MAGBABALUT

Uugod-ugod patungo sa kanyang distinayos habang nakabitin sa kanang braso ang isang lumang basket.
Sa intruswelo, eskinita, sa mga nagsasayawang kukuti-kutitap na ilaw.
Sa isang bahay sambahan ay titigil, uupo at mamamahinga na tila nagsusumamo ng kaunti pang lakas.
Suot ang isang lumang pangginaw habang natatakpan ang isang gusgusing bistida na umimpis na ang kulay dahil sa kalumaan. Nakatabong ang isang bull cap na kulay pula na tumatakip sa mga ubaning mga buhok nito.
Ibubulalas ang paminsan-minsang impit at garargar na sigaw na halatang pilit.
Kung aakalain isang mahiyaing tao dahil sa nayukong katawang sanhi ng baluktot na likod nito animo’y bakal na bumaluktot dahil sa pagkadarang sa init ng apoy.
Sa halos apat napung taon, paulit-ulit, paikot-ikot ang buhay ni Lola Nikolasa. Bagaman 75 taong gulang na ay ipinagpapatuloy ang paglalako ng balut gabi-gabi sa Sta. Mesa, Manila.
Itinuturing na isa sa pinakamatandang nanirahan ni Lola Nikolasa sa kahabaan ng riles ng tren sa Sta. Mesa na ngayon ay lalong pinalala ang kalagayan dahil sa kawalan ng lalong katiyakan sa kabuhayan nito. Noong isang taon ay sapilitang pinalikas si Lola Nikolasa kasama ang pamilya nito patungong Bucaue, Bulakan upang bigyang daan ang pagpapaganda sa kahabaan ng riles sa Sta. Mesa. Subalit mga ilang araw lamang kasama ang apat na anak at apo ay napilitan itong bumalik sa naturang lugar dahil sa kawalan ng kabuhayan sa Bulakan.
Sa gilid ng PUP sama-samang pinagkakasya ang mga katawan habang natutulog sa isang tagpi-tagping barung-barong. Samantalang ang ibang anak nitong si Antonio 45, Teresita 38 ay nakikitulog na lamang sa kanilang mga pinapasukang pagawaan sa Pasig. Ang iba pang anak nito na si Jeffrey 31, trolley driver at Mario isang pedicab driver ay ginawang kama na lamang ang kanilang pinagkukunan ng kabuhayan.
Samantalang sa kabila ng katandaan ni Lola Nikolasa ay solo nitong inaalagaan ang mga apong natigil sa pagaaral sanhi ng dislokasyon habang namamasada ang dalawang anak.
Pagsapit ng alasingko ay mamimili ito ng 30 pirasong itlog pato sa kalapit na palengke at pag-uwi ay magsisiga ng apoy upang ilaga ang mga nabiling mga itlog para maging balut. Dakong ala-siete ng gabi ay ihahanda na nito ang mga balut. Matapos masiguradong kumpleto ang mga apo ay maglalako naman ito ng balut hanggang alas dose ng hating gabi.
Araw ng linggo at sabado maituturing na suwerteng araw kay lola Nikolasa dahil matao sa simbahang pinupuwestuhan ng paninda nito. Sa puhunang P7.75 perasong itlog na binibili nito ay naibebenta niya ng P12 kada isang balut.
Si Lola Nikolasa ay isa lamang sa mga lolang maituturing na inaabuso ang kanilang katandaan na matapos makuba sa pagtataguyod ng mga anak , ngayon naman ay mga apo ang pinagsisilbihan. Na dapat sanay sa taglay na edad ay dapat sanang ilaan na lamang ang buhay sa paglilibang at lasapin ang sarap ng pagiging retirado.
Sa ganitong kaso sino nga ba ang maaring sisihin. Ang kanyang mga anak na halos kanilang sarili ay halos di rin kayang suportahan ang kumakalam na sikmura dahil sa kakarampot na kinikita o ang pamahalaan na dapat kumalinga sa mga matatandang dating pinakinabangan narin dahil sa pagbabayad ng buwis.
Ayon kay Vergilio F. Rivas isang propesor ng sosyolohiya sa PUP, ang ganitong kalagayan ng mga matatanda ay bahagi narin ng kulturang Pilipino kung saan ang pamilyang Pilipino ay magkakayakap na hinaharap ang anumang alon sa buhay. Sa katunayan sa elementarya pa lamang ay itinuturo ang kasabihang ang ina ay ang siyang ilaw ng tahanan. Sa makatuwid pabirong sinabi ni Prof. Rivas na kung ang ina ang ilaw ng tahanan ang lola naman ay ang ilaw ng mga ilaw. Maituturing ang mga lola aniya na isang malakas na pinanggagalingan ng enerhiya na siyang nagbibigay lakas upang mabisang makapagbigay ng liwanag ang isang ilaw ng tahanan.
Katibayan rin sa paniwalang ito ang nangyari kay Melchora Aquino na di inalintana ang katandaan upang pagsilbihang ang mga katipunero sa panahong ng panunupil ng mga dayuhang kastila.
Ayon naman kay PUP Chaplain Fr. Lonnie Borg, dahil umano sa ang Pilipino ay isang bansang katoliko maaring inihahambing ang mga lola kay Inay Maria na matapos masaksihan at tiisin ang paghihirap ng kanyang anak na si Jesus ay pumayag pa itong maging ina ng mga desipulo ni Jesus.
Sa ginawang pananaliksik nina Natividad JN at Cruz GT (www.pubmed.gov) nakatala sa kanilang libro na Journal of Marriage and Family na sa 2,285 na edad 50 at 1,131 edad 60, 92.5% dito ay pawang taga pag-alaga ng kanilang mga apo. Malinaw na sa panahong isinagawa ang pananaliksik noong 1996 ay may malaking pursyento na ng mga lola sa Pilipinas ay kabilang sa naabusong mga matatanda.
Naitala rin sa naturang libro na sa Pilipinas nanguna ang rehiyon IV na may pinakamalaking bilang ng mga “senior citizens” samantalang ang pumangalawa naman ang rehiyon VI, pangatlo ang rehiyon III at National Capital Region ang pumangatlo.
Sa kaso ni Lola Nikolasa na patuloy sa paghahanap buhay para sa mga apo at naniniwalang ang kanyang mga apo ang kanyang tanging yaman di mapapasubalian na isa nga siya sa inaabusong lola ng kanyang sariling mga anak na silang dapat kumalinga sa kanilang magulang.
Ang mga katulad ni Lola Nikolasa ang dapat pagkalooban ng kagyat ng tulong mula sa iba-iban ahensya particular ang pamahalaan. Subalit mayroong nga bang batas na tumataguyod sa kagalingan ng mga lola sa bansa.
Noong Enero 1992 isinabatas ang Republic Act 7432 na lalong kilala sa tawag na Senior Citizens Act kunsaan kinikilala ang kontribusyon ng mga senior citizen bilang kabalikat sa pagunlad ng bansa. Kalakip nito ang pagbibigay benipisyo at prebilehiyo sa matatanda.
Sa naturang batas ang ang kahulugan senior citizen ay ang mga may edad 60 pataas, na nagretiro sa pagtratrabaho sa pamahalaan at prebadong ahensya ng paggawa ay maituturing na mga senior citizen.
Maliban sa edad, itinuturing ring kasama sa senior citizen ang mga Pilipino na naninirahan sa Pilipinas ng may umabot kumulang sa 183 araw at nagnanais na ipagpatuloy ang pagtigil sa bansa.
Ang mga papasok sa kategoriyang ito ay nararapat pagkalooban ng indentification card na nagsasaad ng kanilang pagiging senior citizen at ang naturang ID ay magiging basehan upang magkaroon ng malaking pursyento kabawasan sa anumang bilihin o serbisyo nais nila.
Samantalang sinusugan naman ang paunang batas ng Republic Act 7876 o batas na nagpapahintulot sa pagtatayo ng isang sentro para sa mga senior citizen sa lahat ng dako ng bansa.
Ayon dito kinakailangang magtalaga ng mga lugar ang pamahalaan na maaaring maging sentro para sa pangunahing serbisyo tulad ng edukasyon, kalusugan, libangan at iba pang programang kakalinga sa kagalingan ng mga senior citizen.
Ipinaguutos ng naturang batas ang pagsasagawa ng koordinasyon ng iba-ibang ahensya ng pamahalaan particular ang Department of Health (DOH) at Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).dp

CONCERNED PHOTOJOURNALISTS:RIIS AND JACOB

As photography continues its evolvement and advancement as an art, science and tool of information, many photographers, on the other hand, continue to search for a new purpose and meaning of their skill and artwork. Jacob Riis, a news photographer, used his camera not just to inform the public but also to expose the social ills of their society and was able to seek reforms that lead to necessary upliftment of the living condition of slum dwellers in New York in early 1900. Riis exposure to other side of reality – the reality of the oppressed and exploited New Yorkers helped him realized that he has an edge, among others, to inform the public about the abuses in sweatshops, child labor and slum dwellings. Hence, his photographic theme leads to a new genre of photography nowadays, i.e. photography of the struggling poor.
Another photographer, Lewis Hine, a trained sociologist and New York teacher, thread this kind of photography. He trained himself the use of Graflex camera and gave up teaching to devote full time to photography. Like Riis, Hine was also inspired by people’s heed for social reforms. He once said that there were two things he wanted to do. To wit, Hine said:”I wanted to show the things that had to be corrected. I wanted to show the things that had to be appreciated.” Thus, his photographs of immigrants at New York’s Ellis Island and their subsequent settling in tenements are his masterpieces of photo reporting.”
Both Riis and Hine, did not confined themselves to the question of “what” are the social conditions” of their society but rather dig beyond the said reality by unfolding the answers to “why” or reason/s of the existing condition and to the “how,” they’re going to help affect societal change. The exposure of photographers in the other side of reality –the oppressed and exploited majority people of New York played a major role in raising their social awareness and concern. They went to the places of the poor disguised as worker or beggar to be up close with slum dwellers and relate with sweatshop workers.
The social conditions that exist during the time of Riis and Hine still exist today. But sad to say, few photographers dare to take the road traveled by Riis and Hine. That is because this kind of photography is not lucrative and high paying job but rather it entails danger and hardship. Photographers or photojournalists who dare take this kind of noble profession risks their lives in fulfilling their duty. Many photojournalists covering people’s action such as pickets, rallies or demonstrations or covering war in Mindanao or military encounter with the New People’s Army were also beaten, harassed or killed. This sad fact is not only true during the dark days of martial law but even with so-called democratic governance of Gloria administration. To say the least, even an international organization of journalist cited the Philippines as most dangerous place for journalist and of course for photojournalists as well.
On Susan Sontag’s book on photography described Riis and Hines photographs as an “aid for understanding” (page111). They discover the beauty of the medium (photographs) in a different perspective.
But of course, like Riis and Hine, there are still photographers/photojournalists in our country who are devoted and believe that photography is an effective medium for social change and reforms in our country. By using the camera responsibly, photographers or photojournalists, people can be aware of the present and deteriorating condition of our people especially poor peasants and workers. Our pictures are surely a message itself but we are going to put a relevant caption on it, with an intention of deepening the message of the photographs, it will definitely be an effective tool of raising social consciousness of an individual. Personally, I am glad that non-government organization, people’s organization or religious organization included photo exhibits as one of the means in their conscious-raising program. Literacy-numeracy teachers (parateachers) used in teaching cultural minorities in the remote areas. Photos can educate people and deepen their commitment.
I believe that it is not only enough that photographer have knowledge or skill in photography. It is not how you aesthetically take pictures that determine the quality and beauty of picture but on the purpose and intention of taking those pictures. To be an effective agent of change, like Hine and Riis, photographer must know to whom he/she has to serve. And we can only do this by living among the people- the poor peasants and struggling workers. It is only by being with the people that we will be able to know their real condition, their deep longings and aspirations. And by being with them, we cannot only sympathize but empathize with them. The learnings we gather from them will give us another perspective in taking pictures and will deepen our understanding in their struggle. Hence, arm with new perspective, we are not just photographer or onlooker in their situation but active agent of social change.

ON EDWARD CURTIS

It was the curiosity on everyday lives on why photography was invented but as industrial nation involved themselves in the imperialist adventures around the world, photography emerged as an effective tool to satisfy the thirst of the people in basic information such as physical evidence on the appearance of an individual and the beauty of nature.
Photography also emanates realism to what was the real story that happened far beyond the present. Photography brings the past into the future. The likes of Matthew Brady, Felice Beato, Timothy O’ Sullivan and George Cook and many others who documented the gruesome effects of war used their craft to bring information. Though many purists and critics believed that during those early days photographs may not be used as a real artifacts of the past. They dispute that many of these photographs are fake and was often set-up or posed pictures and for them this kind of setting up and manipulating the subject may provoke argument on the truthfulness and veracity of the events that happened in the past.
This argument may be true. Let us take the case of Edward Curtis who spent his time and money (thanks for J.P Morgan who believed in his talent and financially supported Curtis) documenting everyday chores of the American Indians. Most of Curtis’s photographs of Indians were obviously posed photographs but this is not really the issue here. Those pictures were really set-up or posed pictures because of the fact that it might be during those times taking pictures say an American Indian riding on a speeding horse showing the movement. I don’t think photographers during those years have had the ability in taking photographs of a moving subject. This is because during this epoch of time camera was still not capable of doing it. Inventors were still squeezing their minds to improve the camera.
The year of 1839 towards 1890 was the years were documentary photography started to make its path in the world of photography. This genre of photography come to refer to pictures taken with an intent to inform rather than to express personal feeling as what Frank Hoy defines in his photojournalism book documentary photographers works is straight forward, yet it implies a commentary.
Curtis’s pictures are definitely transcended the reality of what was the physical appearance of American Indian during those days. It depicts its natural way of how they leave on those days.
I do believe that most of Curtis’s photos were manipulated by him and this does not mean that those photographs were not originally American Indian tribes. But what moves Curtis to manipulate his pictures was because he wanted to characterize American Indian as part of social composite with marvelous way of life.
The portrait genre of Curtis created a mirror that would suggests how American Indian progress. The photographs described social, ethic, and class affiliation, or may, in some measure, be invoked in contrast in them.
Though Curtis used his artistic sensitivity by setting-up and or posing his subject the ethnicity of the subject still remains the intact.
We may also reasoned out why Curtis did such an imposing style of taking those pictures was because during those days there is no rule that he should follows.
And also because of the fact that Curtis was also a photographer who has family that he must be supporting he’s craft was his way for bread and butter.
Curtis was also a businessman with little capital to pursue his dream in documenting American Indians. It may also be conclude that Curtis intention was really to sell the pictures. We cannot blamed Curtis for this but rather we must put him to the pathom.