A true blue Baguio baby's dilemmas

By: Pam Gutierrez

I submitted this for my Journalism 108 Class. A feature story involving the link of poverty and the environment. And since our blog tackles environmental issues here in the Cordillera Administrative Region, I thought of posting it here as well...:)

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Baguio folk say that if you were a ‘true blue’ Baguio baby, you would hate what has become of the City right now.

For the past years, besides being the Summer Capital of the Philippines, Baguio’s source of pride has been its reputation as a two-time winner in the National Competition for the cleanest and greenest city in the country.

However, through the years, problems of urbanization, environmental degradation and poverty has confronted the city.

Around the city, especially in the Central Business District, buildings have been allowed to be erected. The city has changed a lot due to these infrastructure projects which affect our environment.

Outside the Central Business District, there are many urban poor or “squatter” communities like the Irisan Dumpsite and Sto. Domingo Barangay along Marcos Highway among others.

Manang Cel, Celia Capucao in real life is a resident of Bakakeng, Baguio City. She has been our plantsadora for almost ten years now. She has not finished her education that is why she has resorted to becoming a labandera, plantsadora, and a vegetable seller to be able to support her family.

Admittedly, she has ventured into several more jobs aside from the above-mentioned and she relates that the money she earns was never enough for daily expenses.

Last Saturday, she reported for duty at our home and she was wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans- her typical attire. I had the chance to talk to her that morning while she was starting to iron our clothes and I was drinking my coffee.

It was a random conversation; we had a casual exchange of thoughts. Suddenly, she said jokingly, “Pam, pag-graduate mo tapos nakapagpatayo ka na ng bahay, ampunin mo naman kami.” (Pam, when you graduate and finally have a house of your own, please adopt our family.)

I let her share her sentiments and then later on I knew what was her dilemma all about.

She said, “Nakakatakot na kasi yung lugar na kinatitirikan ng bahay namin. Kung baga, yung lupa, malambot na. Eh baka isang malakas na bagyo lang, madisgrasya na kami.” (The location of our home is vulnerable to disasters that is why we could not help but feel scared at times.)

As our talk went further, she added that houses gradually piled up along their area. “Mahirap na rin kasi makipagsiksikan doon, parang hindi ka na makahinga, kaya gusto na rin naming makaalis.” (The area is over populated and it seems like you could not breathe anymore that is why we want to leave that place.)

Money constraints are the reason why this plan of Manang Cel and her family are hindered. She could not help but compare their life back then and their life as of the moment. She relates that life was difficult before, but comparing it to now, the situation is worse.

For Celia Capucao, a ‘true blue’ Baguio baby, it is a burden for her to find money that will be able to sustain the livelihood of their family and at the same time worry about their family’s safety.

For her, that is just how life goes and what is important is how to survive what tomorrow has to bring.