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Public Affairs

Batang langoy


Episode on July 7, 2008 Monday night after Saksi Thousands of students from remote barangays have to walk two or more kilometers of rough road to get to school. But there are also a handful who must swim the same distance, through the open sea, in order to get an education. Jay Taruc documents the unforgettable struggle of the Magalumbi island children of Iloilo. Queenche is 10 years old, Raul is 13, and along with their younger siblings, they swim home from school every single day.
Their fishermen fathers take them to the mainland via banca in the morning. But after school, they must prepare themselves for the inevitable. As their parents are out making a living, the children must all swim home – a two kilometer stretch that takes them half an hour in good weather. The children are fearless as they brave the deep waters, that at certain points go all the way down to twenty feet. The younger ones hold onto a bamboo log for support in case they get tired. But jellyfish thrive in this sea in the months of June and July and the heavy rains that sometimes surprise them in the midst of their swim make the journey very dangerous. Unable to take their schoolbooks home with them, the kids have to bury their things under the sand every afternoon. In the morning, once they hit the beach, they quickly dig up their books and rush their assignments before getting to school.
It’s no wonder no child from Magalumbi has yet managed to graduate from high school. Queenche dreams of being the first, and of someday even making it to college. Join her and her island schoolmates on their extraordinary journey this Monday late night, only on I-Witness.
Madalas tayong makarinig ng kuwento ukol sa mag-aaral na lumalakad nang mahigit dalawang kilometro para lang makapasok sa eskwelahan. Pero nakarinig na ba kayo ng mga estudyanteng lumalangoy nang ganitong kalayo para lang makapag-aral? Sinundan ni Jay Taruc ng I-Witness ang kakaibang pagsusumikap ng mga bata sa Isla Magalumbi sa Iloilo – sina Queenche na 10 taong gulang, si Raul na 13 taong gulang at ang kanilang mga kapatid na pawang nasa elementarya. Normal na mga estudyante kung titignan ang mga bata. Inihahatid sa banca ng mga tatay nilang mangingisda tuwing umaga. Ngunit pagtapos ng klase, inihahanda na nila ang mga sarili sa isang mabigat na problema ... ang pag-uwi sa kanilang isla. Dahil nasa laot pa ang kanilang mga ama, wala silang magawa kundi languyin ang dagat tuwing hapon. Dalawang kilometro ang layo nito at mahigit sa 20 talampakan ang lalim ng tubig. Sa paglangoy, dikit-dikit sila. Yung iba, nakahawak sa mahabang kawayan bilang suporta sakaling sila’y mapagod. Malas na lamang pag sila’y inulan sa gitna ng karagatan. Hindi nila maiuwi ang kanilang mga libro at notebook dahil mababasa ang mga ito. Kaya’t ibinabaon nila ang mga gamit sa buhangin tuwing hapon. Ang kanilang mga assignment … ipinauubaya na lang hanggang sa sumunod na umaga, pagdating nila sa pampang. Hindi nakapagtatakang wala pang nakapagtatapos ng high school sa kanilang isla, pero nangangarap si Queenche na siya ang unang unang makatuntong ng kolehiyo. Ang kakaibang pakikipagsapalaran ng mga “Batang Langoy" huwag na huwag palampasin, ngayong Lunes ng hatinggabi sa I-Witness ni Jay Taruc.
Tags: iwitness