As I was watching a documentary film last night, suddenly it came to me the need to write this five picks of heart warming and eye awakening episodes of I-witness. For years, it has been a practical habit of staying up late on Monday nights and always be enthralled, touched and moved by their award-winning episodes.
“Uuwi na si Udong” by Kara David
I'm on the verge of tears while watching this episode. I deeply felt the innate sympathy for the children who suffers the agony that they do not entirely deserve and much of hatred for those parents who manages to risk the lives of their siblings while they escape the bulk of responsibilities they ought to give them.
This episode features how a ten year old boy (Udong), sacrifices his hours of playful childhood with 6 months of physical hard work as a sugarcane cutter. Udong, like the other hundreds of migrant workers from an island of Aklan chose to work in the sugar plantations also called “Sakada” in Batangas in order to support their families back home.
At his early age, you will hardly notice the juvenile spirit in Udong. He acts and talks like a young man in his 20's, very much determined to shed off sweat and hardships just to feed his family. Though with his father, Udong still works just like others, he forcefully grips and cuts the sugarcanes without uncertainty, ignoring the tormenting pain on his small and innocent body. He would even exchange an hour of sleep during periods of break than play around with other kids of his age. The scenario of all day work has been a daily routine for Udong and for other workers as well, enduring all the physical agony and longing for their families had become their driving force to bear hardship. But contrary to Udong, these hardships and sufferings are already unbearable for Toto, a 14 year old boy, who was forced by his father to replace him to work and pay for their debt. If given a chance Toto would rather work in Aklan with his family. The tough work in the sugar plantation was even made harder by the fact that he is several miles away from home. But to stop working is not an option, and so Toto was left to endure all the pain for several months. He only then looks forward for the end of Sakada to finally go back home.
Until the six months of laborious work has finally come to an end, the two boys along with other migrant workers eagerly wait to claim their salary. With several computations, and deductions, the two kids ended up with P600 each at hand. Not enough for Toto to buy a television set, toys and food for his waiting siblings. While other workers, turned out to go home empty handed. Sadly, the six months of Sakada didn't' paid off for their tremendous hard work. According to the owner of the plantation, this is because the workers had their commodities, vices such as cigarettes and alcoholic drinks and family debts that were finally deducted to their wages. And so, these workers had to make another debt just to bring some food and toys for their families. No wonder, if there's another Udong or Toto in the next batch of Sakada. And even if, the turnout of the wages for some seemed disappointing, the workers ignored the thought for a moment; excitement to go back to their homeland appeared to outweigh the reality that their families will hardly be eating again.
“Karangaya: Inareglong Kasal (Karangaya: Arranged Marriage)” by Sandra Aguinaldo
Who would have thought that a six year old kid will face the sacraments of marriage at this early age? The idea is definitely absurd! But the absurdity and improbability of this idea was not for long. This episode is very appalling and at the same time pitiful for the children. I'm not completely against this Karangaya for I know, this has been part of culture but thinking of the future of the kids is another thing. Looking at their naïve faces, gives me the thought that the rights of this children were being abused.
The union of children arranged by their parents at a very young age or “Karangaya” is continuously practiced until this generation in the Maranao culture. The tradition continues to live even in the Modern Maranao families. This was also done to bridge of war among rival families. And as a proof of the existence of “Karangaya” Sandra Aguinaldo was able to attend the wedding ceremony of two grade schoolers named Fajad Mangotara and Olily Hadjisalic. It was like any other ordinary weddings of grownups, the only difference is the screaming innocence of the groom and the bride while walking down the wedding entourage, surrounded by people, parents and relatives who appeared to be more excited than the soon to be couple. The two kids know for a fact they are getting married, but the depth of the word “kasal”(marriage) seems to be an unknown fact to them.
