Last July, my two daughters and I embarked on an Aeta immersion trip arranged by our foundation’s President, Fernando Briosos. The goal was to deliver slippers, books, and water containers, as well as reinforce good hygiene to Aeta kids in the schools at Sitio Target and Mawakat in Pampanga province.
Dominga, our Aeta coordinator, led the expedition. She regaled us with stories about her ancestors, the partnership of Aetas and American soldiers during World War II, the loss of employment for many Aetas when Clark Air Force Base was closed, and the devastation of the Aeta habitat wreaked by the explosion of Mt. Pinatubo. We have read about all this from the news, but it was enlightening to hear it first-hand from a
“katutubo” or native.
Dominga, our Aeta coordinator, led the expedition. She regaled us with stories about her ancestors, the partnership of Aetas and American soldiers during World War II, the loss of employment for many Aetas when Clark Air Force Base was closed, and the devastation of the Aeta habitat wreaked by the explosion of Mt. Pinatubo. We have read about all this from the news, but it was enlightening to hear it first-hand from a
“katutubo” or native.
We arrived at the first school, Sitio Target, in Mabalacat. The school has gone through much improvement and development over the years and is evidenced by well-appointed classrooms. I had the honor of cutting the ribbon for the opening of the new library, built by funds from the Aeta Tribe Foundation. Inside, two boxes of learning materials from Books for the Barrios awaited the kids. The excitement on their faces was priceless when they opened the boxes, and they prodded us to read a few stories to them. They listened with rapt attention, were eager to learn and grateful for the books. Then we distributed slippers to each student to help prevent the spread of parasitic infections from them walking barefoot in contaminated soil. What impressed us most is the politeness of the Aeta kids, each waiting patiently to be called on to line up. In this fast-paced world where cutting in line is more the norm than waiting in line, we can learn a thing or two from the Aetas who exemplify the value of waiting your turn.
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The second school we visited was in Mawakat situated deeper into the mountains. The road to Mawakat was rough, and so were the conditions there. It was a stark contrast to the first school we visited. The Mawakat school took a heavy toll from the recent 6.2 earthquake. The library and classrooms need rebuilding. But despite this backdrop of destruction, we were greeted by smiles and hugs from the Aeta kids. It was an enriching and transformative experience. We gave gifts of slippers, food, water, and books … but the Aetas gave us back more than our hearts can contain – lessons in humility and gratitude.
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I encourage you to volunteer in any way you can for this noble cause. Many shy from volunteering because they think their contribution is insignificant - we only want to do something if it’s big and consequential. But making a difference is incremental. We know we can’t save the world of the Aetas as fast as we want, and it’s perfectly okay if we only touched a few people. Because if we all go about making small differences in the lives of a few, we will collectively make a big difference in the lives of many. ~Gwen Miguel