PROVINCIAL BARANGAY LIVING MOST FOREIGNERS DO NOT SEE!

INTRODUCTION

When you drive along the Maharlika Highway from Tacloban to Dulag you will pass through towns and small barangays. Inland from the sea there are many of these small barangays (villages) that most foreigners will never see. If you have met or engaged to a Filipina there may come a time where you will travel to the family home. The family maybe be farmers or have some type of business but the family may also be poor. I have foreign friends married to Filipinas who choose not to visit the family home. That is a personal chose and should be respected whatever the reason.

 I have been living in this barangay (village) for many years. I am married and have a young daughter. My wife’s family have friends some of which are poor but I prefer to use the term disadvantaged.  

 I visited one family, actually there are 3 families all directly related living on this section of land (12 people in total). I did not take pictures of them as all people are entitled to their privacy. I did take a few pictures of their surroundings.

THERE ARE 3 SIMILAR HOUSES ON THIS LAND

The grandfather, head of the house hold owns this land and has 1 hectare of rice land (2.5 Acres)   not too far away. Rice farming from what I have observed can be what I would describe as hit and miss. The one hectare can produce 50 to 100 sacks of rice. We have 2 crops in one year. To sell direct to the market I have heard it is 600 peso per sack. So with this family or number of families this would bring in a gross 60,000 peso on a good crop x twice a year equals 120,000 peso. But there are the costs of land preparation, seed, fertilizer, crop maintenance and the final cost of the harvest itself. From what I have observed profit can be around 400 peso/sack. So let’s say the one hectare makes 80,000 peso a year or $1600 per annum and don’t forget this is calculated on the maximum obtained crop. But this is not really an income as a high percentage of the rice will be consumed as the staple food source.

FAMILY INCOME

One male family member has a permanent job earning approximately 7000 peso a month ($140 US) and makes his contribution. Two other males work in the rice fields for both the family and other land owners. They are earning 300 peso a day ($6US). This is not permanent work and they just take work as it comes. In addition there is one woman working in the middle east as an overseas Filipino worker and contributes for her sons education and the other family members. But they all what I would describe, as pool all resources together and look after one another.

FOOD – MEAT PROTEIN

Many people in barangays villages raise pigs as a source of food and income. Again this cost money as if you are not breading you have to buy a young pig. Then the cost of feeds 38 peso kg and time spent looking after their pens. I am not sure of other areas but when someone sells a pig here the asking price is 100 peso ($2 US) per kg (live).

RAISING PIGS

NOT MANY HOUSES HAVE REFRIDGERATION – PIGS ARE SLAUGHTERED, COOKED LIKE THIS AND EATEN OVER A FEW DAYS MAINLY FOR BIG EVENTS LIKE BIRTHDAYS AND FIESTAS

OTHER MEATS

People also raise chickens as another food source. From what I have observed is fish is the favorite meat or protein source. You see main fish markets in larger towns but in all barangays there are different people trying to sell fish. The average price for fish seems to be 120 peso /kg ($2.20 US)

VEGETABLES

In the main supermarkets in Tacloban string beans can sell for 120 peso/kg but I have seen the price as low in some barangays in private stalls at 10 peso /kg (20 cents US). You will see mixed vegetables in some markets for around 30 peso/kg

People who own land grow bananas guava and other fruits. To buy fruit in a market in Tacloban can be a bit expensive

WATER

There is no water supply as you would expect in western society. For washing and bathing water is hand pumped from the ground. In this area you can sink a bore as low as 3m or 10 feet. For drinking most people do not regard this supply as safe. This is a rice field area and with spraying of crops there is a risk of chemicals reaching the water table, so contamination is possible. You can purchase a 20 liter container of purified water for 30 peso (60 cents US)

WASHIING CLOTHS

Very few if any families have a washing machine and all cloths are washed by hand. There is an advantage to this as cloths that are washed by hand will last longer. I have seen this first hand as I have not been back to Australia for a few years, I am a large size and hard for me to buy cloths here. A washing machine knocks the fabrics around. Hand washed cloths seem to last for years. You will see families washing daily by hand it is just part of life here.

THIS IS THE LAUNDRY AND SHOWER BUT IT SERVES IT PURPOSE

TELEVISION AND ELECTRICITY

This household and many others have electricity for the very basics. The electricity is used sparingly for lighting and to run a television. There free to air TV but just a few channels. Paid TV can be a bit expensive when a family is on a limited income. Electricity is billed monthly and from what I have heard the bill in total is 300 peso to 500 peso monthly. ($6 to $10 US).

EDUCATION

One thing I have noticed in all the places I have been in the Philippines and this barangay is no different and that is the emphasis all families put on giving their children the best education they can afford. It is the key to breaking this disadvantaged cycle. If I child can obtain a good education and enter the workforce as a policeman or woman, a nurse, accountant, attorney or even a doctor then the next generation has ongoing opportunity.

This family is no different and are doing their best to ensure the children of this household, will get the best education they can provide. In this country and anywhere in the world the saying “the children are our future” is so true.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Families in the Philippines are very close and look after one another. They maintain family values I believe in western culture at best we have let slipped.

When I lived in Australia there was one guy very wealthy guy with a large trucking business. When he would go to the pub Saturday afternoon, he was always complaining about life in general and looked so miserable. In contrast I see this family just surviving with little money but appear so content and happy. These people are doing the best they can with what they have, and a good lesson to all!

Have a great day

Robbie In Tacloban