Dala ng matinding kahirapan sa buhay, ilang pamilya ang piniling manirahan sa mga museleo sa sementeryo. Ano-ano nga ba ang programa ng pamahalaan upang mabigyan ng disenteng tirahan ang ating mga kapos na kababayan? Muling balikan ang kuwento na ‘yan sa video na ito.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 [Music]
00:14 In Cebu City, we were able to prepare
00:16 for Teacher Mary Jane and her students.
00:19 All the children live here in Caretas Cemetery.
00:26 [Music]
00:32 They are among more than 100 residents
00:34 who live here in the cemetery.
00:37 [Music]
00:44 After their exercise,
00:46 [Music]
00:52 not in a closed classroom,
00:54 Teacher Mary Jane and her students
00:56 entered one by one.
00:59 [Music]
01:03 This is their classroom.
01:06 [Music]
01:20 Here in Caretas Public Cemetery,
01:22 this mausoleum was placed by the daycare center
01:26 because the owner agreed to use the mausoleum.
01:29 However, there are more buried inside the mausoleum.
01:33 If we count, there are more than 10 buried inside the mausoleum.
01:38 [Music]
01:42 Because it rained last night,
01:44 the ceiling of their daycare center was white.
01:47 Because there is no roof above.
01:50 Yes.
01:51 So when it rains,
01:53 the water really goes here.
01:55 Why is the mausoleum still placed here?
01:58 Because this is the only large mausoleum
02:01 that is conducive to the children.
02:04 Because most of the mausoleums here are small.
02:07 Then the owner agreed to use his mausoleum.
02:12 Like for daycare.
02:13 Yes.
02:14 So before it was used,
02:15 the owner really said goodbye.
02:18 [Speaking in Tagalog]
02:26 Teacher Mary Jane has been teaching
02:29 at the daycare center of the cemetery for 12 years.
02:32 This is a program of a non-government organization or NGO from Germany.
02:37 She is used to teaching the children of the mausoleum.
02:43 They thought of having a daycare inside the cemetery
02:49 for the children who no longer go out to other schools.
02:57 They ride jeeps.
02:59 For the parents, it's easy for them
03:02 because the children are the only ones who go here.
03:05 They don't have to bring their children.
03:07 Because their house is just near.
03:10 Isn't it weird, ma'am, that inside the cemetery,
03:14 there is a nitsho inside your classroom?
03:17 It's very weird for me.
03:19 When I started, I couldn't avoid being scared.
03:24 Really?
03:25 Not the first days?
03:27 Yes, the first days, while I was walking,
03:30 I was looking at the neighbors
03:33 because what I was passing by were all nitsho.
03:37 I was challenged when I saw the children,
03:40 they were not scared because I knew that they live here.
03:44 Among the siblings, Chelsea, 5 years old,
03:50 and Althea, 3 years old, are taught by Teacher Mary Jane.
03:55 For their mother, Anna Lynn Racho,
04:02 having a class inside the cemetery where they live is a big help.
04:08 Why do you send them to daycare?
04:11 So that they can learn to study before they go to grade 1.
04:14 So that they can learn here.
04:17 Teacher Jane is a big help to us.
04:21 Why?
04:22 Because we don't have to go to our barangay anymore.
04:29 I just bathe them here, change their clothes.
04:34 They just go here.
04:36 They just walk.
04:37 They just walk.
04:38 Teacher Mary Jane is also loved by the children,
04:44 so even if there are opportunities in other schools,
04:48 she can't leave daycare in the cemetery.
04:56 I'm here because my parents told me,
04:59 "Ma'am, don't leave us because we still have children."
05:02 You still have a successor.
05:03 I still have a successor.
05:04 You can't leave them.
05:05 I can't leave them.
05:07 Before, there was no daycare.
05:10 Most of the children just play outside.
05:13 Then they see the elderly people playing.
05:17 Is that an advantage?
05:19 For example, they go to grade 1 or grade 2.
05:23 Yes, it's really an advantage, Ma'am.
05:25 Because when they go to grade school,
05:28 they won't be discouraged anymore.
05:30 They're comfortable.
05:32 They're comfortable going to other schools.
05:36 They can write and read.
05:39 Don't delay and Ma' Buhat!
05:43 After class, Anna Lynn accompanied the two children.
05:50 Chelsea.
05:51 Anna Lynn lives in a moselee with her six children.
06:00 Good morning.
06:04 She says that when it rains,
06:07 like now, it's pouring,
06:09 the water that flows inside enters.
06:11 Good morning!
06:13 She was born here.
06:16 She also gave birth to her six children here.
06:19 Inside the moselee, they built their kitchen.
06:24 They also use the toilets to rest.
06:27 Today, Anna Lynn will go around the cemetery.
06:33 To earn extra, she also cleans other toilets.
06:38 She earns Php200 a month here.
06:42 Sometimes, the owners of the cemeteries
06:46 are poor, so I give them Php300 instead of Php100.
06:51 We only talk about Php200.
06:53 For a month?
06:54 Yes.
06:55 How many children do you have?
06:57 A lot.
06:58 I have eight or ten.
07:01 Is that enough?
07:03 It's enough, somehow.
07:05 That's all.
07:07 That's all I can hope for.
07:08 I'm also looking for other ways
07:10 to earn money.
07:12 I'm still looking for a way to buy rice.
07:15 We're really trying to buy rice.
07:19 When do you get extra money?
07:22 On Sundays,
07:24 on the day of the funeral.
07:26 On Sundays,
07:28 there are a lot of people.
07:31 They give us a lot of snacks.
07:39 Because there is no payment yet this Sunday,
07:42 their family gave them eggs and rice.
07:46 I don't want to eat lemos.
07:48 I don't care if my children eat mayonnaise.
07:51 I don't want to see them eat lemos.
07:55 Do you feel sorry for them?
08:02 Of course.
08:03 Why?
08:04 This is not the life I want from them.
08:07 They want to buy things,
08:10 but we can't afford to buy them.
08:12 We can't afford to give them what they want.
08:15 Her dream for her children is
08:20 to finish their education.
08:23 No matter how hard life is,
08:26 if you have a job and your children have talent,
08:31 or if they're hardworking,
08:33 that's really a good thing.
08:35 Because education is the only thing that you can get in life.
08:39 When the time comes,
08:40 our children will be our only hope.
08:43 We will really study,
08:44 even if it's really hard.
08:47 If Annalyn will just buy things,
08:52 she doesn't want her children to grow up in a cemetery.
08:55 If we really have a house to live in,
08:58 it's hard to live in a cemetery,
09:00 especially if it's like this,
09:02 if it's sold,
09:03 if the owner doesn't want us to live here,
09:06 we'll have to find another place to live.
09:09 I hear them talking,
09:10 they're dreaming,
09:11 "When I grow up, I'll be like this,
09:14 I'll be like this because I want a big house."
09:18 I'm happy because they're still young.
09:22 They're dreaming.
09:24 Maybe they can see the situation like that.
09:28 [Music]
09:34 After teaching Teacher Mary Jane in Careta,
09:37 she will go straight to her second class,
09:40 here in the Chinese Cemetery in Cebu City.
09:44 The ones who are built here in Cebu City Chinese Cemetery are huge.
09:49 But the ones who are still standing,
09:51 are a big help for those who can't afford to live here.
09:54 There are around 600 residents who are living here.
09:58 [Children playing]
10:12 Teacher Mary Jane has been teaching John Ray here for 4 years.
10:21 That day, I accompanied John Ray to his home from his class.
10:25 He was accompanied by his mother, Dorena.
10:28 Is it a big help?
10:29 Yes, ma'am, because it's just nearby.
10:32 If this wasn't here?
10:33 He wouldn't be able to study.
10:35 Why?
10:36 The other schools are far away.
10:39 Ah, because it's far, right?
10:40 Yes.
10:41 What did you notice about him?
10:42 The change since...
10:45 He already knows how to write.
10:47 Now?
10:48 He can write ABCD.
10:50 Oh!
10:51 He can say ABCD.
10:53 Yes, ABCD.
10:54 Until Z.
10:55 Until Z.
10:57 Like Annaline, Dorena grew up here and became a family member.
11:04 She was also allowed by the owner of the mosque to temporarily live here.
11:09 If you have a child and you live here in the cemetery,
11:13 how do you feel?
11:15 It's heavy that he grew up here in the cemetery.
11:20 Why?
11:21 When he opens his eyes, the cemetery is what he sees.
11:27 Why do you want to live in another place?
11:31 To be peaceful, because here, there were a lot of snatchers.
11:37 A lot of police came here.
11:40 Inside a mausoleum in Tugatog Cemetery in Malabon City,
11:44 we met Manuel's family.
11:46 They have been living inside the cemetery for more than 10 years.
11:50 We were able to prepare Manuel's family's lunch.
12:06 He and his four children will have eggplant and fish.
12:11 There's no rice, it's half-cooked.
12:14 I'll cook it.
12:16 Manuel has been living here in the cemetery for 12 years.
12:22 We were burned by a house.
12:25 Then I looked for a place to live.
12:29 Someone told me that I asked for a side car.
12:34 I told them that I can live here inside the cemetery.
12:37 I told them that I'll just talk to the people here.
12:41 I even collected plastic.
12:44 I just put it aside.
12:47 Then I collected wood.
12:49 If it's not enough, I'll get more.
12:58 Ronaldine, 16 years old, feels the hardship of living inside the cemetery.
13:05 It's dirty inside.
13:08 We can't say it's clean because there's a lot of dust.
13:11 The floor is very wet.
13:15 We get sick.
13:17 Sometimes, we all get sick because of the cold.
13:21 Sometimes, when the rain is heavy, we get wet.
13:24 We don't get enough sleep.
13:27 They have to save the food they cook for lunch.
13:31 They have to bring food for their husband.
13:35 We found out that Manuel's wife has been in prison for two years.
13:48 Manuel's wife is a prostitute.
13:50 Manuel earns P100 a day for his prostitution.
14:03 It's not enough for their daily expenses.
14:16 To make an extra, they clean other places and walk around the garbage.
14:22 Sometimes, we don't eat.
14:27 Sometimes, we don't have lunch.
14:32 We don't have anything to eat.
14:34 We have dinner.
14:36 But we don't have time.
14:42 Because of the hardship of life, only four of Manuel's children are able to go to school.
14:48 I want to have my own house.
14:53 I want to leave this place and go to school so that we can have a future.
14:59 My dream is simple.
15:02 I want to be a teacher.
15:04 I want to help people who need help.
15:07 I want to help my family.
15:13 At night, each of them is looking for a place in the Nitsho, Sina Ronalyn.
15:22 She is also worried about their safety.
15:27 I'm not afraid of the world.
15:29 I'm afraid that someone might hurt us.
15:32 Especially, my younger brother.
15:36 When you sleep at night, sometimes, someone might throw a bottle.
15:41 I can't say what will happen to us because we don't know what will happen to us.
15:51 The people who live in the cemeteries are considered as informal settlers.
15:55 In the whole country, there are 2.2 million families who are considered as informal settler families or ISF.
16:04 The National Housing Authority or NHA has a mandate to provide affordable housing for ISF.
16:10 But for now, they are relocating ISF who live in the areas where the government's projects are being built.
16:19 The affected people are also considered as priority.
16:23 The NHA has a program called Resettlement Assistance Program for Local Government Units.
16:30 They are being given grants in 5th to 6th class cities and provinces.
16:39 Now, for 1st to 4th class cities and provinces outside Metro Manila, we are being given 50 million pesos per LGU.
16:49 50 million pesos, half grant, half loan.
16:54 These are opportunities that can be addressed to other housing needs of Local Government Unit.
17:01 If the Republic Act 70 to 79 or the Urban Development and Housing Act will be implemented,
17:07 the people who live inside the cemeteries will not be considered as living in a danger zone,
17:12 unlike the people who live on the sides of the estuary and waterways.
17:17 But according to the NHA, the Local Government Unit or LGU must find a way to provide decent housing for the people inside the cemeteries.
17:28 The NHA's funds are not enough for the people who need housing.
17:33 We asked the Malabon LGU to announce their plan for the people who live inside the estuary and waterways cemeteries.
17:40 Our shelter has been adopted by the San Junian Paglason.
17:45 We have a plan for them.
17:48 Actually, they are our target to be given a housing unit, at least affordable, decent and safe housing units.
17:57 We also tried to ask the Cebu City LGU, but they are not answering our calls and they are not writing to us yet.
18:07 The LGUs have plans every year.
18:10 They have a big-time development plan, which is 3 to 5 years.
18:16 If the estuary is small, they have a 3-year plan, not just 1 year.
18:21 They should include that in their 3 or 5-year plan, the informal settlers housing relocation, whether in-city or off-city.
18:30 Our fellow citizens are going to different places to find a place to live.
18:36 But in reality, like the people we visited before, there are some houses in different parts of the country that are not inhabited and not taken care of.
18:46 Everyone has the right to have a decent and safe house.
18:51 People like Annalyn and Ronaldin, they hope that one day, they will be able to leave the estuary of the dead and they will have a real home.
19:02 I told them that this is not my dream for them, for my children.
19:08 We are having a hard time here.
19:11 Many people are in need of help.
19:14 I hope that we will be given a house.
19:16 There are many people who are having a hard time here.
19:18 It hurts me that we are leaving.
19:21 I am Jun Federation.
19:24 I am Mackie Pulido and this is what's on our Reporter's Notebook.
19:29 [Music]