Kara David's 'Mga Agta ng Peñablanca,' this Saturday on 'I-Witness'

“MGA AGTA NG PEÑABLANCA”

Dokumentaryo ni Kara David

October 4, 2014

 

They are the face of pre-colonial settlers of the Philippines. “Ita”, “baluga”, “pugut”—the Aetas are casually lumped together in these labels, perceived to be “uncivilized” and “primitive”. In reality, their different history and geography give them their own set of identities beyond the stereotypes. This Saturday, Kara David and her I-Witness team visit the hinterlands of Cagayan Valley and meet an Aeta group, the Agtas of Peñablanca.
 

The Agtas were nomadic in the past but now, they are settled in their small commune called Sitio Buyag. They have adapted with the changing times, bringing with them the usable old, and making do with the usable new. And while many Filipinos chase progress in the urban jungle, there is one thing that has remained with the Agtas through the years: their hunting and gathering skills. And their well-known catch? Eels in the wild.
 

Kara David joins Daniel Pablo, an Agta eel hunter, as he scours the Pinacanauan River, day and night, with just an improvised bow and arrow and a flashlight. Diving in these deep waters is no easy task, but what is at stake for the Agtas of Peñablanca?
 

Watch “The Agtas of Peñablanca” on GMA 7 this October 4, 2014, at 10:30pm, after Celebrity Bluff. For comments, tweet Kara David, @karadavid and I-Witness, @IWitnessGMA.