Journey to Sitio Paglitaw, Calawis Antipolo

The journey to Palitaw took-off from the Barangay Proper at 8:30 in the morning, with an hour and a half trek to Sitio Apia on a rough gravel road inaccessible by transport during the rainy months. To reach Sitio Apia, we took a shortcut through Apia River instead of taking the route with a hanging bridge – not advisable to use at this time.

Sitio Apia is the take-off point going to Sitio Paglitaw, which we reached at around 10 a.m. We took a brief rest and some refreshments to gather our strength for the longer trek ahead. I really didn’t know what to expect at this point, but I was advised to proceed on horseback. The start of the journey seemed easy enough and I was quite enjoying the horseback ride and scenery. We reached Manadlang River, with its clear and refreshing waters, at around 11:00 a.m. After we crossed it, the trek started to get rough. The trail got narrower and narrower, more muddy and slippery and steep. At some some point, the horse slipped with me on it trying to ascend an 80˚ slope. Of course, I screamed and got terrified that both I and the horse would fall with the horse landing on me. Then shortly after, the horse went on a slippery descent and I desperately wanted to get off the horse because I remembered I had no insurance. Towards the final approach, the trail was just enough for one person to pass with a steep drop more than a hundred meters to the raging river below. I was desperately begging my guide to let me off, but he just turned a deaf ear. He thought that I would have a more difficult time walking and that going horse back was an easier option. When we got to Paglitaw River, I couldn’t wait to jump off the horse in a near nervous breakdown. I was determined to cross the river on foot despite the strong current and the fact that I couldn’t swim. I also made the final climb to the village on barefoot after my trusty North Face trail shoes got so caked with mud. We got to the almost deserted village at 12:30 p.m. The Dumagats were busy in their farms so the afternoon was spent resting before the 4 p.m. community meeting.

Sitio Paglitaw is a Dumagat community composed of 40 – 50 households or a population of about 240 – 300 individuals. Livelihood is mainly derived from slash and burn agriculture. The economy can be described as subsistence and non-cash. They get from the land only what they need and produce what they can for their daily sustenance. They sell produce in the Barangay proper only when they need cash to procure other essentials and when they run out of rice supply. With their produce, they are proud to say that they are able to eat thrice a day.

Almost all of the villagers are illiterate. The children would like to go to school and the elders don’t want them to grow up illiterate like they did, but there is no school in the village. The school teacher who was assigned to the village quit. Children don’t go to school because the nearest school is in Sitio Apia and access for small schoolchildren is very difficult. They also face ridicule by lowland schoolchildren for being dark-skinned, ignorant and backward.

In general, the people describe their situation as difficult, but they have dreams for the Dumagat people and their children. Some of the children want to become farmers, teachers and sari-sari store owners. The elders want some kind of development to happen in their village – easier access to public services like education and health, but still maintain their simple, peaceful lives and traditions. They, however, distrust outsiders who have given them promises of help but never came back. They hope my visit turns out to be different, even if I didn’t leave them any promise.

Development Issues and Potentials Undertaking development projects in Sitio Paglitaw faces tremendous challenges.

The people possess have very few material assets except those that nature has given them: lush green forest, rich biodiversity, strong and clean water supply. They also possess human and social assets – values, practices and traditions, which still need to be studied but are in grave danger of being dissipated.

The major challenges facing the villagers in any development undertaking are: low literacy and lack of access to public services and market. They also face a threat from prospectors. (I spied some Koreans on the way up and a couple of Chinese living there) and land speculators, who already own large tracts of land in the area. The absence of a farm-to-market road hampers mobility of people, supplies and goods to and from the area. It is not feasible to implement the bamboo and vegetable project in the area. Because they are illiterate, they are tricked into giving up their rights to their lands, making them very vulnerable of being pushed further back into the hinterlands.

Post-script:

Because it rained the afternoon we were there, I dreaded the walk back home since I didn’t want to go on horseback again. The trails were more slippery and the rivers were higher with the currents stronger. Still, we started our trek back at 5:30 in the morning and I braved the walk. I made it through the first stretch and thought I would have to crawl in the next leg. I just had to learn to trust my horse and bear the metal saddle and short stirrups. We finally reached “home” at 9:00 a.m. and so I end my trip with sore butt and thighs. But hey, I didn’t fall off the horse the entire trip, nor slipped and fell in the trail. I have to be honest; Sitio Paglitaw is not a place I would like to go back to. I doubt the Rotarians will even get there. Even if they make a sincere attempt, I’m sure they will give up a quarter of the way. Sleeping without a wash after a long journey is not a habit anyone would want to develop. The outhouse is also something else. I am too old for this and have become a creature of comfort.

Words by: Angel 3kings (July 8, 2008)