SUBMERGING NEST

 A project in Citizen and Community Journalism

 “SUBMERGING NEST”

Agulto, Aira | Dela Cruz, Trixie | Manangan, Farrah

  

    In the province of Bulacan, Municipality of Hagonoy we visited a community, the Barangay Pugad or better known as Pugad. It is one of the hidden islands in the Province of Bulacan. It takes about 50 minutes to travel from Hagonoy town to the island by boat. As the boat travels to the island, its beautiful scenery can be seen, just like birds flying freely in the sky. Birds that also seem to be fishing for food just like the residents of the island. During the trip you will also see the villagers side by side, this is called "Bantay" because they are the ones that are assigned to guard the fisheries. In the middle of the trip to the island you will also see the boats that deliver passengers or something shouting their “baklad".

           According to the 2020 census, the population in barangay Pugad is 1,636. Barangay Pugad, with a size of 20,000 square meters. The island is surrounded by the ocean which is connected to the Pampanga river and the Angat river. Arriving on the Island, you will immediately be greeted by the beautiful lighthouse as well as the port if they call it. The island is not that big so you can walk around the whole place in just a few minutes. Because it is close to the sea, the main livelihood here is fishing, which they sell in town. They also have an Elementary school that students can walk to but for Highschool students they need to travel by boat everyday to go to school, this is one of the reasons why many are not continuing school after grade 6 and deciding to work instead to help their family.

    We began interviewing the barangay's residents during our rounds. Fourteen residents were interviewed, including spouses, young ladies, staff members, and people of different ages. They shared to us different issues and problems of the community and with the hope that one day it will slowly be resolved.

               According to the residents of the barangay, money and flooding are the key issues. Apart from money and flooding, a few also mentioned their problems, which are garbage that drifted from the cities to their community through typhoons and winds since it travels through water,  low dikes and unfinished roads are also their problems. But the forerunner is the flooding. Because almost everyone in the barangay is affected when the flood starts. Perhaps the sea is their main source of living in the day to day basis, but the sea is also the cause of their problems and sometimes disasters. 

When there is a high tide almost every household is submerged and garbage is everywhere. It also causes the road to be slippery, that's why other residents cannot avoid accidents .  

              Mary Joy, a resident of Barangay Pugad and she said, “Malaki epekto (ng pagbaha)  lalo pag lumaki tubig, baha ang kalsada madulas tapos sa pang kabuhayan walang mahuli yung mga baklad’ She also mentioned that someone had fallen on the road and suffered a head injury due to the slippage of the road. A month after visiting the community we received news that the man had already gone for good. A clear indication that these problems are crucial and has the urgent need to be solved.

            Perhaps the people in charge of the barangay are aware of the system that is happening to them, that's why the statement of kagawad Lunes is “gumagawa kami ng paraan ngayon nilapit nanamin sa governor baka sakaling mapakinggan yung kahilinga  namin tataas yan bago matapos yung termino” He stated. In our decision to help, we also tried to approach the supreme government of Hagonoy and we interviewed the Secretary of the Barangay Leagues, Arturo Archie Dela Cruz. We  did ask if they are aware of the problem that the Barangay pugad is going through.

         ”Actually naman hindi lang sa barangay pugad maski sa iba't ibang barangay na bunabaha. Ako kasi dating kapitan din ako wala namang hinto yung mga request at ganun din naman yung munisipyo tsaka kahit yung sa provincial e hindi naman sila nag sasara sa ganung mga request ibig sabihin tuloy tuloy yung request tuloy tuloy yung pagbibigay nila. Dito sa munisipyo minsan nakakahingi din kami nung ano, may MIP kasing tinatawag dun yung mga pampagawa ng pathway may mga materials silang nakukuha” He stated.  That's why every barangay is left with no choice but to wait for the response of the higher ups to take a look on their situation and really solve their issue.

            According to the citizens in the community, the officials are giving rasyon and are planning to build the roads as well as raise the dike. The barangay officials have proposed that the project should be implemented so that they can repair their dike and also for the safety of the people in their community.

   “Actually yes meron, katulad ng dike rito. actually nag p-proprose ng project niyan is yung mga kagawad or kapitan, pero meron din naman sila na project ng government yun na bumababa na dito para narin makatulong samin ayan katulad nga ng dike. mas parang di na takot yung mga tao kasi hindi na gaano sumasalpok sa bahay yung alon ganun”

             To address these issues, the barangay officials contacted the governor to request the construction of the dike so that the water would not reach their houses due to the strong impact of the waves and the road construction so that they were no longer dangerous for people. The barangay officials are waiting for them to take action to solve these problems in the barangay. 

           Due to the distance between their community and the main city,  As a result, their community did not receive much aid, and their needs were not met well enough. Their needs are not met and their voices are not heard. This article was curated for their concerns to be amplified. We are one with them as they fight to receive fair treatment despite the distance that is present. No community must be left behind and neglected. When will the higher-ups try to resolve the issues that the residents of Barangay Pugad are facing? When will they stop turning a blind eye and prioritize the welfare of the citizens? Leaving  these questions with  the hope that when we go back to visit, the community is finally able to live with ease and put smile on their faces.