Tribal yearnings

Sunstar
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Tribal yearnings
By Lorelie Joy S. Albano

They live in shanties covered with plastic, nipa, bamboo shafts and some worn fabric patched together to make a home. Fifty-three families of the Ati race have been nestling in South Poblacion, Naga, Cebu since the year 2000. The Atis were brought to Cebu by hardship, and now they are eking a living by selling bracelets, earning P200 per day that is stretched to sustain a family of six. Nomads for so long, the Atis now dream of finding a homeland in Cebu. “Dugay na gyud ming nangandoy nga naa na mi’y permanenteng kapuy-an (we have long dreamed of having a permanent place to live in),” said Ati chieftain Manuel Sanger. Their journey began when, stricken with famine in the mountains of Iloilo City, 20 families of the Ati race walked their way to San Carlos City, selling bracelets along the way to finance their bid for a better life. They moved from one place to another. They lived in private lands and were cast away after they cleared and tilled them. They lived along the streets, seared by the heat, drenched in the rain. They lived under bridges. Many lost their lives. After several years in San Carlos City, the tribe decided to try its luck in other places. After traveling on a ferry going to Toledo City, the Atis finally reached South Poblacion, Naga, Cebu in the year 2000. But because of poverty, they have not been able to build decent houses. Moreover, the tribe does not have proper sanitation. Very few houses have their own comfort room, so they share one public comfort room. Almost all their children are malnourished, walking dirty and naked outside their houses, playing in the mud. Stepping in Learning of the Atis’ plight, Gawad Kalinga (GK) has stepped in, proposing to the Municipal Government of Naga to make the place they are staying in a special resettlement area for the aboriginal people. GK is an initiative by the Couples for Christ to eradicate slums in the Philippines by building houses and transforming poverty-stricken areas into vibrant communities. Naga Mayor Ferdinand Chiong, through the Municipality of Naga, and the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples support this move. Last Dec. 4, 2003, Mayor Chiong submitted an application to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Region 7, proposing a special resettlement area to be constructed in South Poblacion, Naga for the Atis. The Municipality of Naga and GK united to submit this proposal. But obstacles lie ahead. The land the Atis are occupying is not titled. In addition, a resident named Santiago Villarico is claiming ownership of the land. After an ocular inspection, engineer Aurelio Caña of the Cebu Environment and Natural Resources also said there is a big possibility that the lot the Atis are living on is timberland, considering its location. Extending around five hectares, the land is an open space adjacent to the sea. It was formed when the path of the Pangan River was diverted at the mouth portion where mangroves used to grow. Until now, the status of the land is unclear. A resurvey is still to be conducted to ascertain whether the land is timberland or not. If the lot is proven to be timberland after the resurvey, Villarico can never own it because under Section 16, No. 8 of Presidential Decree 705 or the Revised Forestry Code, “strips of mangrove or swamplands at least 20 meters wide, along shorelines facing oceans, lakes and other bodies of water are needed for forest purposes, and may not, therefore, be classified as alienable and disposable land.” In the meantime, the Atis have been trying their best to raise their own standards of living, as well as to fit in. Some children of the Ati community are already going to school in Naga. The children get free education in the nursery and kindergarten levels with the help of teacher volunteers through Gawad Kalinga’s education program, Sagip. Livelihood The sale of bracelets is still the Atis’ major source of income. They learned this trade from their ancestors. Called panagga, the bracelets are said to provide protection from evil forces and spirits. Made of herbal medicines and little ornaments, the bracelets sell for P15-P25 each. The Atis also engage in weaving and make herbal medicines that can cure different kinds of illnesses. These are made from the bark and roots of trees that they brought from Iloilo. But after years of staying in Naga, the tribesmen have learned to augment their income by raising pigs and chickens. In addition, the Atis run a cooperative store to meet their daily needs, with the savings set aside for emergencies, such as hospitalization. Some members of the tribe have earned enough to buy appliances. Will this tribal people finally see the end of their nomadic existence? They will find a home only with the green light to keep the land under their feet and the willingness of Naga residents to embrace them as friends.