Project Type Archives

In celebration of Women’s Month, I am sharing Monaida’s story.•Monaida rests from her houseworks and attends to his son. She is among the Maranao women of Marawi who had fled the siege. Monaida sought refuge with her son and husband in another Maranao community in Delabayan, Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte. Since late last year, herContinue reading “Women who flee conflict”

Nanay Merin prepares betel nut while her great granddaughter Rachelle tinkers with handmade soda tabs toy. The two had a brief conversation in Dumagat and then Rachelle ran off to play.•Nanay Merin was reunited to her family in Bulacan after spending years in another Dumagat community in Quezon. Her old age and sore legs hinderedContinue reading “Nanay Merin and Rachelle”

In celebration of Human Rights Day.•Mona and her family have fled Marawi during the siege last year. They’ve sought refuge as internally displaced people in a small Maranao town in Delabayan, Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte. This year, they have received their new home at the Hope Marawi 100 village in Delabayan. The village serves asContinue reading “Mona’s new home”

Sarte competed with his team from Matawe in the traditional games pagsibat, pagpana, paglangoy and pagbo ne domaget during the Adow ne Domaget festival last May. Sarte wore his traditional clothes, particularly a Dumagat necklace made of Kudlasan. The white beads are in fact seeds that grow at the mountains of the Dumagats.•Cultural festivals areContinue reading “Kudlasan”

These are the kids at the Punduhan ng mga Dumagat in the mountains of Norzagaray, Bulacan. Their families are forest rangers of the Sierra Mountain Range. They are also watershed protectors of Angat and Ipo Dams. Lesil, Nicole and the rest of these kids have accompanied me while I was filming a documentary about theirContinue reading “Kids at the Punduhan ng mga Dumagat”

Sunita is one of the cultural dancers of her community in Lemsnolon, Tboli, South Cotabato. On my stay in her community, she graciously showed me the steps to a dance that mimics ducks. Indigenous dances display the wonders of creation. Dance steps trace their origin from natural phenomenon. Movements of the hands, the feet andContinue reading “Tboli Cultural Dance”

Risa competes at the traditional Dumagat wrestling game “Pagbo ne Domaget”. The participants wrestle to outbalance their opponents. The game was part of a festival by the Dumagat tribe of Dingalan Aurora last May. The festival showcased to the Dumagat youth several of their tribe’s traditional games as part of their cultural conservation efforts.•October isContinue reading “Pagbo ne Domaget”

Dumagat elders of Dingalan Aurora gather around to discuss important issues faced by different Dumagat communities across Dingalan. The fight for self-determination, acknowledgement of ancestral lands and evacuation from conflict between NPA and military are among the pertinent issues discussed at the “Pasurotsurotan” or community storytelling.  Shot on assignment for the Dumagat of Dingalan atContinue reading “Pasurotsurotan”

Nanay Arbaya is selling her harvest gabi at the Tacurong Public Market. For many years, she farms crops like alugbati, eggplants, and string beans. We are grateful for women like Nanay Arbaya who brings the harvest of their hands to markets. Because of farming she is able to feed her family and even more families.Continue reading “Farm to share: Nanay Arbaya – Sultan Kudarat”