It started on February 14, 2021 until we were able to get back to the community last night, February 17, 2021.
The Story
If they say, "out to work" it is understood that
they are on the other side of the mountain working. So the saga began in class
attendance, looking for 3 students for the English conversational classes.
Turns out this time out to work meant going in a different region. From Sunday
night, when the community asked for assistance, I never stopped looking for
them, have asked all my friends and their friends so that I can locate them,
when I was bale to, I immediately did what I had to do because it is the right
thing.
In every story, there will always be two sides, two truths
with both different perception of reality.
The good samaritans (I still don't know what ministry they
belong to), for propriety lets call the leader Bridget, her mom and Shawi, they
alleged :
1. they were regular donors at the nearest community, giving
donations and doing outreach, they even threw a birthday party out of the
goodness of their hearts.
2. they looked for household helpers who are willing and
able, the three students, Jake, Rayver and Pia were actually volunteered by the
parents and the chieftain to work for them.
3. the 3 are immature, indolent and lazy. The two, Rayver
and Jake would only horse around after eating and washing dishes.
4. they should not have been allowed to go with them if they
are not ready to work as household workers.
5. at the end of the conversation turns out the Bridget's
family does not need any hosehold helpers but they got the students for their
friends who needed one.
6. both Jake and Rayver does not understand and does not
know how to follow instructions even if they were told several times, too slow
to understand of their obligations and responsibilities.
7. Shawi avers that since Pia is of age, she must not come
with me as there were no coercion but rather the mother and the brother were
the ones who insisted that she take Pia as a helper, she actual said,
"ayoko talaga jan kc nga bakla, sabi ko ayoko ng bakla". And so I
tried my best to explain that age actually has no bearing in a verbal agreement
if one party alleges that there is a frauduent transaction. From there she took
my word and twisted it to her own perception, I decided to leave before it
would escalate she was recording me anyway.
the students version of truth
1. they were asked if they wanted to study and help out with
chores, they will receive 3,500 a month, they will stay in one house, they know
they will stay in Manila.
2. Pia ended up with Shawi and they got off in Guadalupe.
She alleges, she was told that they were only two in the house, turns out 9
dogs, several cats, a relative and another one with special needs. She was
asked to eat on the same plate after the dogs ate. She was not able to take a
bath for 5 days because of the bathroom. She was always sent to the public
market to beg for the fish shavings for food of the cats.And she was fondled by
the relative. She was told that Aeta's are short and a puppy was named Aeta.
3. Jake and Rayver were informed that each of them will be
sent to different houses, they refused. They were told they are free to leave
because they will not spend transportation for them as it is expensive and the
agreement was they will stay as helpers.Both of them would wake up at 5am start
doing the chores, like handwashing clothes because there was no washing machine
as promised (everyday for the 5 days that they were there), cleaning the
backyard, they will be scolded and cursed upon if the faucet will not be
properly turned off which was faulty. A relative would ask "asan ang ti2
nyo eh puki lang meron kau", then would reach out and grab their private
part to state the obvious.There is work on a Sunday even when they said there
is none, they ordered burgers and let us watch.
My take
The Samaritans are indignant that I was sent to picked up
the Aeta's afterall they were just helping. I asked the name of the chieftain,
wrong name. Apparently, they do not understand the mechanism and customs of a
trial community. I stopped because there is no need to explain and educate when
they already have a preconceived notion about katutubo. When you do
humanitarian work at any community, you do not go around asking who wants to be
a helper of any kind. That is sooooooooooooo ethically wrong to do humanitarian
work because you are looking for someways to benefit yourself from it. I
understand the pictures and the commercial tourist that they are but still
never under estimate the value of a person. I never represented myself as the
lawyer of the community, but I am not ignorant about the laws of humankind. Do
not do unto others what you do not want others do unto you.
Both parties, are at fault. The samaritans take advantage of
the gullible katutubo and the katutubo for being gullible. So I told them, in
my next class I will discuss "Republic Act No. 10361 or “Domestic Workers
Act” or “Batas Kasambahay”. We agreed that whoever wants to be one must be
equipped before venturing into this work. Might as well draft a basic contract
for them to use to ensure both the parties rights.
When I left, the elders and the families are still meeting
as to their next step because the parents did not know that the 3 left. It was
the chieftain who asked me to find and bring them back actually. So there.
Parting Shot
Never take advantage of a person because you have the power
to do so. If you are really a human
being then act like one. I am grateful for all the friends who extended help,
from covering transportation cost, securing documents, providing us meals even
if I just informed them. I hope they never stop helping because I am just a tool
to make it just and fair for us in the community.
The person have asked me to write this letter, i inserted the last paragraph to ensure the safety of the children. One is still a minor.
They are so overjoyed that we are near Clatk gate already.
Jake suffering from long travel from Imus
Getting dinner at Petron Marilao
asking the ate to release Pia because she really wants to go home
so relieved to see me tp pick them up
