REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK ELECTION SERIES: ‘Lubog sa Gutom’
Aired (February 15, 2025): Sa pag-asawang makapag-uuwi ng 50 pesos, buwis-buhay na sinisisid ng 10-anyos na si Junrey ang dagat araw-araw. Hanggang kailan ito gagawin ni Junrey para sa kanyang pamilya?
At ngayong nalalapit na ang 2025 midterm elections, paano nga ba matutulungan ng mga susunod na uupo sa pwesto ang mga tulad ni Junrey? Panoorin ang video
#Reporter’sNotebook #Reporter’sNotebookElectionSeries
Aired (February 15, 2025): Sa pag-asawang makapag-uuwi ng 50 pesos, buwis-buhay na sinisisid ng 10-anyos na si Junrey ang dagat araw-araw. Hanggang kailan ito gagawin ni Junrey para sa kanyang pamilya?
At ngayong nalalapit na ang 2025 midterm elections, paano nga ba matutulungan ng mga susunod na uupo sa pwesto ang mga tulad ni Junrey? Panoorin ang video
#Reporter’sNotebook #Reporter’sNotebookElectionSeries
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00:00In the middle of Manila Bay, the 10-year-old June Ray is slowly laying her eggs.
00:20In each hatching of the boat, the child hopes to catch a few pieces of fish.
00:51I want to help.
00:54The other kids are playing.
00:57If I have money, I will give it to my mom and my siblings if they want money.
01:10But as she lays her eggs, there is a danger that she must face.
01:20June Ray's laying eggs
01:36June Ray's laying eggs
01:43June Ray's laying eggs
01:53If I have money, I will give it to my mom and my siblings if they want money.
02:01How far can she lay her eggs to find out if she has a chance?
02:07How far can she lay her eggs to find out if she has a chance?
02:26As the sun rises, June Ray's breakfast is milk and bread.
02:31As the sun rises, June Ray's breakfast is milk and bread.
02:36June Ray's breakfast is milk and bread.
02:43As the sun rises, June Ray's breakfast is milk and bread.
02:54Let's carry it.
02:56Last night, it was floating.
02:58We will carry it.
03:02Since they haven't been able to fish for three days, they need to float to earn money.
03:07Let's carry it.
03:08Let's carry it.
03:09Let's carry it.
03:10Let's carry it.
03:11Let's carry it.
03:12Let's carry it.
03:13Let's carry it.
03:14Let's carry it.
03:15This is what we use for our boat.
03:17This is also the boat we rent.
03:22This is where we fish.
03:24In the back.
03:29This is where I sit.
03:31When the sun rises, this is where I sit.
03:35I work.
03:46I want to help the other kids who want to play in the sea.
03:52They want money so that they could play.
03:55When I have money, I will give it to my mother and my siblings.
04:02He's been living with his neighbor, Bibeth, for almost a year now.
04:09She's really hard-working. She's very hard-working, ma'am.
04:14I love this child.
04:16She takes care of her parents and her siblings.
04:20So, when we're not around, she gives us money.
04:23Sometimes, she comes back to us when we're not around.
04:26She really wants to continue, ma'am, so that she can earn.
04:32He's often hungry, so he can't wait to go fishing.
04:40When it comes to one part of Manila Bay,
04:42Jun Rey has already started fishing.
05:01For a few moments, Jun Rey's small hands and arms pulled him hard.
05:16He was hoping to catch different kinds of fish.
05:23But after a few moments…
05:26Sir, this is Rey Montosaya.
05:28Yes, sir. He's caught a fish.
05:30Yes, he's caught a fish.
05:31We're going to get this.
05:33Tell me when you caught a fish. What's going to happen?
05:35I'm going to give this to Bisaya.
05:38Jun Rey?
05:39Yes, Jun Rey.
05:43Jun Rey just jumped into the water.
05:50And he's trying to catch a fish.
05:55He's trying to catch a fish.
05:56He's trying to catch a fish.
05:57He's trying to catch a fish.
06:19When Jun Rey was able to catch the big fish…
06:27…he was able to catch it slowly.
06:39When you catch a fish, you get hurt.
06:42And when you get hurt again, you get hurt again.
06:46And the wound doesn't heal.
06:57Later on, Jun Rey was able to catch some of the fish that entered the pond.
07:28He's trying to catch a fish.
07:39What did you catch?
07:41I caught a mackerel.
07:44Are you happy?
07:46Yes, we're going to catch more.
07:51Jun Rey knows that life in the sea is dangerous.
07:57So, what's the worst-case scenario that can happen to him?
08:02He's using a 15-foot-deep dive with no safety gear.
08:09But this is the only way for him to return home for their wedding.
08:27Wow, we now have something to eat.
08:39Back in Dalampasigan, the catch of Junwei and Bibet is less than half a batch.
08:48So they decided to share the fish they caught.
08:52What are you going to do with that?
08:55I'll give it to my parents.
08:57We'll share it.
08:59Just give it to us, so we'll have money.
09:02We have food at home, we caught some earlier.
09:05You can't sell this?
09:07No, it's okay.
09:09I'll give it to my parents.
09:25Junwei and Bibet immediately chose the fish they caught to clean.
09:38I'll let it rest so it won't get tired.
09:48My hands hurt, my back hurts, and my arms are aching.
10:04He also has wounds from fishing under the sea.
10:09Before going home, Bibet gave the kids 50 pesos.
10:221, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
10:39Junwei bought 1 kilo of rice and 3 pieces of chocolate.
10:54I'll give it to my parents.
10:58I'll give it to my parents.
11:09I'll give it to my parents.
11:30When they arrived home, Junwei was greeted by his parents.
11:36Are you getting dressed?
11:42It's almost 3 o'clock in the afternoon, but it's only now that they'll have lunch.
11:54Junwei's mother, Mirasol, told us that her husband was fired from his job as a janitor
12:03because of the reduction of the number of people working in the company.
12:11While peeling the garlic, Mirasol hopes to add to the family's income.
12:18But it's not enough.
12:21He's a kid.
12:23He was 5 years old when he was fired.
12:26He was a troublemaker.
12:30I was worried about him.
12:34I even beat him up.
12:37I told him not to do it.
12:39You never know, he might get hurt.
12:42He said,
12:45Mom, I won't go with you.
12:47You don't have food.
12:48I'll go with you.
12:49At least I have food.
12:50I have fish.
12:53When Junwei's fish was cooked, his family ate it.
13:03This is when we found out that Junwei had another reason for his early retirement.
13:09His 18-year-old brother, James, has a feeling that he still can't get over it.
13:20Sometimes, he can't even look at the hospital.
13:25He can't walk.
13:27He's just inside.
13:28He's not happy.
13:29He can't speak.
13:30He can't walk.
13:32If I can save him, I'll help him so that he can walk.
13:36So that he'll be happy.
13:37So that he'll be with us.
13:39So that he'll be able to buy rice and food.
13:47There's a boat there.
13:48There's a lot of fish there.
13:54I hope you'll be able to walk there.
13:57So that we'll know what you're going through.
14:00What's hurting you.
14:08Because they didn't catch enough fish that morning,
14:11by the end of the day, Junwei and Bibet prepared to go fishing again.
14:16Junwei and Bibet went fishing.
14:34Junwei and Bibet go fishing twice a day.
14:39Now, since they left yesterday, they've been fishing until late at night.
14:46It's a beautiful afternoon.
14:48Aren't we going fishing together?
14:50No, we're not.
14:53Put the nets down.
15:04Where are you going? How will you know?
15:07There are fish jumping.
15:11If there's a fish jumping, that's where you'll put it.
15:15That's where you'll put it.
15:17So, where are we going?
15:24When they arrived in the middle of the sea,
15:30Junwei didn't waste any time.
15:36Why are you doing this?
15:37So that I can help my parents.
15:39Why do you need help? You're still young.
15:43They don't have money to buy food.
15:48Because of poverty, Junwei dropped out of grade 3 last year.
15:53But he said he'll go back to school for the next entrance exam.
15:57I'll go back to school.
15:59Very good.
16:01Why do you want to go back?
16:03So that I can read.
16:06It's the child's dream to become a police officer one day.
16:13In the middle of the waves, Junwei showed the wounds he got from fishing.
16:20Why do you get wounds on your hands?
16:22I get stuck.
16:23On the waves?
16:25Where does it hurt?
16:27Here, on my hands.
16:29On your hands? Why does it hurt?
16:31When I lift my hands, it hurts.
16:33And my hands get wounded when I'm holding on to something.
16:38When I get stuck on something, it hurts.
16:48Just like what happened earlier this morning.
16:51Only a few pieces of fish were caught by the two of them.
16:55I split the fish between the two of us.
16:58I just gave him some money.
17:01And because it's getting dark, they decided to go back to the beach.
17:09In the middle of the ocean, Mirason is waiting.
17:13Thank you, thank you.
17:15No, it's okay.
17:18It's okay.
17:21She says she worries twice as much every time the sun sets.
17:27I worry a lot.
17:29I think that if the weather is bad, that's the first thing I'll do.
17:34I can't do anything.
17:36Even if I put her to sleep, she'll fall asleep.
17:39When we wake up, she'll be gone.
17:41She'll be gone?
17:42Yes, and you'll be surprised.
17:44There's someone next to you.
17:46Mom, you're sweating.
17:48Mom, your money. Buy some rice.
17:51But she can't do anything because the child wants to be able to find food.
17:56Maybe if it's spacious, she'll be able to eat three times a day.
18:00But we're just used to it.
18:02We're just used to it.
18:03We have to go straight to the market at night.
18:05Because it's so hard.
18:10Another child's dream is to see her brother James.
18:16But the problem is, they don't have money to spend at the hospital.
18:20The reporters brought a notebook to the City Health Office in Manila
18:25to show the condition of Jun Rey's brother.
18:29At the first opportunity, James will be seen.
18:50Hello.
19:05Hello.
19:07When they arrived at the hospital, various specialists examined James.
19:11In the initial check-up, it was found that there might be a global developmental delay
19:16or a condition where the development of James' brain was slow compared to his peers.
19:23This is also the reason why, until now, he can't walk, speak, or move alone.
19:34Because he can't eat properly and the nutrition given to James is not enough,
19:39the baby is also malnourished.
19:42For now, what Dudong really needs is a neurodevelopmental pediatrician.
19:48We have a neuro and a developmental pediatrician,
19:53so we will refer them to those specialties.
19:58What's important is that we will take him one step at a time.
20:03Jun Rey is very thankful because the examination for his brother James has finally begun.
20:11I noticed that he is also happy.
20:15I am also happy.
20:18I am thankful that I helped him with the check-up.
20:25According to the latest study of the social weather stations of December 2024,
20:3025.9% of the Filipino families or more than 7 million families experienced starvation.
20:39This increased from 22.9% or more than 6 million families in September 2024.
20:48The number of Filipino families who say they are poor also increased from 58%
20:54or more than 68 million families in September 2024.
20:58This amounted to 75 million families in December 2024.
21:02In a survey conducted by the social weather stations in January this year,
21:06it was found that starvation and poverty is one of the main issues
21:11that affects the decision of voters in the upcoming election.
21:1587% of the respondents said that it is important that it is included in the platform of their voting candidate.
21:23Included in that would be the increase in purchasing.
21:27If you don't have anything to buy, or your income is decreasing,
21:31or the price is increasing because of inflation,
21:34then likely your ability to buy food, cook, etc. will be affected.
21:53A few days after James was checked up,
21:56they were also visited by the City Social Welfare and Development Office, or CSWDO,
22:03to check on the entire family.
22:06CSWDO promised that they will check on the family's condition,
22:10especially Junrey, who needs to return to school.
22:14We also prioritize them in the available services of the department.
22:18I am happy that the barangay is helping us.
22:23I hope that this is the beginning of their help.
22:27I am happy that they know how to read and help their parents.
22:34Thank you very much, especially to my brother who was checked up.
22:40Millions of families in the country are continuing to experience starvation.
22:45Just like Junrey's family,
22:47they are hoping that there will be a solution for this problem.
22:55In the upcoming election, this is a big challenge
22:58as to how the next candidates will respond.
23:03Until next Saturday, I am Mackie Pulido.
23:08I am Jun Veneracion.
23:10I am Jun Veneracion.
23:11And this is Reporters Tongto.