A Walk to Remember

Yesterday, we passed by the road of a beautiful community named Mutia...
We were full of excitement as we smile to the people...
But they would look at us with a question in their faces, “who are they?”...

We wanted to let them know of our presence and have a chance to get along with them...
So we walked, walked and walked...
despite knowing that the heat of the sun would give us the dark complexion we have now,
despite passing the long rocky road that would give us body aches when we arrive home, and
despite having the thought that we know nobody in the place...
Still, we walked...

For each day we do, we see and feel the changes that made our journey happier...

To watch the colorful skies and the pretty flowers around...
To enjoy our group's bonding as we joke and stop to dance in the street...
To appreciate the very simple but happy life of the community people...
And to see them smile at us, greet us as we pass by and to feel welcomed by the people who were strangers before..

- Fatima Ayessah Ingkagan -

PIPO’s Community Perception

I can’t give out a perfect picture to describe the beauty of our community has. It tickles my mind thinking why people would love to go to urban areas and try their luck to find greener pastures when there are a lot of beautiful things in a community like Tinglan, Mutia, Zamboanga del Norte. Sometimes extravagant things come along with simplicity and that is what some people can’t see even how rich and beautiful their place is. Greatly, I would say that nothing in this world can compare to the beauty it has. A fresh air to breathe, foods that are readily prepared like fruits and vegetables and most of all, the warmth of the people in welcoming, and it can never be repaid by any modern technologies present.
With the simplicity of life entails the simplicity for satisfaction. It may only seem to be hard for a city boy’s perspective seeing the situation the people are at. But with the life they had you can still see smiles and happiness in every individual you see, and I feel fortunate with my life that despite the problems they are into they still manage to live their life simple but are very happy.

- Alfie Paghubasan -

eyes wide open

The raindrops are falling hard on the nipa roof and I can almost feel the small hut sway with the storm-like weather outside. The windows are already closed but still the strong wind blew out the candle that served as the sole source of light in the room. I want to pee but I hesitate for I must endure the muddy 10-meter walk first to bridge the gap between our hut and suffocating comfort room. It’s dark outside and no one will accompany me. Everyone in the group is asleep—or at least I think they are. Dare to ask if one of them is awake, I do not; for we are not in good terms. The slightest movement, I’m afraid to make for we are lying down fully-crammed on the cold wooden floor covered only by thin blankets. We are only inches away from one another, separated by mosquito nets in this one-room hut that can hardly contain the ten of us. Due to my inability to contain the urge to urinate and despite my fear of going out alone, I forcedly get up to reach for my flashlight, and open the door…

I flicker my eyes open as well and now I’m out of my imagination. Those were the fears I had before our community exposure for we were told to expect the worse. Rocky roads, scarce water, limited food, no network coverage for phones, a rotten house and countless inter-personal conflicts were among my list of worries. Surprisingly though, my group mates and I underwent the challenges of our first exposure and actually had fun being together in one sturdy day care center that we turned into a home.

True, we will go through the same and even more struggles again and again in the future but we now know that we just have to swallow our fears and pride, gather our courage and open up our hearts and achieve our goal in bringing out the best in one another and of course, in our community.