesta is never complete without lechon. Barangay San Ignacio, Manay, Davao Oriental. July 31, 2009.

 The road sign says it all. Tarragona, Davao Oriental. July 31, 2009.

Tarragona Public Market no more. After failing to get reelected, the former mayor withdrew his donation of the piece of land where the town market was constructed during his term.

Downtown Mati.

First Day of Classes (reprise) Davao City

STARTING THEM YOUNG. Second graders at the Kapitan Tomas Monteverde Elementary School, a premier public elementary school in Davao City, take an early lesson on patience that will serve them through life -- awaiting their turn for the teacher to check on their schoolwork during the first day of classes.

DILIGENCE. Two little girls try to finish their task before the bell rings.

AT THEIR BEST ELEMENT. Usually rowdy, second graders are at their best element during the first day of school.

CAN'T WAIT FOR THE BELL TO RING. This little girl still mulls over the leisurely summer.

ComVal Gold Rush (not all that glitters is gold)

VIDEOKARERA COMES TO TOWN. School-age children in a goldrush area in Brgy. Bukal, Nabunturan, Compostela Valley, learn to play the game of chance early in life.

EASY MONEY. "Packers" or porters who carry the unprocessed gold ores, while away the time playing "hantak".

GOLD MINER'S FAMILY. They came all the way from Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte, to try their luck in Brgy. Bukal. The men are toiling inside the gold tunnels, owned and financed by Korean nationals.