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Poverty has become our comedy. It means someone else's survival is our entertainment. It means human suffering has been turned into content. And no one who truly sees the Badjao as equals would dare laugh.

[…] A 2024 study in the International Journal of Current Science Research and Review documented how Badjao teens are bullied and excluded in schools. One student shared:

"I'm often bullied at school because I'm a Badjao... They always tease me, saying I smell bad, even though I always take a bath. There was a time when my classmates took pictures of me and sent them to the group chat just to make fun of me" (Ederio, 2024).

This is a child humiliated, scarred, made to feel less than human.

[…] We mock the Badjao for begging, but never ask why they must beg. We sneer at their appearance, but never ask why a seafaring tribe was driven from the seas to the streets. We romanticize them only when it is convenient—when a "Badjao Girl" goes viral, or when their dance makes it to TV. But respect in real life? We fail. Again and again.

Words by Hayley Conejar in “Mocking the Badjao: The Outfit Trend That Betrays Our Laws, Values, and Humanity” for The Mindanao Tech

(This was written in response to the TikTok trend of mocking poor Badjao mothers begging on the streets with their children strapped to their backs.)

#x #mindanao #philippines #sama bajau #badjao #filipinblr

Sitangkai: the Philippines’ southern frontier

Over the weekend, I found myself at the southernmost edge of the Philippines—Sitangkai, a remote municipality in Tawi-Tawi that lies closer to Malaysia than to Zamboanga or even Sulu's Jolo. Often dubbed the "Venice of the South", Sitangkai earns this moniker from its intricate network of waterways, where boats—not wheels—serve as the primary mode of transportation. But beyond this passing resemblance to the famed Italian city, Sitangkai holds a quiet charm that is entirely its own.

Sitangkai’s waterways converge at the so-called 'Boulevard'—a broad canal that stretches from the village’s main entry point, marked by a distinct welcome arch, all the way to the Municipal Hall at its farthest reach.

Set among islands and shoals that once sat at the heart of ancient maritime trade routes, Sitangkai has long been home to the Sama-Bajaus—our seafaring brothers and sisters who have thrived for generations through fishing and cross-island trade. Life here moves to the rhythm of the tides, and the culture is rich with traditions shaped by the surrounding Sulu and Celebes seas.

At certain times of the day, traders line the edges of the Boulevard, their wooden boats brimming with goods—from fresh vegetables and fruits to the day’s catch of fish. Buyers gather as well, negotiating prices and making their own offers in a lively exchange. I was there at around 5 p.m., and the place was still buzzing with activity.

Today, Sitangkai’s strategic location continues to make it a vital trading port, serving as a gateway for goods moving between the Philippines and neighboring Malaysia. In its floating markets, currencies are flexible—and stories, traded just as easily as goods, flow freely from locals, traders, and visitors alike. Here, borders blur and cultures converge.

Just behind the Municipal Hall sits the local high school. A graduation ceremony was underway when I visited. I saw graduates and their parents dressed in some of the most beautiful attire I’ve ever seen at such an event—vibrant, elegant, and deeply expressive of pride. Their joy was unmistakable, and rightfully earned.

Indeed, Sitangkai stands as a quiet yet enduring reminder of the Philippines’ maritime roots—and of our deep, living ties with our Southeast Asian neighbors, carried not by wheels, but by the open waters that have long connected our histories, economies, and lives.

The heat in Sitangkai was intense—the kind that clings to your skin. Thankfully, a boat selling ice cream came by, offering a much-needed break from the swelter. But more than the heat, it’s Sitangkai—its beauty, its people, and their warm hospitality—that will cling to me far longer.

#Sitangkai #Tawi-tawi #Philippines #BARMM #Bangsamoro #Sama-Badjau #Badjao #Mindanao