Have you ever gone into a province with no signal and no electricity? If you have. Do you think you can survive in that place? or If not. Do you think you can carry living in that kind of area?
Last Sunday, I watched "300 Kilometro", it was a 60-minute special documentary that aims to bring the two places and its people closer by opening their doors to the “ultimate outsiders”— five people who will explore, enjoy and educate themselves in a span of three nights and two days. And Drew Arellano, an artist/host who went to Sitio Latag in Occidental Mindoro to learn the culture and the kind of living they have in that area, and to convince the Mangyan tribesmen to take a big leap in Manila.
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THE STORY
At first, he find the place strange but after going through the days, he find the people there nice and cool.
On Drew Arellano's First Day, he tried to interview the leader in the sitio (i forgot his name though sorry!) about how do they eat, where do they sleep, and the kind of living they have. The usual question you ask when you were new to a certain place. And afterwhich join them around the sitio and meet the people, most especially the kids. In the afternoon, he played basketball with the men and the younger boys along the sitio; gave a bubbles, skateboard, and a plastic pools, he teach them how to play with those things. And in the evening, they went to an inland saltwater and catch fish (it was a tribesman who swam and catch the fish in 5seconds), which amazes Drew. They cooked them and eat.
Second Day, Drew convince two of the tribesmen and one woman to explore Manila. The husband of the woman didn't allow him to go to Manila because according to him, nobody will look to their children when he's at work. Surprisingly, Roman, their neighbor volunteered himself to go to Manila which the team have agreed on. After the conversation, the three tribesmen namely: Bidoy, Gabin and Roman had immediately packed their things and take a long hour ride to Manila.
The Arrival. Ms. Isabelle Daza, their tourist guide and the very modern and highly-visible member of Manila’s elite fetch them to the airport and drop them off to their condominium. Isabelle tour them to their unit and help them get familiar to the things in the room. They got into the bathroom, the tribesmen were soo curious about it, like what was that? (Yes, they're soo clueless). One of them, go to the shower room (You know how the faucet was made nowadays, the shower and the faucet itself were located in the same place). He turned on the side of the faucet (which was unfortunately the switch for the shower) the water flow upon him, and he was slightly shocked with what just happened. Also Isabelle taught them how to flush the toilet and how the toilet bowl functions.
Third day, Isabelle got back to the condo, and prepared a breakfast for them before waking them up. They have a very good breakfast. and its the Tour Day.
The Tour. First Stop SM North, Shopping. They rode in the MRT, and upon their trip. They have ran across Pasig River, one of the men said. "I always dream to see Pasig River, and today, I see it already", he said originally in tagalog. As they reach the mall they shop.
Second destination, Ocean Park. They took pictures at the Entrance where the name of the place was located. As they walk around the place, the sea tunnel, where fishes and other sea creatures were seen, the tree were soo happy and amazed that they've seen different kinds of fish.
Third itenirary, Luneta Park, there, they met Patani, GMA7 comedian and a survivor cast. They've been treated to a popcorn and a ice cream. The Ice Cream. They bought an ice cream (which they didn't know that it was an ice cream. The Conversation: Tribesman1: Can we buy three of this? (pointing to the ice cream) vendor: sure, preparing the order. Tribesman1: thank you (upon receiving the ice cream), what do you call this? vendor: a dirty ice cream. Tribesman1: what are its flavor? vendor: mango, ube, and cheese. Tribesman1: ahh it was made by a fruit. vendor:yes!
Fourth journey, Bohol. One way to get there was through the use of an airplane. They went to the airport and immediately go to Bohol. Before they enter in the airplane. They touched it, like as if they want to know that everything was for real. They were so surprised that the airplane has the capacity of 100+ and that the airplane was that huge, since they just saw it in the sky, as a tiny airplane. All throughout the trip, the three tribesmen was just looking at the window, looking how high they are and how the cloud looks like.
Welcome to Bohol. They do Scuba, Plunge, and Zipline.
Back to Manila. They shop again, and Isabelle show them philippine map, and pointed to them where they at and where they'd go. Everyone was soo shocked that Bohol was that far, and that they had passed soo many cities before they reached it. Finally, they say goodbye and Thank you to Isabelle.
(What's Happening with Drew during the tribesmen's tour)
Drew, had talked to his friend, and took pictures of the kids, swim together with them at the sea.
Before the Arrival of the Tribesman and Drew's Last Day, he printed a copy of the children's pictures and gave it to them. The children was happy that they see a real picture, they could actually believe that the picture was handed to them has their faces on it. they looked at it as a mirror though.
The Arrival. The tribesmen told to their community most especially to their soo called leader what happened to them along the tour, and how nice Manila is. And also distributed to them their "pasalubong".
And everyone waa very happy as Drew Bids Goodbye to them.
Reference: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=690949&publicationSubCategoryId=70
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At the end of the documentary. I realized soo many things like:
1. I am soo blessed that I'm introduced to the society.
2. That those kind of people really exists. they were like a baby, they're soo innocent.
3. They're life was hard, that I will find a hard time adjusting to their community.
4. They're life was soo simple, that they no need money at all just to survive.
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