An Anthropologist in Paradise

I just read the latest post on Lilli's blog. It made me smile. Or how the world is anxiously trying to fulfill western phantasies...

Earthquake on Christmas Day

At 11:20 AM on December 25 - Christmas Day - we experienced an earthquake here in Mindanao. According to local news broadcasts and paper headlines, it had a strenghth of 6.2, which is quite strong apparently. I was sitting on my bed and writing on the computer when it happened. It's an odd feeling when things suddenly start moving and you don't know what's happening. It was my first time to be in an earthquake, too. Luckily, the earthquake did not cause much damage anywhere.

Hedcor Sibulan - Controversial Construction in Protected Rainforest

Below are some pictures from the construction site of the Hedcor Sibulan hydropower plant. The site of the project is within an environmentally critical area inside Mount Apo Natural Park - a priority protected area because of its unique biodiversity and last remaining patches of rainforest in Southeast Mindanao. It will never cease to amaze me that this is possible...

My House Mates

Here's a picture of me and my house mates. I've been living in a boarding house for about 4 months now, and now realize I have never really introduced them. This picture was taken at our Christmas Party. Most of my house mates are college students, but some already work too.

Sinoron Ritual - Bago-Tagabawa Culture and Tradition

So I went to Sinoron again on Friday to see the ritual at the spring. We travelled up to the source carrying a goat, two chickens and some other stuff to be used during the ritual. It was surely worth while the effort. Below is a short video. You'll see datu Udal performing the ritual; he is one of the few people who still know these traditions. The intention of the ritual is to ask permission to use the spring as a source for the new water system.

It has to be a full moon to perform the ritual, so Friday was the right time. We hiked up to the spring in the morning; it is a way of clearing your mind. I didn't catch the full meaning of the ritual (it was in Bagobo), but this is what I was able to figure out: the two chickens represent the unity between two tribal territories. The water of the spring is in Salidokun, but the water will be used by the people from Sinoron. Therefore, there is a sort of pact between the tribal leaders of both territories, represented by a male and a female chicken. The chickens have to be white; it symbolizes purity (in fact, we spent two hours looking for two white chickens :) The goat is the sacrifice of the community to Apo Sandawa, a mythic forefather of the Bagobo-Tagabawa. During the ritual, datu Udal also used 7 coins and 7 eggs, which represent the 7 days of the week. It means that the people are asking Apo Sandawa to provide water all the time (all days of the week). all through the ritual, datu Udal was asking questions to Apo Sandawa. He held a bamboo stick in his hands and, after each question, closed his eyes and stretched the stick across his breast, spreading his arms as far as he could; should one end of the stick be too short and the branch slip from his hands, then that means Apo Sandawa does not approve. If there is enough wood on both ends of the branch, then the request is approved. We also drank some jenever. Datu Udal explained this by saying that the white liquid brings whiteness of heart. (a good enough raison to drink jenever, I would say). After the ritual, the goat was cooked and eaten close to the spring.

Sinoron

The last three days I've been visiting Sinoron, an upland barangay in Santa Cruz. The people from Sinoron have started to construct a water system, and I was curious to see the source they are going to use. Little did I know that there had been an encounter between NPA rebels and the army last month. So before I knew it, 6 soldiers decided to escort me to the source to make sure I would be safe. To tell you the truth, six heavily armed soldiers on your tail does not really make one feel much safer... I was a bit embarrassed too, of course, that my visit created such a fuss. On the other hand, it's a cool experience as well.

The army did not go all the way up to the source. It's a pretty steep climb. The last few kilometres I was guided by an old man who effortlessly jumped from rock to rock on his bare feet towards the spring.


A nice thing about hiking up the mountain is that you get to see the daily life of the people. It makes you realize what enormous distances these people travel on foot just to get to their farm. Because the area has been occupied by rebels for some 20 years now, most people live downhill and travel back and forth between their farms and their houses.


On friday, the Bagobo-Tagabawa tribe is going to have a ritual at the spring to ask for the blessing of the gods for their water system. Today I witnessed the tribal council where the tribal chieftains discussed the planning for the ritual. I'm curious to see it... The picture below shows tribal cieftains Benjamin Banglos and Danilo Udal discussing the meaning of the ritual. I'll tell you more about it when I get back.

The moon, Venus and Jupiter Smile on Earth

Last Sunday I left the house in the evening and saw a strange phenomenon in the sky. The moon, Venus and Jupiter are currently set in a rare alignment and form something that looks like a smiley. The smiley can only be seen in some parts of the world and apparently, people in the United States see a frowning face (Maybe Lie, my friend in Washington, can confirm this?). Of course, this wouldn't be the Philippines if people wouldn't try to read special messages into it, so some astrologists are trying to read President Arroyo's fate in this coincidental, but funny phenomenon.

Rodrigo Duterte, Mayor of Davao City

Below is an interview with the mayor of Davao City, Rodrigo Duterte. It deals with the fact that in Davao, known criminals tend to turn up dead in the streets, shot down by a gang of dark-clothed men on motorcycles known as the Davao Death Squad. No one has ever been convicted for these killings. I will not comment on the interview, but I think you should really read it. It sent shivers down my spine, in any case...

Some say there have been cases of mistaken identity in these killings?

If they have the facts, why don’t they file a case in court or come to me and show to me? Why can’t they do that?

I remember the case of (human-rights worker Rashid) Manahan. He had received death threats in Cotabato. When he was killed in my city, they say I ordered the killing. Putang ina! Why would I kill a poor guy who was just working for an NGO? If you want, I’ll line up all the human-rights commissioners and kill them all.

They say you don’t touch the big fish.

Puta… I don’t hit the big fish? Hesusmaryosep! I know I cannot get (industrialist Jesus) Ayala and (banana magnate Antonio) Floirendo because they don’t use drugs!

How safe is Davao City?

Very safe, I would say, except for the terrorists. But the common crimes like snatching… That’s petty. I cannot kill a human being just because he stole small items. That’s too expensive a payment. I deal with kidnappers, especially people who kill, or people who rape and kill.

They make your blood boil.

I’m like that. It’s my human nature. And you know human nature is part of your character. That’s my persona.

What has changed about you since you first ran for mayor,
since you were a prosecutor?

I hate to mention this because I’m not trying to make a big issue out of it. I grew up with politics because my father was governor. So practically I have a good training about how to deal with problems of people.

My hatred of criminals – that’s what changed Davao. If I have not improved the lot of the poor folk there at Boulevard, it’s simply because of the economy. But what actually, to me, made the difference is at least the criminals here are afraid of the law. Here, if you are a police officer and you steal from a civilian, putang ina, I’m going to kill you. God, I will! I’ll M16 you in public.

You know, governance or whatever in public office — it’s all about sense and sensibility. That is all that is needed. I am proud that I walk the extra mile to see to it that this city is peaceful.

We’d like to make this clear: Each time you say you’d kill somebody….

That is all talk! (Laughs.)

But isn’t that a form of taking the law into your own hands?

No, it’s a form of a threat, instilling fear in the minds of criminals. So, if you are a journalist, if you are an ordinary citizen, why should you be afraid? Unless you believe your mayor is a candidate for a mental asylum. (Laughs.) Why would you be afraid each time I say, “You criminals are sons of bitches! I’m going to kill all of you!”? If you’re afraid, then you must be a criminal.

Doesn’t that put you in danger of being implicated if
something happens to these people after you say those things?

You know, guilt is personal. Remember that it’s a principle of criminal law. Guilt is personal. There is no guilt by association just because I’m the mayor talking here nonsense.

Each time I threaten them, there’s always a qualification: “You terrorists, putang ina, I’m going to kill you!” As you see, they end up dead. (Laughs.)

What happens if you’re no longer mayor? The fear by the criminals could be of you, not the law. What happens if you’re no longer there and the person who replaces you is not as strong as —

Putang ina, even if I’m asleep, wake me up and I’ll deal with it. (Laughs.) I’m never afraid of criminals, even when I was not yet a mayor. When I was a prosecutor, I kicked a man in the chest inside the court room.

Were you cited in contempt?

Of course! (Laughs.) I was a prosecutor and I was in jail. (Laughs.)

Why can’t you just prosecute these criminals, bring them to justice?

Some of them are dead. The others, we’re still going to kill them.

Were you frustrated with the legal system?

I began as a prosecutor, right? So take it from me. When I was a prosecutor for 10 years, this thing called guilt – that’s always an 80-20 proposition and all you have to do is to create doubt. And because of stringent regulations about right to counsel, information, due process and everything – these are so limited. What can you get from a terrorist during 36 hours of detention? Let’s be frank. What can you get?

The judicial process is too complicated?

It’s not just that. It’s the law itself. Because government is supposed to be powerful it owns everything but there’s a barrier and that barrier is the Bill of Rights. It protects the citizens from abusive excesses, inordinate exercise of power. The problem is, they abuse it, so the criminals are in and out of prison. That’s what I hate about it.

Let’s put it this way. I am not about ready to admit any particular killing here. (Laughs.) I can go to prison. What I’m trying to say is that I’m trying hard to make everybody realize, both the civilians and criminals, that if you commit a serious crime, you’ll just have to pay for it. Maybe inside the prison or maybe lose your funds or lose your life.

How do you know that your threats against criminals are working?

Look around. Compare it to other places. How could you not see it? Go around the city…

Have you given up on due process?

No, I should not waive anything there in the Bill of Rights. I think that we should observe it strictly. But if you do not leave room for me to exercise my discretion of human rights or if you do not give me that space, if you box me in one corner, you do not leave me an elbow room to give you, to afford you that right, in the end, you will lose everything… maybe including your life.

But what about the children? Many of those killed were minors.

(Stammers.) That’s a collateral… social problem. It becomes a collater… collateral itself. Its not a question of crime anymore. That’s what makes things difficult. Well, that is another problem. I cannot answer that. (davaotoday.com)

Thank God for Atheists

Last Friday, the electricity suddenly went off in the office of Kapwa, so the entire staff gathered in the kitchen to... convert me to christianity. I mean, seriously. I have been with Kapwa for some 4 months now. In the beginning, when people asked me what religion I practice, I kinda circumvented the question by saying that I was raised as a christian, without further specifying whether I also am a christian.

So I thought that, after 4 months, it would be ok to confide that I really am an atheist ("walay Ginoo"). My mistake... Most people can simply not imagine that one can live without religion. It is not that people do not respect you when you're an atheist, they simply cannot believe it. It is beyond them.

- How can you explain everything that existst on Earth?

- Evolution.

- But who created evolution? Haha! It must have been God!

Sigh... Think it's time for a good old secular revolution here. Whatever those bloody missionaries did some centuries ago, they surely did it thoroughly. But then again, in the end people are really just concerned. Nilo, our project coordinator, said he felt sorry for me that I will be clad with horns and a tail in hell while he is flying among the spirits in heaven. "Kalooy ka"... After Nilo had given it his best to convince me, he turned to his colleagues and said in a voice of disbelief: "He is not convinced...". Then, as by divine providence, the lights suddenly turned on again. Thank God!

Asa ka, Gloria?

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the 14th President of the Philippines, has just survived a 4th impeachment bid filed against her in 4 years time. The law only allows for one impeachment bid per year, so it seems like she's on for a game of 'collect all 6" before her term ends in 2010. IF it ends in 2010...

The impeachment bid was junked after only three days of hearings in the House of Representatives. According to Gloria's allies in the House, the impeachment case contained insufficient proof to pursue the charges made against her. It was the usual stuff: corruption, fraud, bribery...


One would think, though, that after 4 impeachment bids in just as many years and widespread opposition to her presidency by the people, Gloria would get the message by now. It cannot be much fun to be one of the most hated presidents in the history of the Philippines (there is some tough competition there, too); but many suspect that Gloria is clinging on to her position out of fear for the many lawsuits that hang above her head. As long as she is president, she is more or less untouchable for criminal lawsuits; if she steps down or is ousted, she will most likely go straight to court and face the many charges of bribery, fraud and corruption pending against her. One journalist said that Gloria's position is like holding the tail of a tiger: if you let go, it will bite you... On the other hand, her predecessor, president Estrada, was also convicted for plundering the nation, but was gracefully pardoned by, you'll never guess, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Estrada was ousted by the Second People's Power Revolution after an impeachment bid against him had been aborted in the Senate... No harm done, though, you can often see him in game shows on television and he is supposedly preparing himself to run for president again in 2010.

"Only in the Philippines", people would sometimes say. It is not so much a cry of protest, it is rather like saying "Oh well, what can you do". It is a sad thing, for sure, that people revolt against a corrupt president only to find out that their new one is even worse. On the other hand, I think Gloria is a symptom and not a cause of the problems in the Philippines...

Floating Thoughts...

During my visit to Singapore I visited a nice visual arts exhibition in the old court house. One piece, in particular, left me speechless for a while. It was an installation of a book floating in an aquarium. I think it is really beautiful...

In case you are wondering, the book is Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. "Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent".

Some Pictures from Little India, Singapore

Thank God It's Free!

All Saints' Day

On November 1, I went to the cemetary in Bansalan. I was told that people in the Philippines have a slightly different way of paying hommage to the dead than we in the West... and they sure do.

I arrived on the cemetary on my own, which was an attraction in its own right. Never have I had so many pairs of eyes stare at me. It's funny, in a way, since I was no less amazed by what I saw on the cemetary. I talked to some people who were so kind to guide me around.

There were lots of people on the cemetary and I coulnd't see any tombs at first because of all the shops in front of them. Imagine people selling not only candles and flowers, but also food, drinks, beer, you name it. For one day in the year, Filipinos 'live' with the dead. The whole family gathers around the tombs, put up a tent or build a roof over the grave and sleep overnight on the cemetary. There is also a class distinction in the afterlife, apparently, because wealthy families build a whole house around the tomb. Some graves have a shower and toilet and I even saw one grave that had a karaoke machine in it... Incroyable!


In Bansalan, the cemetary road divides the rich families from the poor. On the right side are the simple tombs, on the left some tombs are bigger than many people's houses. In this section, I saw one guy casually roasting a pig.


I think you could say that All Saints' Day is really a social occasion and the dead are very much present. I guess many of us in the West are pretty much convinced that once you're dead, you're really gone. All Souls' Day, therefore, is perhaps more about memories than about actually 'visiting' the dead. In the Philippines, there is a deep sense that the 'other world' is just around the corner... It is also more a happy than a sad occasion. It's somehow nice how the dead bring the living together.

Have a look at Maya's blog for a different story about this 'pista minatay'.

How One Letter Can Make a World of Difference...

Managa Water Project

Travelling from centro Managa towards the uplands of Balutakay you will see a chain of potable water systems scattered at irregular distances along the main road. You’ll see people carrying gallons to and fro, children bathing in the water before going to school and women doing laundry. If you stop along the road to ask people what recent changes in Managa have positively affected their lives, few would hesitate to mention the potable water system that provides clean water for every purok.

Before the water system was installed, farmers used to fetch water from the river or from the irrigation dam in lower Managa. Women would carry laundry to the riverbank and spend a large part of the day near the water. People who lived close to the Poblacion would ride habal-habal to the market to buy bottles of mineral water. It was a tiresome chore to collect relatively small amounts of water for daily use.

The water system in Managa has a long and somewhat troubled history. Some of the components of the system were installed during the Southern Mindanao Agricultural Program (SMAP) from the Department of Agriculture (DA). The original system, however, did not function for very long. Soon after it had been completed, people at the lower end of the water supply noticed that the water pressure gradually decreased until some reservoirs eventually ran dry… There were a number of reasons for this. The pipes that led from the source down to the water reservoirs had to pass along the many vegetable gardens of upland farmers. Some of those farmers were tempted to insert injections into the pipes to spray their vegetable gardens, reducing the water supply for people further down the line… The pipes were also vulnerable to soil movements and farming activities, and a lack of maintenance eventually left Managa with a leaking water system.

The story of the SMAP water project illustrates how strongly the lives of the people in Managa are connected through a shared need for potable water. Water is a precious resource, but the strong need for water divided the community. The water system intended to connect the communities to a common source, but individual usage of the system disconnected some people from water supply and destabilized the system. There was no real policy governing the water use and the issue was left unresolved. In a more general way, the SMAP project also showed the profound impact of upland life for people downhill…

The SMAP project was a disappointing experience for many, but fortunately the story does not end here. The community kept its dream of a potable water system alive and when Kapwa started working in Bansalan, its project officers started to explore the possibility of breathing new life into the project. From the onset, however, it was evident that participation of the entire community would be vital for the success of the project. The current water system is the result of joint efforts of the different stakeholders in the area. Kapwa assisted the tribal council in gathering the necessary documents and permits for the project through the National Council of Indigenous Peoples. The local government units provided budget for the purchasing of pipes and equipment; Kapwa contributed both financial and logistic support for the implementation of the project. The community, in turn, provided the labour on the ground. Some components of the SMAP project were reused in the new design and the system was extended to reach more households.

Kapwa project officer Samuel Toraya remembers that the people from Managa were somewhat sceptical at first:

“The people from Managa could not believe at first that the water system was really going to be provided. They had had some negative experiences with broken promises and unfinished projects in the past and some feared that this too might turn out to be a disappointment. Kapwa was new in the area and we were still building trust with the communities. We spent a long time organising the community to collectively shoulder this project and people sometimes felt things were moving too slowly. Kapwa consciously chose not to supply materials before the communities had finished preparatory work on the ground. This strategy was meant to emphasize the community’s responsibility throughout the entire project, but it also put pressure on the relationship and sometimes led to conflict. Given the community’s past experiences, people were anxious about Kapwa fulfilling its commitment. This initial distrust gradually absolved in the course of the construction. The community would prepare the channels for the pipes, and for every distance they covered, Kapwa would supply the matching distance of pipelines. Slowly but surely the pipes connected the different puroks to the source and people grew confident that their dream would finally be realized.”

It was a long process. All in all, the construction took about one full year. Although the Barangay tribal Council initiated the project, people from the entire community contributed to its completion. The practical implementation of the project almost entirely depended on the labour provided by the people who would later benefit from the water system. In the course of the project the community initiated the Managa Community Waterworks and Sanitation Association (MCWSA) to shoulder the implementation, monitoring and maintenance of the system. The association consolidated the collaboration between the tribal and migrant communities who both have representatives in the association.

Ronilo Bajenting, project coordinator of Kapwa, remembers that the construction of the water system was a very stressful period for both Kapwa and the Managa communities. The people were anxious to complete the water system, but Kapwa did not want to jeopardize the process of social preparation and community participation in favour of a quick installation of the system. In order for the people to truly own the project, they would have to experience their vital role in making the project possible. However, Kapwa and the community would sometimes also be at loggerheads about parts of the implementation:

‘I remember that one time we hiked up to the source to have a look at the intake box that had just been constructed. Mam Alma was also there and the community was a little nervous about us going up to inspect the work. When we arrived at the intake box, we saw why… the original design of the intake box allowed for only two outlets, but we could see three! The community had decided on its own to install an extra outlet to allow for more pipes to be attached. We at Kapwa, however, were concerned that this might get them into trouble because the permit from DENR stated that there would be only two outlets. We feared this violation of the permit might jeopardize future projects. Luckily, we managed to get the permission for the third outlet…

However tiring the process was, the eventual completion of the water system was a dream come true for the people of Managa. The system connects households to potable water from upper Balutakay as far down as centro Managa. In the words of BTC member Rogelio Oguit:

“The people of Managa have been dreaming of this water system for so long. With the help of Kapwa, we have been able to realize our dream.”

Berna Malang, who lives across one of the water taps, stresses the fact that the project succeeded in reaching across the different communities:

“The beauty of the project is that it benefits everyone, not just the Bagobo-Tagabawa. Everyone can use the water.’

The water system has triggered many changes. A project of this scope naturally has a great impact on the community. Some of the changes are immediately visible. Visiting Managa, you will see how the water system has become a central part of people’s lives. There is always a lively activity near the taps with people bathing, doing laundry or collecting water. The water system has made life easier for people who used to travel long distances to access water. Yet, other changes are more subtle. The collective experience of building the water system has started to connect the community around a common concern and has raised the awareness of the shared responsibility of the community to keep the project alive…

Some Privacy, Anyone?

Rosalia Labanon

The following is a sad story written in remembrance of Rosalia Labanon. Rosalia was the secretary of the Barangay Tribal Council of barangay Altavista. She strongly believed in the IPRA law and personally committed herself to the protection of the ancestral domain of the Bagobo-Tagabawa. She had a heart for the environment and firmly spoke out against illegal logging operations in Bansalan. She was one of the people monitoring her area to report possible violations of logging prohibitions.

In April 2008, word got round that illegal commercial logging operations were taking place in purok 6 in Altavista. Rosalia, alarmed by the news, went up to the area and, seeing the violations, decided to contact local authorities to put a halt to the illegal logging. Her intervention triggered a chain of communications from the local level up to higher authorities. Through the office of the Protected Area Superintendent, a police detachment was sent to the area to stop the operation and confiscate the logged timber. It seemed that this case proved the effectiveness of coordinated action and it was assumed that those responsible for the illegal operation would be penalized accordingly.

But there was a catch… The people behind the enterprise had obtained a certificate at the municipal level under the pretence of non-commercial gathering of timber for the building of a police outpost in the barangay. The certificate was meant to cover the real intention, which was to supply and sell timber to a buyer from Manila. As the transaction fell through, those involved saw their business collapse and their secret deal exposed to the public. They knew that Rosalia had been the one to report the case to the authorities.

By an unfortunate twist of fate, Rosalia and Boy Alimento, one of the men behind the transaction, met each other at the Bansalan bus terminal, in the heart of the Poblacion. Rosalia publicly inquired about the status of the case, and Boy half-heartedly admitted that a warrant of arrest had been issued against them. Boy felt humiliated by Rosalia’s question, took his motorcycle and left Rosalia with the words: Makita na lang ta sa Altavista – We’ll see each other in Altavista. Rosalia had planned to visit her farm in Sunop and mounted one of the habal-habal motorcycles to take her up to her farm. On the way to Altavista, Boy blocked the road by parking his motorcycle across the path. He took out his sundang and stabbed Rosalia until she fell to the ground. Rosalia was rushed to the hospital, but died along the way…

Horse Fighting

In previous posts I already wrote about spider fighting and cock fighting. For those who thought they'd seen it all, well... not really. The clip below was shot during a horse fight in barangay Managa. Horse fighting is a popular sport in Bagobo culture and no tribal day is complete without it. This is how it works. Two stallions are encircled by a crowd of people. Then, a mare is brought in to tempt both males until they fight each other over the 'love' of the mare. The fight ends when one of the horses flees. I guess a lot can be said about this custom, but I'll leave it up to you to comment...

Some People from Bansalan

The Reproductive Health Bill

As we speak, a controversial bill is pending at the House of representatives of the Philippines. The Reproductive Health and Population Development Act aims - among other things - to enhance people's knowledge on family planning methods. The act has become the object of controversy because it suggests contraception as one way for families to limit the number of children they bring into this world. The Philippines have a rapidly growing population and many families have more children than they can feed and send to school. Birth control is badly needed, but for conservative voices in the country - and there are quite a few, believe me -, use of contraception is a bridge too far. It will probably not surpsrise you that the good old catholic church is up in arms and out on crusade against artificial contraception. Don't get me wrong, I think the church has a right to voice its opinion on the matter, but nothing justifies the way it condems and judges people who choose to use contraception and how it bashes the bill for spreading information about it. The following is an excerpt from an interview with archbishop Oscar Cruz for The Inquirer :

In the Roman times, wealthy families were known for their love of feasting, eating, drinking and merrymaking. In their houses, there was a thing called vomitorium. The practice was that when they were filled up, they would go to the vomitorium and tickle their throat to vomit what they had eaten or drunk. So they were hungry again and would eat again. Artificial contraception is like that - couples have sex, put it in, spit it out, have sex again.


This excerpt is - in my opinion - sadly ironic. The lust our respected archbishop is condemning, is no one else's but his own. I suggest he seek a psychiatrist to come to terms with his own lust before he condems others for theirs. What bothers me most is not so much the fact that he opposes contraception - everyone is entitled to his opinion -, but he has no right to condemn others. His words are, to say the least, not very christian. Judge not lest ye be judged... The Reproductive Health Bill does not promote sex for pleasure, it simply states the responsibility to inform people about the option of artificial birth control and facilitate their access to anticonception.

Philippine Energy Plan

This Friday I attended one of the public consultations for the Philippine Energy Plan 2008-2030. Of course I was not invited, but I was asked by our executive director - who is co-chair of the Economy and Development Committee for region XI - to... 'represent' her. It was a funny experience. I was, as usual, the only white person in the room. More importantly, I was the ONLY person representing an NGO (a fact I discovered when NGO representatives were asked to stand up...). I believe that says a lot about the intentions of this energy plan. The plan is simple enough: we need to tap as much power resources as fast as we can. Privatization is the answer to that, since corporate companies have the kind of capital government can only dream of. The people in the audience, therefore, were either government or businessmen. As an NGO with environmental concerns, you are basically waving a flag in space. It is somewhat demotivating that after the passing of so many laws on environmental protection and indigenous peoples' rights, the Philippine government still pretends as if the natural resources are just up for grabs and everyone can just tap them. As if the land is vacant space... But it was also enlightening to see things from a completely different perspective. From the point of view of a government that is facing an energy crisis and has a lot of natural resources untapped, the importance of something like IP rights becomes a tiny issue compared to the big economical challenges. The moderator of our workshop talked about 'irrational stakeholders', and I guess he was talking about silly old us caring for the environment and IP rights. It also somewhat humbles you, I guess, to see how easily those things are downplayed at that level. Anyway, I did feel out of place between rich and fat investors I must say...

Ayo Ayo! Another goodbye...

Last Sunday I joined Lilli to visit her family and say goodbye to Rojen, her cousin. He'll be working in Dubai as an architect for a year. A great opportunity, for sure, given that Dubai is somewhat the architectural capital of the world.

But it was sad to see him go... We had a lot of fun together and although he had been planning his trip for a long time, it seemed as though he would always be there...He is now one of millions of Filipinos who go and work abroad for a salary that is often four times higher than what they'd be paid in the Philippines.

We promised that we'd see each other somewhere in Europe, so I wonder where that will be: Paris? Berlin? Or - I hardly dare to mention it - Bruges... ?

Low

The song below will probably always remind me of the Philippines. I have no idea whether it is popular in other parts of the world, but the song 'Low' by 'Florida Ft T-Pain' has been a constant hit from the very first moment we arrived in the Philippines. You can hear it literally everywhere: on the radio, on tv, in the jeepney, on the bus, in bars and clubs, in the mall, on the street... In fact, I can hear it playing at this very moment, although I have no idea where it comes from. The first few notes have become something like a mantra...

Hamlet

This post is not about a famous Danish prince but about a sad phenomenon that is troubling some of the farmer communities in Mount Apo. A ‘hamlet’ is a temporary village to which upland farmers are forced to move due to rebel activity in the highlands. Since the 1970’s, rebels of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) have been operating in Mount Apo. Up till this day, they regularly clash with the army in the lowlands after which they redraw in the upland forests. When hiding uphill, the NPA demands food and shelter from the local farmers. The army, therefore, forcibly moves farmers to ‘hamlets’ to cut off the NPA from food supply.

For upland farmers, this situation is disastrous. Clashes between the army and the NPA often prevent them from harvesting their crops so that everything goes to waste. Since the farmers cannot stay overnight on their farms, they have to hike or ride horseback to their farms every morning and return in the afternoon. As the farmers are malnourished, the trip is tiring and tedious.

Kapwa is working in some of the areas where farmers are ‘hamleted’. In Sinoron, a very sad thing happened not so long ago. Kapwa had supplied rice seedlings to be planted in the uplands. Out of sheer hunger, some of the farmers had no choice but to cook the seedlings and eat them to be able to survive. Kapwa is now helping the farmers to also grow rubber trees to relieve poverty. Rubber trees don’t need much care and once they are full-grown, you can harvest every other day. There is no threat of harvests going to waste and it cannot feed rebels looking for food. Rubber is expensive, so it would bring a good price. It is a long-term investment, though, since rubber trees need some 7 years to grow.

Rainforest

The picture above is what the Philippines call 'protected rainforest'. When I first saw this kind of landscape, I was unaware that it used to be fully covered with trees. I kind of liked the soft rolling hills, the different shades of green. Now, I cannot look at it without feeling sad about what happens to the earth's natural heritage when governments fail to protect it. In fact, Mount Apo has nominally been protected area since 1936. Subsequent governments, however, have failed to adequately manage it and throughout the 20th century, roughly 70% of the forest cover was cut clear. Whenever I visit Mount Apo, the sight of the denuded slopes always leaves me speechless...

Hasta la vista, Kathy y Juan!

Last Saturday we said goodbye to Kathy and Juan, two Venezuelan volunteers for IID, an advocacy NGO closeby here in Matina. They brought some Latin charm to the place and we will certainly miss them. See you in Barcelona!

From left to right: Kathy, Juan, VJ, Gray, Doods, Lilli and me.

Ha?

The language situation in Davao City really fascinates me. It didn't take us too long to figure out that the language they taught us in the language school is not quite what the people speak on the street. People can understand us alright, but the other way around is often... nose bleed. 'Nose bleed' is the expression used to indicate that you don't understand what is being said...

Basically, most people speak a mix (sagol-sagol) of their mother tongue (one of the many dialects of Mindanao), Bisaya (a lingua franca in Mindanao) and English. Having grown up in a country where some linguists risk a heart attack while argueing about spelling rules, the complete absence of language standards here offers a funny contrast. It is very hard to find a book written in Bisaya, although that is the language everyone speaks. People on television speak 'Taglish', a combination of Tagalog and English. TV hosts start a sentence in Tagalog and finish it in English, or the other way around. 'Taglish' is the fancy way of talking ('social', they would say). It works in Bisaya too, which comes in handy. If you cannot remember a word, just use the English word and add a suffix.

Mag-order ta ug beer (let's order a beer)
Nag-enjoy ka? (are you having fun?)
Mag-send ka sa mga pictures? (will you send me the pictures?)

Filipino English is also a funny phenomenon. It is basically English with all the stresses in the wrong places, preferrably on the last syllable. It is interesting that 'World English' is appropriated in very different ways in different parts of the world. Since people hear Filipino English from early on, they find British, American or australian English somewhat weird. since I was taught British English in school, I am now the one with the accent :)

In Bisaya, there is no distinction between 'he' and 'she', both are referred to as 'siya'. Moreover, 'brother' and 'sister' are both translated as 'igsoon'. This can give some confusion, especially when Filipinos speak English and mix up 'he' and 'she' (My brother is 25 years old. She works in the mall') But whereas we may be surprised that Filipino languages do not distinguish sexes, Filipinos are really puzzled that we attribute a gender to things like a chair, a table... And come to think of it, that doesn't make much sense, does it?

It will take me a lot of time still to learn Bisaya well and I don't have much time to study it, but the more I get used to it, the more I appreciate it for its elegance and flexibility. But then again, the beneficiaries of my NGO all speak Bagobo. When I proudly address them in Bisaya, they tend to respond: "Whaw, you can speak Bisaya? That is really amazing! But you know what? It would be REALLY nice if you spoke Bagobo". Sus....

One thing that struck me this week is that I do no longer think in Dutch, my mother language. Since all I write is English and all my conversations are either in English or Bisaya, I have stopped ordering my thoughts in Dutch...

Life in Tudaya

New People's Park, Through the Eyes of Housemate Janice

The Gods Must Be Angry

Something very interesting happened last Sunday. I may have mentioned before that the controversial company Hedcor is building a hydro-electric power plant in the heart of Mount Apo. Last Sunday, one of their bulldozers slipt into the ravine during a landslide...

Why is this interesting? Well, Hedcor has been criticized for a number of things. Environmentalists fear that the construction of roads, the building of a dam and the divergence of water from the Sibulan and Baroring rivers are going to affect the whole ecological balance of Mount Apo. One of the consequences of clearing an area is that the soil becomes prone to erosion and land slides. Having one of your bulldozers topple into the ravine during heavy rain is - to say the least - bad publicity for a company that claims its project does not harm the environment.

The incident is also interesting because it strenghtens the conviction of the indigenous people that the gods are angry. Because Hedcor is building its plant on sacred ground, it is messing with the gospel and challenging the gods. The torn of the gods is called 'gaba' in Bagobo.

But the most interesting thing about the whole matter is how everyone sees his truth reflected in this event. Even if the whole matter is just a simple twist of faith, people will attribute meaning to it. It keeps the discussion alive, doesn't it? By the way, no one got hurt in the incident, fortunately.

Bayad na lang

Can everyone be corrupted? It's a good question and I really don't know what to answer to it. I guess we are all prone to a bit of fraud every now and then. It's just a matter of degree, perhaps. In the Philippines, corruption is a huge issue. It is deeply rooted in society and it often seems as though structures are designed to be corrupted.

First example. Imagine driving home on the highway after a trip. There's a lively discussion in the car and you somehow fail to notice the light has turned red. A policeman spotted you and gesters you to pull over. If you play by the rules, your license will be taken from you, you will have to pay a fine and you'll have to attend a whole-day seminar. If you pay the policemen, you get off cheap and you have none of the hassle. The policeman's salary is low and he smells some good pocket money. What do you do? The whole situation has "likely to be corrupted" written all over it, but if you howl with the wolves, you are of course supporting corruption and keeping it alive.

Second example. An NGO has a whole-day seminar about local governance. One of the issues is corruption. Everyone agrees that corruption is hampering the progress in development work as so many government officials use badly needed funds for their own benefit. The next day, a naive volunteer asks where he can take a course to get a motorcycle driver's license. His colleague in the NGO immediatley replies: "don't bother with the course, just buy a license. It'll be so much quicker."

It makes me come back to my initial question. I think everyone can be corrupted to some extent, but it becomes dangerous if corruption is so easy and so prevalent that you would have to be silly to resist it. People also see large-scale frauds at high levels as an apology for their own little everyday corruption, I guess. Poverty also adds to it. High morals standards are very nice if you have no trouble getting food on the table.

One of my favourite short stories, by the way, is Mark Twain's "The Man that Corrupted Hadleyburg". If you ever get the chance to read it, be sure to do so!

Text na lang

In the Philippines, your mobile phone is your life line. Without it, you cease to exist. Your social world is locked inside the memory of your cell phone. If you lose it, you will have to start from scratch. On the bright side, as long as you have an extensive list of contacts in your cell phone, you'll never be alone.

The magic word is 'load'. 'Load' is the amount of credit you have left on your account and, consequently, the number of messages you can still send. Filipinos are always looking for load. If they don't have it, they will send special free messages to their friends asking to 'pass-a-load'. If they have load, they will spend it in the blink of an eye.

It's nice if you have a purpose in texting someone, but it's surely not necessary. Sometimes, you get a message from a complete stranger early in the morning that reads 'Hi'. If you take the challenge, you're in for a game of 'find out who this is' that can go on for quite some time.

Texting is a great social leveller. Basically, if you can get hold of someone's number, that entitles you to text that person. If you would ever manage to get the president's number, don't hesitate: text na lang. You never know if she replies... After all, during her last state of the nation, she said that texting is a way of life and tried to ease the pains of our faltering economy by reducing the price of a text message by one half. Where else than in the Philippines would a president even dare to come up with that?

Some people know each other only through texting. So-called text gangs grow from people passing on numbers to other people, passing it on to other people... If you ever get involved in this, you'll be answering text messages for the rest of the day.

It's easy to get addicted to texting, and I must admit I have also fallen for it. It's cheap and it gives you something to do while your in a jeepney or on a bus or just turning thumbs at home. And above all, it keeps you virtually connected to people you may never meet again in real life.

Filipina Maaike

De laatste drie weken hadden we bezoek van Maaike, een Belgische vriendin van collega-vrijwilliger Frithjof. Haar bezoek was in veel opzichten een frisse wind. Het is interessant om op te trekken met iemand wiens ogen nog nieuw zijn. Het doet me beseffen dat ik ondertussen echt al een hele tijd hier ben. Haar verwondering was de mijne van enkele maanden terug. Ook zij liep eerst verloren in een grote stad met weinig structuur en vreemde verwijzingen op de jeepneys... En toch leek het steeds alsof ze al veel langer hier was. Bij deze een foto van Filipina-Maaike, in the middle of nowhere...