Aetas of Roxas City

We often see them roaming the streets of Roxas City, Capiz  trying to stop every person to ask for alms. They wore old, tattered and out of style clothes. Others wore slippers but most of them especially the children are barefoot. They are not beggars or orphans. They are our Aeta brothers.

 Aeta or Ati in our dialect are indigenous people found in the Philippines. They have black and curly hair, snub nose, short in stature and dark skinned. They are uncivilized, had no permanent home and they never remained long in one place. They are always wandering around. When they happen to stay in a particular place, they are often seen camping in the streets or under the bridge. 

Atis are illiterate for they never had education. They had many children which are mostly malnourished for of their environment and lifestyle. 

Aetas hunts wild animals for their consumption and sometimes they would sell it to people in town. Others sell herbs and wild plants which they get from the mountain but others depend on the alms of people.

We give them alms not because we pitied them but because we want them to go away and to stop bugging us. We look at them with curiosity but we never take time to talk to them. We avoided them not because they have contagious disease but because of their physical appearance. We treat them not as our brothers and sisters but like they are some kind of wild and untamed animals.

Now, who do you think has better understanding? The Aetas who continue to preserve their culture and and their way of life because they lack knowledge and proper training to change their lifestyle or us who are educated and has all the knowledge but continue to avoid our social responsibility.  

 

See related article: http://floressamay.wordpress.com

 

An Alcoholic Teacher

I finished my elementary education in a public school. I had fun studying in a school where I knew all my classmates as well as my teachers. We liked all our teachers because they were helpful and friendly except one. He is our teacher in one of our subject way back in grade 5.

He always frowned and never smiles. He is an alcoholic and was very mean and inconsiderate to his student. We never attempted to befriend him because of his attitude. We were very afraid of him even before he became teacher. He was always angry without no reason at all.

He was always shouting at his students and uses harsh and obscene languages to humiliate us. He is so drunk that we cannot understand any single words that he was saying.

We were relieved when suddenly he stopped going to school. We don’t know the reason but nobody cared to ask. After a few days, one of teacher told us that he died because of too much alcohol intake. We were sorry for him and we felt guilty for wishing him bad things when he was still alive.

My Role Model

I belong to a family that is poor in purse but rich in love. My father always told us to that poverty is not a hindrance to success and even though we are poor we still have the right to enjoy life. He is hardworking, caring and loving father to us and is a good husband to our mother.

He loves his life at the farm and he didn’t mind doing difficult works. He is doing all his best to provide our needs and to give us education. Every morning, he wakes up early to feed the animals (ducks and chickens) and to collect eggs but he doesn’t mind because he loved doing these and he is fond of animals.

He came from a poor family and did not finish his studies but he tried his best to put up a small business and managed to send to private schools. We have a small business just enough for our tuition fees and other expenses.

He is happy and contented for what we have and is not ashamed of where he came. We are very proud and thankful to our father for being such a good example for us.

           

My Adventurous Friend

            I have a friend who is always seeking adventures. Even though she is a girl, yet, she likes to try different things that are not suitable for a girl like her. She is very energetic, sports minded, fun loving and very adventurous.

            I remember our childhood days, when she would ride her bicycle to fetch me at my house and we would go to different places which we had never been before. Since I don’t have my own bicycle, I would just stand behind her back. I would for her to get tired and we alternately pedaled her bike.

            I was a frail girl and I easily get tired so most of the time she was the one who pedaled the bike especially in rough roads. She enjoyed riding her bicycle and going to different places even under the blazing heat of the sun or in rain.

            When we came home, it’s either her Mother would scold us or my Mother. I really enjoyed going out with her so I didn’t mind all the scolding and sermons that I received.

            We were always looking forward with excitement to our weekend adventures. Because of her I also became adventurous. Because of her my childhood memories became happier and more special.