How do Filipinos from urban areas view Filipinos from rural areas and vice versa?

 

By: Holly Benedicto

Middle-class brown Filipino from a developing nation

Bisaya. Lived in Northern/Southern Luzon and Northern/Southern Mindanao. Has travelled all over the Philippines, some Asian countries and the United States. Scientific background. Has worked in multi-cultural teams, most extensively with Americans. Knows three (3) Filipino dialects.

I have lived in cities in the Philippines all my life and am now in Metro Manila. We spent summers in a rural coastal town as a child.

Filipinos from rural areas are simple and to a degree, lucky, because they are near beaches that we city-dwellers, only dream of going to on occasion. I do wish I was like them, satisfied with the simple life. I have been used to the faster pace in the city and its conveniences that rural living does not appeal to me. I wish we had internet in those areas. Imagine working from home just a few steps away from the beach.

I wouldn’t say people in the rural areas are “less than”. They may not be as sharp or quick-witted in conversation compared to their city-educated peers, but they don’t work in corporate where it’s a necessity.

They may not be as ambitious or driven as the city counterparts because their city counterparts have bazillion bills to pay and need money, while they live with their parents in homes that their great grandparents put up (I’m referring to the rural middle-class to rich). They have little to no worries beyond what to eat and raising children. There is no house or car mortgage to worry about. And if they lose internet access, it’s fine. Their jobs don’t depend on it.

They may not be as “worldly”, or experienced in a variety of cultures like city-dwellers who get to have turkish, chinese, italian food delivered to them through an app. They may not have book collections, or Netflix that will help them think and understsnd western ideals. But they swim beaches or climb trees like no finicky city-dweller can. I have never climbed a tree, and am a poor swimmer.

City and rural dwellers were designed to fit the environment they live in. We can’t look at both from the lens of one and say one is superior. We all die at the end, just at different rates.

Bayanihan Sa Paaralan Build 2021 officially kicks-off in Davao de Oro

In the craggy mountains of Anitapan, Mabini, Davao de Oro lies Sitio Singapore, a small community situated in higher grounds, far from buzzling crowds, commercial buildings, and busy streets.

Reaching the sitio would take a lot of courage and will only be possible on feet, muddy pavements won’t even allow vehicles to get there, and raging tropical weather; the heat of the sun and cold showers of rain adds the challenge.

Living in a simple way, the sitio has an estimated number of 42 households, and locals rely mainly on farming abaca and coffee to support the needs of their families. Children in the community will have to travel from the sitio down to Brgy. Anitapan to access proper education in the public school during pre-pandemic times, and it is not an easy feat.

“Amung mga estudyante, kaniadtong wala pay pandemic, muadto pa pababa padulong sentro sa Anitapan para mueskwela. Kung musakay ug motor, mamasahe pa mi ug 150 pesos para maabot sa sentro.” said Terisita Paican.

 The call for a learning institution echoes in the vast environment of the sitio. The geographical location of the community seems to deplete the chance of putting up a school for them, but this doesn’t stop the spirit of bayanihan.

Dreams will do come true in no time as the Provincial Government of Davao de Oro in partnership with the Department of Education, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, private partners, stakeholders, and volunteer employees of the provincial government officially started the ceremonial kick-off of the “Bayanihan sa Paraalan Build 2021” on September 4, 2021.

The “Bayanihan Sa Paaralan” has always been one of the major initiatives of the provincial government under the governance of Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy. Since 2019, the upcoming school building in Sitio Singapore will be the 7th established learning institution, a byproduct of dabawenyos’ volunteerism.

 “Ubay-ubay na nga kabukiran ang atuang natukuran ug eskwelahan. Karung tuiga aduna tay upat ka eskwelahan nga itukod tungod kay aduna pay mga communities sa kabukiran diin mubaba pa ang mga kabataan, mubyahe pa ug layo, para lang maka eskwela, why not atuang ibutang mismo sa komunidad ang eskwelahan. Mao na ang atuang purpose, dire sa Davao de Oro walay mabilin nga kabantan-onan ilabi na sa mga kabukiran.” said Governor Uy.

In more or less than a month, a One (1)-unit, two (2) classroom building will rise in the soils of the sitio, making quality education accessible for the children in the far-flung community.

It is never easy to get there, but nothing beats the bayanihan way. (Jasteen Abella, Information Division Davao de Oro, photo by Ronel Renz Alvarez)