Geela Manila

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2-year-old Angeline shares breakfast to her foster father, Jimmy. // Jimmy has been taking care of the little girl since her mother died during her birth. He treats and refers to Angeline as his own daughter.

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Dumagat language workshop by the bank of Agos River

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While workshops on public speaking and organic farming were offered to the elderly, an art therapy for psychosocial support was facilitated for the kids. The children drew about nature, and the volunteers synthesized the session by teaching them the importance of preserving the environment under climate change.

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Lumad and Dumagat children celebrating Dumagat Day

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Dumagat from various communities lined up for medical services last Dumagat Day. Sick delegates were given medicine, while others were given check-up and vitamins. While mapping Dumagat communities, leaders shared that while some neighbourhoods have health centers, areas located in remote fields have none. Some of these health centers are even deprived of medicine and services, only having a building structure. In very unfortunate emergencies, the Dumagat use hammocks as their ambulance to carry patients by foot (for hours) to reach better equipped health centers.

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Different Dumagat leaders mapped out their territories to give Dumagat Day attendees a clearer picture of the areas they live in. The Dumagat are highly aware of their community, they know the number of people living per area, the average number of people per household, and the capacities of each sitio. 

Some communities have health centers, while the ones located in very remote areas have none. According to some leaders, some health centers only have the structure of the health center itself, but with no stock of medicines to get from when they’re sick. Some get site visits from doctors weekly, and Dumagat from farther communities travel all the way to better equipped health centers for medical assistance. 

In times of emergency, the Dumagat uses a hammock, which they carry for hours (depending on the distance of the community to the health center) by foot as their ambulance. Health care is very unaccessible to far-flung Dumagat communities. 

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Nanay Marilyn is a Dumagat from Sitio Kinabuan, a town near the famous Kinabuan Falls. She plants ginger, taro, and rice for a living and has a family of 7 kids, all of whom are not hers. Nanay Marilyn had two sisters, one died because of tuberculosis, the other while giving birth. Her sisters’ death left her children to support. She and her husband weren’t blessed to have their own kids, but they consider the 7 children left to them as their own. It took her family of 9 a 3-hour trek and a 6-hour jeepney ride to be present in this year’s Dumagat Day. She hopes for the Kaliwa-Kanan-Laiban dam project to be dropped as her family depends on their land for their livelihood, and they consider the Agos River deeply sacred.

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Dumagat day delegates preparing their morning coffee

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Dumagat Day 2019

Sharing photos from this year’s Dumagat Day. 

The culmination was held at the banks of Agos River, to express disdain to the China-funded Kaliwa dam which would displace thousands of Dumagat families from their ancestral lands. 

The Agos River connects different Dumagat communities as it stretches from Quezon Province to Tanay Rizal. The same river would be the basin of the ill-famed Kaliwa Dam. Found behind the body of water are the mountains of Sierra Madre, which would be crushed if the project ensues.

Lumad children in solidarity of the Dumagat community 

Carmelita dela Cruz, leader of Sitio Sari, Brgy. Lumutan 

Hermenio Mendoza, Dumagat leader from Sitio Minanga Brgy. Lumutan explained “nganga” to the attendees. Nganga, or betel-nut chewing is part of the Dumagat culture. It is an everyday practice, which the Dumagat heavily attaches to their identity. 

This practice has been passed on several generations and to “nganga” is to show one’s affinity to the tribe. Aside from being a cultural practice, “pagnganga” also maintains their health and physical ability. 

Mendoza invited attendees to try the Nganga. 

A short traditional dance followed the program. 

The blatant disregard of the government to the human rights of the Dumagat only drives the indigenous community to further advance their rights. Despite the incessant intimidation of the military, the dubious FPIC process, and the attacks of the fascist state, the Dumagat community remains steadfast to protect their ancestral lands from imperialist plunder. 

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Members of different Dumagat communities watched @sandraaguinaldo’s “Dambuhalang Proyekto” last Dumagat Day. 

The documentary looks into the Kaliwa Dam project following the eyes of the Dumagat who wish to preserve their ancestral land and the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewarage System (MWSS) who poses the project as the solution for the recent water crisis in Metro Manila.

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Dumagat men walking towards Agos river for a short bath

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“Ano pong pangalan niya?” “Ambon”

“Bakit po Ambon?” “Summer rain, ulan sa tag-init.”

Ambon is Mikmik’s daughter. Mikmik is a female Dumagat leader staunchly against the construction of dams funded by imperialist countries, which would only destroy the rich biodiversity of Sierra Madre and displace thousands of Dumagat communities. 

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Bagong gising

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Salawal

Photo from Dumagat Day, 2019

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San Roque, July 2019

Sharing photos from last July’s visit at Sitio San Roque.

Walls of San Roque’s center where volunteers are fed by meals cooked by the community.

Good boys.

The gap between the rich and the poor could easily be spotted in San Roque. Tall buildings tower over the people’s houses which are made of wood and substandard materials. 

The same towering buildings were constructed by workers living in the urban poor community. Deprived of decent living wages, proper working conditions, and even their right to home and the city, will the community even experience living in the condominiums their own hands built? 

The land in San Roque is fertile. Above is a photo of a squash’s leaf which randomly grew in the site. Aside from squash, Kangkong also used to grow in the area. 

Residents preparing for a debut. 

A small Muslim community also settles in San Roque, because of this, food stalls offering halal food also emerged in the community, and this serves as a source of livelihood to some residents. 

Follow @SaveSanRoque on Twitter and Facebook to learn more about the community and volunteer.

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NutriAsia Picket Line, Cabuyao Laguna

Bumisita kasama ang Concerned Artists of the Philippines sa picket line ng mga manggagawa ng NutriAsia noong Agosto. Iba ang kampuhan na ‘to sa nabalita (dahil sa marahas na dispersal) noong nakaraang taon na nasa Bulacan. Halos magtatatlong buwan na ang mga manggagawa ng Cabuyao sa piket. 

Gawa ito ni Sweden, isa sa mga manggagawa sa Cabuyao. Pininta nya ang nangyari noong sinira ng mga pulis ang kanilang piket sa tapat ng pabrika noong Hulyo. Ayon kay Kuya Gary, marahas na sinira ng kapulisan ang kanilang piket, at hinawakan ng pulisya ang mga babaeng manggagawa sa maseselang bahagi ng katawan noong dispersal.  

Napatigil ng mga manggagawa ang produksyon ng 5 oras at 24M pesos ang nawala sa kumpanya dulot ng paghinto ng mga manggagawa. Dahil sa marahas na dispersal, 17 manggagawa ang kinasuhan ng pitong trumped-up charges, tulad ng robbery, arson, malicious mischief, direct assault, coercion, atbp. Aabutin ng 2.5M pesos ang gagastusin sa piyansa, halagang tiyak na hindi maiipon ng manggagawa kung sila ay patuloy na kumikita ng minimum wage kada-araw. 

Kalagayan sa Pabrika

Nagbahagi ang mga manggagawa ng ilang mga nangyayaring pang-aabuso sa loob ng pabrika. Halimbawa ang litrato sa taas sa isa sa mga peklat na natamo ng isang manggagawa dahil sa mapanganib na kondisyon ng pagtratrabaho sa loob. 

Maiinit na kumukulong tubig ang sumasalubong sa mga manggagawa araw-araw dahil doon nakababad ang mga pakete ng catsup, mantika, mga ready recipe na kanilang hinahawakan. Wala silang gloves, o face mask na suot, at pansamantalang pinapasuot lang ang mga ito tuwing magchcheck ang Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). Pili rin daw ang mga manggagawang pinapainterview sa DOLE. 

Kapag nagkakasugat gaya ng nasa itaas, kailangan daw nilang itago ito. Bawal raw magkasakit dahil agad agad na pinapalitan ang mga manggagawa, wala raw silang matinong health card, at pinipilit daw ng kumpanya na hindi ito magkaroon ng record ng injury o mga aksidente. Dahil daw sa tindi ng hirap sa pagawaan, may mga baguhan na umaalis sa trabaho sa ikatlong araw pa lamang. 

Benepisyo

Maraming iligal na deduction ang makikita sa kanilang payslip. 450 kada-buwan ang nakakaltas sa kanilang sweldo na pumupunta sa HMO na hindi nila nagagamit. Tuwing nagkakasakit sila ay kailangan pa nilang dumaan sa ahensya para magpacheck-up, aabutin daw sila ng alas-dos ng hapon sa kahihintay, at hindi rin naman pala aasikasuhin.

Mayroon silang binabayaran na tinatawag nilang dividends sa coop, share kumbaga sa isang taon. Pinaghahatian daw nila ito matapos ang isang taon ngunit hindi rin naman malinaw kung paano ito kinikwenta. Ang coop na ito ay binuo raw ng kumpanya. 

Pasahod 

373 lang ang kinikita ng mga manggagawa na dapat ay sa walong oras nilang pagtratrabaho, madalas nga ay umaabot ang mga manggagawa ng 12 oras sa pabrika. Pahayag nga ng isa, mababa na nga ang minimum wage sa probinsya ay hindi pa sila nakatatanggap ng overtime. Maliban pa doon, kung ikukumpara ang bilihin eh pareho lang naman ang presyo ng bigas sa Maynila at sa probinsya. 

Pinapaliwanag ni Kuya Gary kung paano ginagawa ang mga catsup sa planta. Ang catsup na hawak ay mula sa Ministop, kasama ng mga inoorder na pagkain mula sa convenience store. 

Dito rin nalaman na hawak pala ng NutriAsia halos lahat ng mga halong pampalasa sa mga pagkain. Nagulat ang mga kasama na NutriAsia din pala ang supplier sa malalaki at malalawak na restaurant sa bansa. 

Makina vs. Tao

Mabilis ang takbo ng makina kaya kailangan ding bilisan ng mga manggagawa ang kanilang pagtratrabaho, kahit na hirap dahil wala naman silang angkop na proteksyon sa maiinit na produktong hinahawakan. 

Kapag daw mabagal, maiipon sa filler ang mga produkto at iniiwasan itong mangyari dahil sila naman ang matatambakan. Kapag pinapatay daw ang makina, sila rin ang nasisisi. Lumalabnaw daw kasi ang produkto at kailangang irecook kung ganoon, at ito’y iniiwasan sapagkat dadagdag sa gastos. 

Ang quota sa isang paggawa ay 45 palettes, ngunit hindi ito kinakaya ng makina kaya mas mainam pa rin daw na tao ang dumadampot ng mga produkto. 

Ang isang palette ay naglalaman ng 70 na kahon na may lamang 24 bote (320 g ng catsup) kada isang kahon. Mga 1,680 na bote ang nagagawa kadaminuto. 

Karamihan sa mga manggagawa ay nagsimula noong labingwalong anyos pa lamang, may pinapirmahan daw sa kanila ang ahensya na nagpasok sa kanila na nagsasabing wala silang ugnayan sa NutriAsia. 

Hindi na sila nakatanggap ng kahit na ano pang kontrata, kahit na marami sa mga manggagawa ang mahigit tatlong taon nang nagtratrabaho sa kumpanya. 

Nagtapos ang bisita sa pagkanta ng awit na sinulat ng mga manggagawa kasama ang CAP. 

Patuloy pa rin ang laban ng mga manggagawa sa Cabuyao, nitong nakaraan lamang ay iligal silang dinispersa sa piket. Hanggang ngayon ay hinihintay pa rin ng mga manggagawa ang pagsipot ng mayor ng Cabuyao upang tugunan ang kanilang mga panawagang maging regular at magkaroon nang mas disenteng kondisyon sa pagtratrabaho. 

Matatagpuan sa ibaba ang mga produkto ng NutriAsia na hinihikayat ng mga manggagawang iboycott:

UFC Ketchup 

Ready Recipe 

Mang Tomas 

Sweet Chili

Jufran 

UFC gravy

Powdered Recipe 

Maxs Catsup

Fit and Right 

Sinigang Mix

Big Crunch

Suportahan ang panawagan ng mga manggagawa ng NutriAsia Cabuyao sa pagbibigay ng mga donasyon, pag-iintegrate sa piket, at pagboycott ng mga produkto.