DIGGING DREAMS

Treasure Beneath

After dalipays, there comes the treasure that feeds the residents, the coal. Residents at Dap-Dap find hope that despite the problem, they will soon be able to cut the intergenerational problem that looms over their dreams of having a life that won’t force children to work or stop them from going to school and from playing in the meadows of their innocent dreams.

“Sanatalaganagumaannamananbuhaymitamaskimanakodaekoman gustonamagingparaminahabangbuhay,” Balinsayo shared.

Elsa likewise shared that she doesn’t want her children to be stuck in mines. According to her, it also pains her to see how they can’t sufficiently provide for their family which forced her children to work on their own accord.

“Sisaymananginanagustongmahilingnadaenamakahalisapag-minaan mgaakininda.Talagangmakulogmansabootkonasindanagtitioskankaka-piko kankarbon,kayakunigwasanangibangpaagikipagkabuhay,natapamandae baluonnamaghalisapag-mina,” Bernaldez said.

This had been echoed by Embot Balinsayo, Jeremy’s father, saying that it also pains him to see Jeremy work instead of him to provide for their family.

“Malainonnamahilingnaangakimonaiyoanmagtrabahoimbisnaika.Grabe mannganianhirakkobudapagbasolkonaakonagkahilang,” Embot Balinsayo abashedly said.

To help end the issue, the barangay council said that they have been planning to capacitate every household in the barangay by providing more sustainable livelihood interventions. They intend to start with households like Jeremy’s and Elsa’s families to save children from the seemingly decade-long inherited fate of many marginalized families.

“Kamikayanagpaplanomannamasi-trainankadapamilyanamasmagkaigwa ki mas maray na pag-agi ki pagka-igwang hanap buhay. Mapoon kami sa mga talagang nagtitios para sinda maturuan pano mag hanap ki pagkabuhay sa masligtasnapaagi,siyempredapatmaykasabaymanannatalagangtabangna makasustenersaindamaskipapano,” Santillan said.

Aside from the livelihood interventions, the Barangay Health Workers (BHW) have been tasked by the barangay to encourage out-of-school youth to re-enroll in schools and continue their studies with the support and guidance of the barangay officers and their parents.

Their journey to acquire the treasure of having a better life for children is still far from being realized, however, they are leaning nearer towards their dreams.

Rapu-Rapu had long been known as one of the major mineral sources in the province and the country. If only with the proper interventions that are leaning more toward sustainable measures, the town could’ve been one of the richest municipalities in the region.

Because of the intense geopolitical mess that sacrificed the whole municipality, many areas had been utilized improperly that instead of helping the town’s residents, had further worsened their conditions.

In 2009, the then-president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed a contract with an international company named, ‘Lafayette’ that mined many parts of the town. Until now, the environmental repercussions of irresponsible mining are still being felt by the residents.

The residents call for more measures that can support environmental preservation and restoration. Fortunately, the damaging mining operations were stopped because of the united amplified voices that criticized its operations.

Truly, the town of Rapu-Rapu, particularly Dap-dap, with more vigilance and sustainable interventions to fight poverty, child labor, and lack of education, can find its treasure from the lessons of mines. And, that is - doing actions to solve the problem fueled by the treasure beneath adversities. Hope.