LIFESTYLE OF PEOPLE LIVING IN PUNTA TARAWAL - THE POOREST BARANGAY IN

THE PHILIPPINES

A Qualitative Research presented to the

Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Strand

of Senior High School Department of

Ateneo de Naga University

A partial fulfillment in the subject Research in Daily Life I (APPLI 12)

ALANIS, Julian Sebastian C.

ALVISO, Evea Marie V.

INTIA, Angelo Raphael C.

RUBIANES, Mira Faye

VELARDE, Joseph Aaron T.

SC`12

MAY, 2020

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 ABSTRACT

LIFESTYLE OF PEOPLE LIVING IN PUNTA TARAWAL - THE POOREST BARANGAY IN THE

PHILIPPINES

The researchers conducted this study to determine how the life of the people residing in barangay

Punta Tarawal – an isolated island located in Calabanga Camarines Sur - goes. The study also aims to

better understand the situation of the island’s residents and further discover their means of survival.

The study sought to observe the way of living amongst Punta Tarawal residents. It aims to:

1. Describe the lifestyle of people living in Punta Tarawal.

2. Determine how the residents provide for their daily physiological necessities.

3. Identify the struggles of the community, and;

4. Discuss the residents' daily habit or routine and their survival mechanisms.

8 residents and 2 officials of barangay Punta Tarawal cooperated as respondents in the conduct of

the study. The researchers, through a face-to-face conversation, interviewed them and the respondents

openly answered the queries of the interviewers. It was found out that Punta Tarawal is categorized as

poor due to certain factors.

One factor is that residents of Punta Tarawal cannot afford housing. Majority of its residents

settle in small Nipa Huts with only a single room to be utilize by an average family with at least 5

members. Another factor is the lack of local employment in the barangay. People seek jobs somewhere

away from home, and usually, at a young age, they are already working. Proper diet is also not exercised.

They settle for what is available to eat on their table. Punta Tarawal also has limited access to education.

The proximity and availability of schools hinders them to receive proper education.

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 The analysis revealed that residents of Punta Tarawal live a simple life without luxuries or the

advancement of modern life. Their houses are mostly built with light materials. Their daily routine

revolves from doing household chores to spending the day trying to provide for their necessities. The

location of the island is prone to harsh weather conditions. The community also lack in support from the

government and it lacks job opportunities.

The scarcity they face and their very situation disables most parents to fully support their children

in their education. Actually, most of the residents in the island only reached elementary level education.

The main sources of income for males in the community are fishing and transportation around the

area. For females, they focus on fulfilling their duties at home such as taking care of children and washing

clothes. Some females also make “pawid” and “tiklat” in which both involve the use of nipa.

The resident’s main struggles are caused by; the isolated location of the community, lack of

access to basic needs, and lack of jobs that bring sustainable income. Despite the scarcity and lack of

access in these aspects, the community learned to help themselves and developed a form of camaraderie

as means of survival and for the benefit of all.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This research paper and the efforts behind it would not have been possible without the help and

unwavering support of the following persons.

Firstly, we would like to gratify the exceptional guidance given to us by our research instructor.

The knowledge he shared to us fueled us to come up with better ideas and mechanisms in conducting the

research. His detailed comments and corrections to even the simplest errors we had encountered paved a

path for us to producing a quality research paper.

Secondly, we would like to acknowledge our parents for their exceptional moral and financial

support. When things got hard for us, they would be there to boost us and encourage us to keep going.

Thank you also for funding this study without complaining for its costs.

Thirdly, to the officials and the residents of barangay Punta Tarawal in Calabanga, Camarines

Sur, thank you for your warm welcome and your cooperation throughout the process of conducting the

study. Thank you also for your hospitality and kindness that did not estrange us during our stay in your

homes.

Thank you also to the insightful comments and constructive criticisms offered by random peers

who opt to help us improve our paper.

Above anyone and anything else, we gratify our Lord God for sustaining us his grace that we are

able to successfully finish the study.

For the greater glory of God!

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page 1

Abstract 2

Acknowledgement 4

Table of Contents 5

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study 7

B. Objectives 10

C. Significance of the Study 11

D. Scope and Delimination 11

E. Definition of Terms 12

II. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

A. Related Literature and Studies 14

B. Theoretical Framework and Conceptual Paradigm 22

C. Conceptual Framework 23

III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

A. Research Design 24

B. Time and Description of the Site 24

C. Materials Used 26

D. Data Gathering Procedures 27

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 E. Data Analysis 27

IV. PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION

A. Health status and health problems of people in the barangay 29

B. Education of people residing in Punta Tarawal 31

C. Scarcity and Struggles faced by people in Punta Tarawal 33

D. Simplicity of the residents’ daily lives 37

E. Livelihood of people residing in Punta Tarawal 40

V. SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

A. SUMMARY 45

B. CONCLUSION 46

C. RECOMMENDATION 48

Bibliography 50

Appendices

Appendix A 51

Documentations 96

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 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the study

Puja Mondal Ph.D. (2014) of the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi characterized a person to

be poor if he/she does not have enough money to purchase his/her and family members' basic needs for

living, such as food, shelter, and clothing. According to her, these are the people who do not have the

means to eat a proper diet, resides in shacks and shambles, live in unsanitary conditions, and do have a

lower life expectancy compared to the average lifespan of the population.

One of the tangible effects of poverty is the inability to afford a cozy household. McCall Robison

(2018) of The Borgen Project –a worldwide organization advocating fighting poverty – stressed how the

majority of the people who live in poverty sleep on the streets, park benches, sidewalks, or any benches

that are under the open sky. This is usually on those who live in the city. For those people who live in the

rural areas, they are usually living in small Nipa Huts that lacks the basic amenities that a family should

have access to, such as toilets, electricity, and so on. People who live in these conditions can be defined as

poor, regardless of society recognizing this as poverty or not.

Robinson also explained that people who are financially crippled are either having low paying

jobs or unemployed. The majority of their bantam income goes to food. They usually settle for products

that are of low quality since it is what their money can afford. For example, when it comes to food, they

would buy low-quality rice that stinks since it is the most affordable option. This leads further to

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malnutrition. Health and nutrition are not a priority when preparing meals for the poor, quantity is. They

also usually prefer to buy knock offs when it comes to other necessities such as clothing and household

items that they would need. This is because it is what their pocket can afford.

The poor do not have any assets to pawn or to sell when they experience a financial crisis. They

are those people who categorized as 'isang kahig, isang tuka' in Filipino terms.

Poverty also affects a person's academic performance. Kellog (2018), also of the Borgen Project

stated that for those children who experienced extreme levels of poverty, they have a hard time with

cognitive development, stress management, and speech, which may lead to adverse behaviors. The main

reason for this is that they don't have access to education or they won't. Some children are very far from

the nearest school that they cannot afford to go there. On the other hand, children who are near the

schools would rather work to help their parents with their financial needs. On the other hand, those who

are able to go to school do not fully benefit from it. Schools in rural areas do not have the materials and

resources to provide proper education to children. Usually the school condition is as poor as the living

conditions of the people around the area. Lack of education leads to a higher risk of unemployment,

unhealthy living conditions, and a lower chance of improving a person's financial status.

According to Statista (2019), the Philippines' unemployment rate in 2018 was approximately 2.52

percent or roughly 26.5 million. In the Asian Development Bank's report for 2019, it was recorded that in

the year 2015, 21.6% of the population of the Philippines live a life below the national poverty line. This

was due to the lack of socioeconomic development of the country.

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 As per the report of the Philippine Statistics Authority in 2019, it is estimated that 12.1 percent of

the Philippine families are living in poverty, which is an equivalent of approximately three million

families in the country. More or less 3.4 percent are living at the minimum level, which is equivalent to

around 800,000 families. 16.6 percent or 17.6 million poor Filipinos with a family of five was estimated

to have an income of PhP 10, 727 per month – which is not sufficient to meet their food and non-food

necessity. On the other hand, 5.2 percent of families with at least five members were registered to only

receive a monthly income of Php 7 528. This disables them to meet even the basic need for food alone.

One of the poorest barangays recorded in the country is Punta Tarawal. It is an isolated barangay

of Calabanga. The main reason why the people in this area are categorized as poor is due to certain

factors.

The first one is that the residents of Punta Tarawal cannot afford housing. The majority of the

residents live in small Nipa Huts without proper kitchen, living room, and toilets. Usually, the houses are

only single room that can be shared by 5 or more family members.

Another factor is that local employment is scarce if not absent in the barangay. Most people need

to leave their family to seek jobs at the municipality or the nearest city. Child labour is common. The

fathers usually bring their sons along to help them catch fish for a living. The daughters of the family

usually go to the nearby barangay to work as Nipa roof makers to earn money.

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 Proper diet is also not exercised. The majority of the families will settle with dried fish, instant

noodles, or canned sardines to go along with their cooked rice. They usually settle for this because this is

what their money can afford.

Punta Tarawal also has limited access to education. Even though they would like to send their

children to schools, they cannot afford the tuition fees or miscellaneous fees that have to be paid. For

those whose children obtained scholarships, majority cannot afford the transportation expenses as well.

The village chairman, Mr. Ronaldo Coner, was once interviewed in June 2016 when Hon. Leni

Robredo decided to take her oath as the new vice president of the country in the area. In the interview, he

lamented that only a little more than half of the inhabitants are residing in the proper due to lack of basic

necessities and services available. The indigence in the locality has incentivized people to desert the area.

Those who stayed, settled to focusing their lifestyle to survival – finding most possible means to provide

themselves their physiological needs.

The purpose of our study is to observe the lifestyle of people in Punta Tarawal to gain more

information about the conditions of those in the marginalized sector, and learn their strategy on how they

are able to cope up with their lack of resources and finances.

Objectives

This study aims to observe the way of living of Punta Tarawal residents. Particularly it aims to:

1. Describe the lifestyle of people living in Punta Tarawal.

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 2. Determine how the residents provide for their daily physiological necessities.

3. Identify the struggles of the community.

4. Discuss the residents' daily habit or routine and their survival mechanisms.

Significance of the study

This study will be of great benefit to the following:

Government. The research will provide information about the lifestyle of those people who the

government fails to notice or give provision. It can aid the government in analyzing the situation of the

Punta Tarawal, thus can be utilized as a basis on what action must be taken for the improvement of place.

Community. The results of the study will pave a way for other people to be acquainted to the

barangay, thus give attention to their needs. Punta Tarawal is not well known since only few are aware of

the place and its status, so the publishing of this study will raise the understanding of the outside

community about the state of poverty and way of living of the barangay.

Future Researchers. This study, so far, is the first to focus in Punta Tarawal's state of poverty and

way of living. Because of this, it can serve as a foundation of other future researches subjecting to the

place, and a guide to other researchers who aim to study about related topics.

Scope and delimitations

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 The study's main intent is to observe the lifestyle of people settling in the subject village. It will

cater to observing and discussing the resident's struggles, survival mechanism, daily habit or routine, and

their lifestyle's difference to those of the people living in the city.

The study, however, will not talk about the villager's political, environmental, religious or other

beliefs. Neither will it discuss the growth of the village and the villagers throughout the years. It will also

not tackle the issues encountered by the place nor what societal problems are currently faced by them.

Definition of terms

POVERTY

– This can also refer to the lack of access to transportation, resources and facilities due to isolated

location. (Operational Meaning)

– It is the state where one lacks a socially acceptable amount of money or possessions. (Technical

meaning)

NECESSITIES

– These are the everyday needs for survival and well-being of the people in Punta Tarawal. (Operational

Meaning)

– These are some things that are necessary to people. The basic needs of people (Technical meaning)

BELIEF

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– This refers to the stand of the people in Punta Tarawal. (Operational Meaning)

– It is a feeling of being sure that someone or something exists or something that is true (Technical

meaning)

LIFESTYLE

– This specifically pertains to the struggles, survival mechanism and daily habit or routine of the residents

in Punta Tarawal. (Operational Meaning)

–This refers to the way a person or a group of people live (Technical meaning)

PUNTA TARAWAL

– It is the main subject of this research and the place where observations and gathering of data will occur.

(Operational Meaning)

– It is a barangay in the Municipality of Calabanga (Technical meaning)

WAY OF LIFE

– This refers to the activities, customs and beliefs that affects a person's or a group of people's live/s.

(Operational meaning)

– This refers to the typical pattern of behavior a person or group possess. (Technical meaning)

BANTAM

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– This adjective indicates that something is small. (Technical meaning)

– This refers to a less than average income. (Operational meaning)

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter states the Review of Related Literature, after the thorough and in-depth search done

by the researchers. The literature that was used in this study was published and was found by the

researchers in varied articles from credible sources on the internet and related research papers from the

library. These articles and studies served as a guide for researchers to have a gist of the currently available

knowledge; to be acquainted with the familiarity of the said study, and to form a synthesis at the end.

Works of literature about the realities of being poor and the problems faced by poor in our society will

transpire in this chapter; recommendations are also stated.

The Struggles of the Poor in the Philippines

The Study of Cutter, Ash, and Emrich (2016) Compared and contrast how the urban and rural

settings cope with disasters using a set of spatial and statistical techniques using an established

community resilience measure, the Baseline Resilience Indicators for Communities (BRIC), they focus on

two key issues to better explain the resilience gap between urban and rural areas of the United States. In

contrast to resilience in urban areas, nonparametric rank analysis, variance analysis, and logistic

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regression help describe the relationships between rurality and disaster resilience. Based on the research

of Rita Templeton, "Poor" is such a subjective term. To those who are homeless or starving, someone

living in Section 8 housing with government assistance probably seems downright well-off. Being poor is

pawning, out of desperation, anything you may still have with any sort of value, and cashing in pennies.

People who are considered poor are always encountering the obstacles realizing that everything is

difficult to reach, however, there is the only way to achieve everything we want successfully. By working

hard and by doing the right things, we will be able to grant our wishes. In this study, we've realized that

being 'poor' is somehow different from the word "poverty". However, those words are somewhat

connected and related, they were like only stages that have the same definitions but have different levels.

According to Smurtisikha, some of the most important problems faced by the poor in our society are as

follows: Social Discrimination, Housing, and the Subculture of Poverty. Social discrimination is defined

as sustained inequality between individuals based on illness, disability, religion, sexual orientation, or any

other measures of diversity. Inadequate housing is housing that is in poor condition or situated in a high-

density area: Damp – a growth of molds. Overcrowding – too many people to a room, reduce privacy.

Draughty. Unsafe – need repairs, electrical faults. The subculture of poverty theory asserts that the poor

adapt to conditions of poverty and marginality by creating culture or subculture adapted to those

conditions that ensure some degree of normalcy and happiness. This sense of powerlessness led to, in

effect, a culture of dependency. Some of the variables on which the poor differ from others are degree of

participation in the labor force, kind of employment, characteristics of the family, degree of knowledge of

the larger society, political awareness, awareness of social and economic rights, and value orientations in

politics, religion and social customs. This study states that for us to be lifted from poverty, we need to

disregard or perhaps to stop the discrimination and start to build houses that can help the poor and the

people who are in need. With that, we can now get the happiness we are all wishing for. According to

Jane Brown, many people amid poverty, hunger, and social and physical despair lack something essential

not just for their survival, but for their future—hope. A powerful component of fighting poverty and

hunger involves integrating hope, joy, and perspective which transcend circumstances. Poverty and

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hunger are co-related. Many hungry people are trapped in severe poverty. They often lack the money or

physical well-being to buy or grow food. That downward spiral often leads to malnutrition or other life-

threatening conditions. There is, however, enough food on this planet for everyone. The challenge is

breaking the cycle and finding solutions that help people escape poverty and re-build their physical and

mental health.

Based on Carmen Rios' Research, Being poor is hard work. And it's a hell of a mind game.

Being poor means you worry a lot more about common, everyday things than everyone else – whether

they're middle class, super-rich, or somewhere in-between. Here are some tips that people should follow,

or perhaps people can take this as a piece of advice to somehow step forward and be free from poverty.1)

We're not planning for the future – We're planning for Right Now 2) We have to make money last as long

as possible 3) The risk of emergencies and other costs informs almost every decision we make 4)

Affording shared experience is a luxury we often don't have 5) Getting to work and back home again is

often not an option 6) We're constantly trying to figure out what we can sacrifice to save money7) Asking

for help in this culture is often painful and shame-inducing. This study tells us that there are always

solutions to every problem we encounter. We're planning right now for the future. We save money for the

future, because if you don't make a move, probably the future will suffer. In the immediate and short

term, there is a need to enhance the government's poverty reduction strategy and involve key sectors for a

collective and coordinated response to the problem. In the medium and long term, the government should

continue to pursue key economic reforms for sustained and inclusive growth. As stated by Weber, Jensen

(2004), reality has inspired significant work on the relationship between poverty and place in general by

rural social scientists, and in particular rural-urban disparities in poverty. They provide a critical review of

the rural poverty literature, paying special attention to the methodological and statistical challenges faced

by quantitative analyses. As stated in the study of Partridge, Rickman (2008), economists argue that

policies to alleviate poverty should focus on poor people, not on poor places, unless there are spatial

barriers that limit adjustment. We develop a distance-based friction explanation of higher rural poverty in

16
line with urban spatial mismatch hypotheses. This is the result of evaluating the relationship between

poverty and distance, as well as the responses to labor supply. Higher rural poverty does not seem to be a

simple consequence of poor self-selection to live in remote areas. The results suggest that anti-poverty

policies based on the location may be beneficial. And as reported by Achatz (2010), risks and

vulnerabilities limit the activities and opportunities for poverty reduction that can be undertaken. The

environment can be seen as the primary source of risk in addition to adverse events such as climate

change, typhoons, floods, and droughts. As a result of neglected vulnerabilities, a process of

environmental degradation, a lack of opportunities and a lack of agricultural inputs arise.

Efficiencies of People Living in Isolated Regions

Kanji et al. (2012), compared the lives of people living in remote and non-remote areas and

identified these differences. The income and property ownership of households in remote villages was

worse; Significantly lower percentages of households in remote villages owned a range of durable goods

Although 62% of households in non-remote villages owned 5 or more of the durable goods listed in the

table, only 37% of remote village households did. Houses in remote villages were more likely to lack

access to water, power, telephones, and sanitation than households in non-remote villages. Food shortages

and selected health indicators were worse in remote villages. The health of women and children was

adversely affected by remoteness. During pregnancy, less than one-third of women in remote villages

received antenatal care; skilled birth attendants (nurse or midwife) delivered only 3 percent of babies in

remote villages compared to a still-low 13 percent in non-remote villages. Education is more efficient in

non-remote villages than in remote villages because of the lack of transportation in rural areas. It is

important to note that "Disruptions in schooling caused by prolonged conflict and inadequate and/or

inaccessible schooling facilities contribute to these poor outcomes". However, the study of Quimbao and

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Estudillo aims to define pathways out of poverty in the rural Philippines by analyzing the various sources

of household income. Results show that non-farm wage work, global remittances, and domestic

remittances are the most important sources of income growth, suggesting that non-farm work and

migration are important ways out of poverty. Households in remote areas are still engaged in agricultural

wage labor and high-value agricultural products production. The findings of regression also indicate that

electricity and roads, as well as secondary and tertiary education, have significant positive effects on

income and remittances from non-farm salaries. Ultimately, this study highlights the utmost importance

of infrastructure and human capital in promoting the poverty movement through non-farm pay and

migration. It is important to note that agricultural livelihood is not the primary source of income of these

people but instead remittances, either domestic or global, and other works outside their rural homes,

therefore giving them a range of options and opportunities. According to Bertoloni (2019), Despite the

long tradition of intervention, rural poverty remains a major issue to be addressed in developed countries'

economic and social growth. Rural poverty, mostly concealed in the paper for many reasons, is conveyed

by the combined negative effects of the competitive labor market system, demographics, employment,

and remoteness. Agricultural and rural policies with social policies have produced significant results in

reducing rural poverty in developed countries, in particular supporting rural diversification and

development sustainability approaches. The paper highlights the role of coordination between top-down

and location-based policies, as well as indicators for policy adaptation and successful intervention,

discussing some examples of good practices in the near future.

Coping Mechanisms and Strategies of People in Rural Area

Kapur (2019) explained that Living opportunities are applied to activities that rural people are

involved in with the main purpose of maintaining their living conditions. Individuals belonging to all

18
groups and backgrounds and irrespective of factors such as sex, caste race, ethnicity, religion, gender, and

socio-economic background are expected to look for opportunities for livelihoods. The educated and

wealthy people can gain prospects for respectable livelihoods. Whereas individuals belonging to deprived

and disadvantaged sections of society are capable of gaining opportunities for lower-paid living.

Agriculture is said to be the main occupation of individuals in rural communities. Besides agriculture,

they are also involved in several other activities. These include, and so on, handicrafts, artworks, silk

weaving, pottery, small-scale and cottage industries. The main areas considered in this research paper

include the need to improve livelihood opportunities, the National Rural Livelihood Mission, aspects of

rural livelihoods, the role of agriculture in improving livelihood opportunities, and measures to improve

rural livelihoods. A study by Rechel et al. examined whether specific hospital policies are in place in rural

or remote areas and, if not, how countries ensure that people in remote or rural areas have access to acute

hospital services. It is said that only one country had developed a national policy on rural or remote

hospitals thus intermittent policies were established at the sub-national level of the respective states and

provinces in Australia and Canada. In countries where access to hospital services is a concern in rural or

remote areas, common challenges can be identified, including the financial sustainability of services, the

importance of medical education and telemedicine, and the provision of rapid transportation to more

specialized services. This study shows that the healthcare of rural and remote communities is not yet

given importance by the government of first world countries considering that they have the financial

ability to take a step on the said problem.

Resource Provisions Needed by People

According to Y. Kuwayama and N. Brozović, Groundwater resources are a major source of

agricultural, potable, and industrial water. Despite the importance of groundwater for the economy and

19
the well-being of individuals, groundwater withdrawals are often not monitored and unregulated. For

example, the state with the highest level of annual groundwater withdrawals follows the method of

"reasonable use doctrine" which allows you to pump an unlimited quantity of water as long as the water is

put into good use. This doctrine prevents many wasteful uses of groundwater but it continues the

extraction of water until the underlying aquifer flows are reduced from connected streams and rivers.

Freshwater isn't the only problem that occurs in the Philippines. According to A. Masriaa, A. Negma, M.

Iskanderb, and O. Saavedra, Coastal ecosystems are highly productive containing high biological

diversity, rich fishery resources, and significant minerals. The coasts also support a diverse array of

related industries that provides enormous economic productivity. These are some major issues that occur

in coastal zones.

1) Urban Encroachment- Population movement in coastal areas that provides a steady

increase in the population growth in the zone where the land area is eroded rapidly.

2) Pollution- is a major concern in most countries due to the discharge of raw and

untreated sewage, industrial discharges, and discharges from shipping vessels.

3) Marine resource exploitation- Coastal resource exploitation includes land, forests,

coastal waters and wetlands, sand, minerals, and other living marine organisms. These lead to an overall

decrease in biodiversity.

4) Coastal erosion- Coastal zones are subjected to rapid erosion by natural processes and

a little extent by anthropogenic activities over a long period of time.

5) Impact of sea-level rise on coastal erosion- The effect of climate change in the marine

and coastal environment is the sea level rise that arouses great challenge in the longer term.

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 In some of the articles of Shu-e Huang, there are 3 types of natural disaster that can occur in

coastal lowland regions. Those three are windstorm and storm surge, tropical cyclones and tropical

cyclone winds, and tsunami and according to Rebecca Epanchen- Neil, Keryn Gedan, Jarrod Miller, and

Kate Tully, for coastal areas around the globe, flooding poses well-known and deadly threats. As these

regions continue to suffer from floods, society is grappling with its growing understanding of climate

change and the perils associated with sea-level rise and storm surge. Among the hazards, the salinization

of waters and soils along coastlines—saltwater intrusion—brings less obvious but distinct risk.

Examining the impacts of saltwater intrusion and climate change on coastal agro ecosystems and the

effectiveness of potential management responses for enhancing community resilience in these area can be

achieved using socially and environmentally beneficial transitions. This gives a better understanding of

the options for alternative crops and land uses as well as informed policy design that incentivizes sound

adaptation strategies. "Adaptation decisions made by farmers are particularly important: these choices

affect the mobilization of nutrients into nearby waters and how wetlands can migrate as sea level rises".

Synthesis

In the paragraphs presented above, what transpired are all the researcher's interpretation based on

the articles they found related to the study. These topics helped the researchers know the opinions of

writers and the conditions of the case that is being studied.

The studies and literature above generally tackled about the experiences of people living in rural

area. It also discussed their (people experiencing poverty) financial state and coping strategies; and

government programs already implemented that aim to lessen poverty.

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 In this study, on the other hand, the researchers focus on describing the lifestyle of people living

in a specific isolated island known for being marginalized. The researchers aim to provide authentic data

about the struggles and survival strategies of indigent people, thus they choose an isolated island that

experiences dire poverty.

THORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND CONCEPTUAL PARADIGM

The original idea of the Human Capital Theory can be traced back to Adam Smith in the 18 th

century. The modern theory was popularized by Gary Becker, an economist and Nobel Laureate from the

University of Chicago, Jacob Mincer, and Theodore Schultz. They focused on one of the major

determinants of poverty which is earning. The proponents emphasized how investing in education and

training is crucial if you want to be stable and wealthy in life. They conceded, however, to the fact that

people’s level of investment vary on their expected returns or to the compensations they’ll receive. That’s

why the minorities do not promote too much investment for the reason that they are bounded to lower

labor market opportunities. They also include explaining how the peak of a human’s earning is as he or

she ages because the person acquires learning from experiences. However, their skills depreciate when

they become older, thus decrease their earning.

The Human Capital Theory is relevant to the study because it presents possible causes of why

people are facing poverty. It also presents different analogies to how a certain investment can decide on

what life you will experience on your journey. It is also important because it is perceived to increase

22
productivity and profitability. For example, the more a company invests in its employees such as in their

education and training, the more productive their employees can be thus their profit can increase.

Furthermore, decisions to invest in human capital such as education and training is considered as a cause

of success. One’s earnings increase rapidly as new skills are acquired throughout the process of the

investment and lifetime earnings will pattern to the decisions one will make.

The researchers believe that this theory is a credible foundation they can depend on when

obtaining information in forming analyzations and conclusion at the end of the research.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

The concept of Human Capital Theory will be helpful in determining why the citizens in Punta

Tarawal experience such poverty.

People have different perspectives and goals in life, meaning they live their own lives

by their own ways and by their own pace. The lifestyle of the citizens of Punta tarawal is exquisite. They

settle despite the lack of resources and minimal transport because of isolation. Their priority is not on

investing for their future. They do not risk such amount of money for education and training, since they

are already struggling in providing their very basic necessities. This explains, in accordance to the Human

capital Theory, why Punta Tarawal is experiencing dire poverty in the present time.

This research focuses on how the lifestyle of the citizens in Punta Tarawal goes and on how they

survive despite their conditions. Further explanations and discussion regarding about the topic at hand is

to be provided throughout the research paper.

23
 CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

In this chapter, the researchers introduced their guide in gathering the necessary data for the

study. Here, they introduced how the collection of data will happen and described how it will then be

analyzed. The Research Design, Time and Description of Study Site, Materials Used, Data Gathering, and

Date analysis will transpire in this part.

Research Design

This research is an example of study, which is descriptive and explanatory analysis of a person,

group, or event where an empirical inquiry investigates a phenomenon within its real-life context.

Researchers themselves decided to conduct a study regarding the struggles and the daily lives of people

living in the poorest barangay in the Philippines, Punta Tarawal. The study has a prolific amount of

descriptive words and explanations with regards to the life or perhaps the poverty that can be a

perspicacity of the study henceforth. As the researchers see how people in Punta Tarawal survive in their

everyday life and how they work, the researchers themselves distinguished how people in Punta Tarawal

24
put themselves in the right place howbeit struggles are into their lives. The research is done through

personal interviews and thorough observation.

Time and Description of Study Site

The researchers chose Punta Tarawal to be the subject of the study. They aim to have an

interview with legal age residents. Researchers will visit the place every Saturday from 8 am to 4 pm. At

around 6 to 6:30 am, the researchers will meet at Ateneo De Naga University (Ateneo Ave.) to gather.

Then, they will proceed to the terminal of Calabanga via Tricycle and ride a jeepney to reach the

municipality proper. Once they reach Calabanga, the researchers will take another tricycle or habal-habal

(passenger motorcycles) to a port in the village of Balongay, 7 kilometers from the town center where

they will take a kilometer-long boat ride on the Bicol river thus arriving at the study site where barangay

tanods are waiting to assist them and assure their safety.

Upon arriving, the researchers will then communicate with the barangay officials to begin

interacting with the residents. In the process of gathering data, the researchers will divide themselves into

pairs and will be each accompanied by a barangay tanod. Then, the researchers will proceed to their

assigned houses where interviews and observations happen simultaneously. The researchers will then

interview the subjects and inquire questions from their routine, roles in the community, and the

interaction with one another.

Visitation happens every Saturday and if delayed, on Sundays. It also depends on weather

conditions. A minimum of 32 hours of observation is required for a more accurate result – which equals at

least 4 visits.

25
Research Instrumentals

Materials Used In the Study

5 notebooks and 10 Ball pens The researchers split into two groups to assure that

maximum number of respondents will be catered.

One group has three members while the other has

two. Each member has a notebook and 2 ball pens,

which they utilized in jotting down their individual

observations.

One big notebook At the end of every visit in the area, all the five

notebooks of each member were collected and

summarized in one large notebook. This was done so

that observations are intact and easily accessed.

2 Cameras Cameras were used for documentation purposes such

as taking pictures. The photographs were included in

the appendices of the research.

2 voice recorder Each group carries 1 voice recorder with them. These

are used to record verbal answers of respondents to

26
 interviews. This is used also to make sure that no

matter or point will be missed by the researchers.

Interview Questionnaires This is a set of questions the researchers used as

guide in interviewing their respondents.

Data Gathering

The researchers visit the island of Punta Tarawal in Calabanga every weekend upon approval of

the barangay captain and their parents. For every visit there are barangay tanods that accompany the

researchers as they traverse the area. This is to ensure their safety as well. The researchers then record

their observations individually. These observations pertain to the structure of the houses and the notable

materials used, common lifestyle habits of the residents that contribute to how they survive everyday life,

how they respond to visitors or strangers to the city like the researchers themselves. In general, the

observations that will be recorded are in line with the objectives of the study. When settled, the

interviewers proceed to asking the chosen representatives from the city questions that can be found in the

prepared questionnaire. As the interview starts, pictures will also be taken to capture non-verbal responses

of the interviewee. The confidentiality of any personal information of the interviewee will be assured. The

gathered data will then be collected from each member of the research team and will be summarized in a

big notebook.

Data Analysis

27
Step 1: Setting the Objectives

As the researchers had decided about the title, the objectives that are intended to attain or

to accomplish through the whole of the data gathering. The objectives must be answered, answers

should be always connected to the objectives thus, this provides the main intent of the study.

Step 2: Data Gathering

The researchers started data gathering afterward as the objectives were determined. An

interview was conducted by the researchers with the people living in Punta Tarawal to earn the

needed and necessary data and information for the researchers to be more knowledgeable about

the study. The researchers listed and recorded all the gathered data from the respondents.

Step 3: Analysis of Data

After gathering all the data needed, the researchers conducted a detailed and

comprehensive analysis of information from the respondents. Every answer of the respondents

was inspected by the researcher to consider the analysis of data as factual.

Step 4: Result Interpretation

The researcher has given their own perceptions regarding the analysis they created as

they finished the analysis of data. The researchers have different interpretations as individuality,

thence, they resisted from sharing their own perspective with regards to the results.

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 CHAPTER IV

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter of the research study reveals the results accumulated from the data gathered. It will

describe and explore: the daily lives of the residents in a remote barangay, Punta Tarawal; the challenges

that they are facing towards their daily lives; their livelihood and other sources of income; and how they

respond or adapt to their struggles or problems. The respondents of the study are people, specifically

adults and barangay officials of barangay Punta Tarawal whose ages range from 40 to 60 and are

currently residing on the island. The data gathered were obtained from a semi-structured one by one

interview, completed by 8 residents and 2 officials of barangay Punta Tarawal with 100% answer rate.

LIFESTYLE OF PEOPLE IN PUNTA TARAWAL

Health status and health problems of people in the barangay

29
 Taking good care of the residents’ health is an utmost priority for the officials of the barangay.

Official A’s words were “Syempre po ma’am inuna po namin yung tungkol sa kalusugan ng mga

kabarangay naming, syempre po dapat palaging malinis yung kapaligiran kasi gumagawa po kami ng

barangay officials po ma’am ng 15 days [cleaning program].” (Of course Ma’am, we prioritize matters

about health of our residents. Of course the environment must be clean because we, the barangay

officials, conduct a 15-day clean-up drive.” He also discussed that one of their ways to keep diseases

away from their barangay is to maintain the cleanliness of their area. They – the officials – make sure that

this is met by being diligent in initiating clean-up drives among their residents.

Official B further explained “As barangay official, si mga tao digdi, being committee on health,

nagmomonitor kami kan dengue, sa mga virus, tapos ining sa nCov baga noy, pirmi kaming naglilinig,

weekly kami naglilinig diyan sa mga tinampo. As committee on health, tigasasarabihan mi an mga tao na

dai mag ako kan mga karne na mabakal baga kami sa bolonggay tapos dadarahon mi digdi sa barangay

punta tarawal, bawal yan samuya.” (As a barangay official, the people here, being committee on health,

we monitor dengue, different viruses, and this recent nCov. We always clean weekly. As committee on

health, we remind the people not to eat meat bought from Balonggay then will be brought here in

barangay Punta Tarawal. That’s prohibited from us.)

According to her, nCov and Swine fever are the direst viruses they are facing right now because

they do not only risk their health and well-being. They also compromise the people’s livelihood and daily

routine, that’s why they prioritize implementing prevention mechanisms against the said viruses.

Proceeding to the residents’ health statuses and their point of view, they do not give much

attention and effort to their health because they believe they can get through, and some believe that their

life spans are enough. When someone is sick, Respondent E’s instinct is to consult them to an

“albularyo” instead of checking up with a medical practitioner. According to her, “pag-nagkakahilang,

minsan dinadara ko lang siya sa albularyo. Sa hirak nin Diyos, dawa na nagsasarabay-sabay sinda

30
maghilang, nabubulong-bulong man.” (If sick, sometimes I only bring him/her to a faith healer. Thanks to

God’s mercy, even when they all get sick, they get healed”).

Respondent E also said that even her, since she has a high blood pressure, when medicine is

scarce and she can’t take one, she only drinks warm water to conceal her pain. Respondent F’s case is

similar to Respondent E in having a high blood pressure, but the difference is, Respondent F is diligent to

intake her maintenance.

Respondent D is experiencing a more serious complication relating to her back bone. The Doctor

who checked her up told her family that she is in need to undergo an operation, but the thing is, her body

and immune system might not be able to conquer the processes she’ll be going through. Her words were

“Galing ako sa ospital, na ako raw ay ooperahan sa likod, eh hindi ko man na kaya na,kaya parang antay

ko nalang, hindi ko na daw kaya kasi baka hindi naman daw kaya ng resistensiya ko” ( I came from the

hospital, [they said] my back needs to be operated, but I can no longer do that, so I’m just waiting. I can

not do it because my resistance can not make it)

She only waits for her time to come and since money is also scarce, her only child can’t afford

providing her medicines and someone to take care of her. She only sits everyday near her window,

observing how people pass by.

The way that officials in Punta Tarawal mainly address health concerns is through means of

cleaning programs to mitigate bacteria and other health hazards from affecting the residents. This is still

insufficient because it is not a direct way to address an illness. Another problem is that residents who

have actual health issues do not immediately get a checkup due to lack of access to health do not have

access to proper healthcare, and instead they go to faith healers. This is a major concern because the

possibility of community spread of any communicable disease is hard to tolerate given these

circumstances.

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Education of people residing in Punta Tarawal

Another struggle of the people living in the community of Punta Tarawal is the lack of access to

proper education. This is very evident as some of the residents interviewed have not finished primary

school. One of the main reasons for the residents’ lack of access to education is the location of the school.

One resident who had not finished elementary school has a child currently taking high school located on

the next island, which requires a boat ride in order to get there.

Another reason for having lack of education is the parents cannot support their children in their

school needs, therefore in some cases the child has to discontinue his or her education in order to help the

family with responsibilities or help a younger sibling complete their education. Although there are some

residents that finished school, they were fortunate enough to have a relative that could help with finances

and basic needs. But this is an exceptional case as the majority of people in the community are lacking in

this aspect as well. If they are capable enough, their only choice is to go to a different community for

education which is still a challenge given the surrounding area.

In Punta Tarawal, there is only one school inside of that place which is Punta Elementary

School. It is an elementary school, therefore there is no higher level than that. In order to achieve a higher

education, you need to go to a different community which is a challenge, because transportation is not

that easy due to the nature of the surrounding area. It is already given that the majority of residents have

32
not invested in education, and most of them have only achieved elementary school. This is connected to

the theory that investment in education may lead to more job opportunities.

IMAGE 1. THE LIFESTYLE OF PEOPLE IN BARANGAY PUNTA TARAWAL IS PICTURED IN THE

ABOVE ILLUSTRATION.

STRUGGLES OF PEOPLE IN THE BARANGAY

Scarcity and Struggles faced by people in Punta Tarawal

The results from the interview show a picture of how they survive in the struggles they are

encountering in their daily lives. The interviewees’ lives lack subtlety and penetration, which lead them to

have uncomplicated daily routines. People living in that location also want provisions for the support of

life. Having a simple life helps them live peacefully and enables them to conquer distress. People who are

living in Punta Tarawal do not let obstacles swallow them, instead they find ways in order for them to

survive their everyday lives.

According to the first respondent, there are instances that their money is not enough for them, and

they need to borrow money from others to feed their children. The researchers asked the first interviewee,

“Sapat po ba ang kinikita ng mga anak niyo po para po sa inyong mga pangangailangan po? Natustusan

man po kamo?” (Is the amount of the money that you’re children are giving you enough?) And the

respondent answered during the interview that, “Dae man. Kulang kulang man. Pag minsan mapadara

siya, pang-duwang aldaw lang na konsumo. Tapos kung nag-uutang utang kami sa tindahan tas

pagpadara nya na lang ning utro kung pira ipapadara, mga 1000, binabayad mi lang sa tindahan. Tapos

mautang naman kaming panibago.” (No, sometimes, it isn’t enough. At times when my son gives us

33
money, we are able to consume it within only two days. Since the money that my son had given us is only

1000, we only pay it to the stores where we borrow money and then borrow once again.) The response

has shown that the main reason of their struggle is poverty, lack of money. In some ways, scarcity appears

to make people better problem solvers. Because of their lacking in money, they learn to adjust and deal

with what they have.

As the researchers have seen such struggles of people who are living in Punta Tarawal, the

researchers have concluded that the government must lift the place up in a way that a road be made for

them to connect them to the municipality proper, so that citizens in that location could go to work, or find

a job that has higher wage. Most of the interviewees are far away from their children and the researchers

thought that it is really crestfallen for them, because being far away from your family to work is hard.

However, in order to find money for their survival, they need to travel so far away and by that, they can

help each other not to be starved.

Based on the answers of the respondents, one of the instances that are bringing struggle to them

is the disasters such as earthquakes and especially, typhoons. The citizens who are living in Punta

Tarawal, Calabanga also have experienced flooding since water surrounds them. According to the second

interviewee, she stated some struggle they face every occurrence of a typhoon, “Na ano kaya.. Na.. ubos

si puhunan para gibuhong konkreto ning harong. May problema kaya igdi kapag nagbabagyo. Kaya

pigayo-ayos mi man. Ang mga gamit kaya pagnagbabagyo, nasasayang.” (We have used all of our

money to make this house concrete in order for us to secure all of our belongings since typhoon is the

major cause why our properties are getting broken and wasted.)

Other struggles are when their houses get washed away by the flood and typhoon and when they

still have to ride a boat to pass through the sea for them to evacuate at a safer place. When typhoon has

ended, they need to go back to their damaged houses, and some people that the researchers interviewed

have stated that seeing their home vanished is really hard to accept but at the end of the day, they still find

a way to surpass that challenge they have encountered.

34
 Another struggle that the respondents are experiencing is lack of opportunities to have a job, and

education. Government must take an action to help the citizens in Punta Tarawal to be employed and to

go to school. The struggle in education will be discussed in another part of the analysis.

These struggles remain a challenge for the officials of the barangay and especially to those

citizens who are experiencing it. And since government is mentioned, the interviewer comprehensively

analyses the causes of poverty and the officials suggested ways to help one another to accumulate poverty

reduction and reach inclusive growth.

In the immediate and short term there is a need to enhance government’s poverty reduction

strategy and involve key sectors for a collective and coordinated response to problem. In the medium and

long term the government should continue to pursue key economic reform for sustained and inclusive

growth. Additional information, the kagawad in health of Barangay Punta Tarawal has also stated that

they are doing all their best to prevent the viruses that are spreading in our country nowadays, especially

NCOV 19 and African Swine Fever that may affect their health and livelihood. She also added that they

are not allowing animals, especially pigs, from the outside of their location since they are all aware about

the viruses which are spreading through our country. They believe that prevention is better than cure.

The responses of those interviewees are evidences that people who are dwelling in Punta Tarawal

are struggling due to some instances that affect their daily lives such as scarcity in money, experiencing

bad weather, and facing disasters and health care problems. As the researchers become acquainted to the

obstacles that people in that Barangay face every day, the researchers construed that albeit how much

those families encountered hardships, they are still able to strongly face it and continue surviving. No

matter how hard the scarcity that comes to a person’s life, a person will still continue to work hard if the

case is survival.

35
IMAGE 2. THIS IS A PORTRAYAL OF THE STRUGGLES AND CHALLENGES FACED BY THE

RESIDENTS OF BARANGAY PUNTA TARAWAL.

36
DAILY LIFE/ROUTINE OF PEOPLE RESIDING IN PUNTA TARAWAL

Simplicity of the residents’ daily lives

The results from the interview show an image of how simple the routine in residents’ everyday

lives is. The respondents have stated their common daily work such as doing the household chores,

particularly doing the laundry, and preparing their children’s breakfast before going to school. Foods that

they are preparing usually are sardines, eggs, canned-goods and other foods that they can afford. By

living simply, they manage to survive in their daily lives. Most of the respondents the researchers have

interviewed were house wives, therefore, they stated that everyday has no change, they are always staying

at their houses —doing their obligations as a parent.

Based on the third respondent, they owned a small sari-sari store and luckily, the store they

own helps them to have their everyday needs however, just a few are buying from their store which made

their income still not enough. As the discourse continued, the respondent have told the interviewers about

the food they usually eat which is called ‘gata’. Since it is her daughter’s favourite recipe. The researchers

determined that even though how much a person or a family struggles from being far from each other,

since each of them needs to work hard for survival, at the end of day, everything can be fruitful as long as

the family strive together in unity for productivity.

Another daily routine stated by another interviewee is that, when she was younger and they have

this so-called ‘karenderya’ or eatery, early in the morning, she’ll cook food for their breakfast and

afterwards she’ll buy ingredients for the eatery they own. And now, since the respondent is getting older

already, she’s now only depending on her children’s money. By this, it is still a state of being simple

since she does not long for the luxuries of life, rather she settles to what is given to her.

With the interviewees’ statements of their daily routines, the researchers were able to

determine that their lifestyle is with modesty and defined as simple, wherein the researchers identified

that due to this simplicity they own, they can prevent distress—like the other urban person has since most

37
of the citizens nowadays are already exposed to technologies which can help people to do their tasks

easily and quickly however, there are still disadvantages that occur because of those things that have been

stated. Dissimilar to the statement that has been articulated, people living in Punta Tarawal live a simple

life since most of the respondents are house wives. They are just doing their responsibilities and

obligations as a parent. Having a meal that is nutritious and isn’t expensive gives the researchers a hint

that simple living really dwells with the Punta Tarawal people.

38
 IMAGE 3. THE ROUTINE IN THE DAILY LIVES OF THE RESIDENTS OF PUNTA TARAWAL IS

SHOWCASED IN THE PICTURE.

THE LIVELIHHOD OF ITS RESIDENTS AND HOW THEY PROVIDE FOR THEIR DAILY

NEEDS

Livelihood of people residing in Punta Tarawal

Given the fact that residents of barangay Punta Tarawal are living a simple life, they live by the

means of simple living. Common livelihoods that sustain the residents’ necessities are revealed during the

interviews done among people living in the area.

39
 Official A of the barangay characterized different livelihoods that differ for male or female in a

way that “sa mga babae po, yung paggawa ng pawid, yung sa mga lalaki ma’am, pangingisda, yun po’

’(For girls, they create nipa products, while for men, they go fishing). Official A discussed that since

income in fishing is not consistent due to the different unwanted weather, the ladies’ job is a great help in

providing financial assistance to her husband for the daily consumption of their family.

Official B further provided details saying that commonly, the young ones are sent away to work

in companies or other works with greater income, while the aged people, who are commonly rejected due

to their lack of energy and age, stays in the island and continue working within the premises only.

According to her, “Nagtatrabaho sinda (mga kaakian) sa ibang lugar sa mga pabrika, pero an mga arog

samong gurang, digdi talaga nagsistay sa Punta Tarawal” (The young ones work somewhere far under

factories while aged people like us stay in the barangay). According to Respondent G [“(Nagtatrabaho)

Sa dakulang building didto sa taguig”], his child is working in a huge building in Taguig City and only

visits during occasions, while Respondent F’s husband and Respondent C’s child, also, are both

construction workers that get located anywhere in need of manpower. Respondent F’s statement was

“Ang agom ko po nasa construction” (My husband is staying in his workplace where he is doing

construction), while according to Respondent C “Mapuli na ito. Matrabaho naman siya igdi sa Naga. Sa

construction po an trabaho niya.”(He will come home. He will start working here in Naga. He’s working

as a construction worker).

Respondent A stated that what young females of the barangay usually do is ‘’pag-pangke’’ or

catching crabs along the sea shores. She also mentioned that they have their own materials to capture

crabs but not their own boat. However, the absence of an owned boat is not a hindrance for them. What

they do is they tag along to those with their own boats, and in return, the materials for catching crabs will

be from them. Some of their catch they bring home for their own consumption when money is scarce,

and some they deliver to different cities or municipalities to gain profit.

40
 “Ngunyan nag-papangke ako.. iyang pagagawang kasag… minsan panira mi na yan. Arog samo

nakikiiba lang, nakikiamong sa pang sira, may sadiri kaming pangasag. Tigtatahi mi lang yan. Pakatahi,

ta kung mabayad pa kami mayo man kaming pangbayad, tig uunoy unoy lang pagkahaman, iyo na yan

ipapangke na.’’ (Now, what I do is to catch crabs. Sometimes it becomes our meal. For people like us

who only tag when others are fishing, we have our own objects to catch crabs. We only sew it, because

we have no budget to hire people to sew for us. So we do it slowly. If done, then it’s free for use.)

Resident H, as well, shared to the researchers his sentiments of “pag-pangke”, which he used to

do when he was still young.

Another source of income for residents of Punta Tarawal is “pag-lalawod” or fishing. Most of

the men in every residential family of the barangay resort to fishing as their main livelihood for the

reasons that it is most convenient for them since water is surrounding their home island and it is a job that

all are qualified. Resident D and Resident E’s husbands are both fishermen in their place. Fisherman D

mentioned that her husband is the pilot of the boat he’s riding that’s why he receives a certain percentage

of the overall profit of all fishermen riding the boat, given deduction of investment being done already.

Respondent E, on the other hand, explained that her husband only goes out to fish during early mornings.

While she, on the other hand, stays at home managing their little sari-sari store. Their very words were:

“Sa paglalawod niya, may porsyento sya sa ano, itong ano, ta sya ang piloto. Pinoporsyentohan

man sya tsaka kun halimbawa may dakop kamong 5000, babawasan gastos saka tutuluhon ninda

an benta”

(In his fishing, he receives a certain percentage because he is the pilot of the boat. If for example

they catch an amount of 5000, they will deduct all expenses then divide the profit to three)

– Respondent D

“Ang agom ko pagkaaga, naglalawot. Ako man iyo man an gawa ko digdi tirtindahan.”

41
 (My husband, in the morning, will go fishing, while I stay here to manage our store.)

- Respondent E

Another response was, respondent B told us that what she does for a living since she was young is

“tiklat” or creating native mats which they sell in the municipality proper or making “pawid” or nipa

from leaves for utilization of nipa huts. She also said that they are the ones cutting nipa leaves at the back

area they call Kadlagan. Her very words were “mayo noy, tiklat kato. Nagruruknis, nagpuputol, doon sa

likod, saan ba yan? Sa Kadlagan ba yan.” (Nothing, Noy. Before I do “tiklat”. We cut Nipa leaves at the

back. Where was that? Is that Kadlagan?)

Lastly, Respondent H opened one business that those with their own boats do. As a form of

vehicle transporting people from the barangay to the end of Balonggay or Cabusao, these fishermen

provide a transport mechanism to residents so that they can go to the municipality proper for their

businesses and so that students can go to school. In every one-way ride commuters must only pay for 10

pesos. “Iyo (naghahatod), magbayad ka lang sako, aga hapon, sampulong pesos lang” (Yes, you only

need to pay, morning and afternoon, 10 pesos only”, says Respondent H.

In summary, most of the jobs that every person in Punta Tarawal has is ‘pangingisda’, since water

surrounds them. Some of them have stated that they also own stores, and some of them are taking care of

animals. Common livelihood also includes making nipa and catching crabs. The researchers determined

that because of these jobs that they have, they are able to get income to provide for their family. With

inspiration and hard work, they survive with willingness to lift up their family from poverty. In

pangingisda and catching crabs, they are catching fish and afterwards, they will bring it to the centro of

their municipality to sell it.

On the other hand, they also use it as their food. In managing a sari-sari store, some of the

respondents said that it is really hard in managing of something since sometimes, there are just few who

42
are buying from them. Few buyers, lesser income. However, the respondents stated that even though they

sometimes experienced those things, they still manage to use the money that they have earned wisely.

43
 IMAGE 4. DEPICTED IN THE IMAGE ARE THE VARIOUS SOURCES OF INCOME IN BARANGAY

PUNTA TARAWAL.

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The chapter summarizes the research work undertaken, wherein the conclusions are drawn and

the recommendations are made as an outgrowth of this study. This study is on the lifestyle of people

living in Punta Tarawal, the poorest barangay in the Philippines, and an in-depth description of the

current situation of the community.

Summary

Punta Tarawal has been a very poor barangay ever since, and is even being called “the poorest

barangay in the Philippines”. People in any community may experience challenges, but unlike these

communities, Punta Tarawal is in a much worse situation. It is a very isolated barangay in Calabanga. The

difficulties brought by such a remote location can range from small, single room houses built with light

materials to having limited access to education and other resources. The study aimed to observe and

describe the lifestyle of the people living in Punta Tarawal.

44
 As we were observing the surroundings it was very evident to us that the houses were mostly

built with light and substandard materials and are prone to harsh weather conditions. The community was

lacking in a lot of aspects such as support from the government, and lack of job opportunities. And the

scarcity in these aspects branched into more problems such as the inability of most parents to fully

support their children in their education, and it is already given that most of these parents have only

reached elementary level education. The common reasons for their lack of proper education was the

location of the schools, in which they had to ride a boat to reach the next island just for a day of school,

and the lack of financial capability of the parents. The main sources of income for males in the

community were catching fish, transportation around the area, factory work and construction. For females

they had washing clothes, and the making of “pawid” and “tiklat” in which both involve the use of nipa.

The results from the interviews conducted that the challenges that the residents are mainly facing

are; the isolated location of the community, lack of access to basic needs, and jobs that bring sustainable

income. An interview with an official of the barangay also revealed that they think of the community’s

situation as “masakit na makita yung nahihirapan po sila sa pangangailangan nila sa araw araw dahil sa

kawalan ng hanapbuhay”.

The same interview also revealed that they prioritize the health of the residents, which they

address by means of keeping a clean environment. Some of the residents already have underlying health

conditions, but don’t have access to proper healthcare, or refuse them as some of them believe that they

could go by unconventional means of addressing their health concerns. With only two barangay tanods on

duty for a day, not only the health of the residents would be at stake, but also the security of the

community. But despite the scarcity and lack of access in these aspects, the community learned to help

themselves and developed a form of camaraderie as means of survival and for the benefit of all.

Conclusion

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 As the researchers have carefully observed the lifestyle of the citizens living in Punta Tarawal,

they are able to conclude that life in Punta Tarawal is much more tranquil than in the mainland. They are

not exploited to pollution or to the desires of luxuries thus they don’t crave for an elegant life. They settle

with the simple life they have, provided that they are safe and their necessities are met.

They are also hospitable anyone who comes to Punta Tarawal and treat every visitor with high

respect. Although they struggle everyday because of lack of money due to poor catch of fishing,

minimum alternative source of income, healthcare problems, and lack of education, they make sure to

give their visitors a warm welcome and stay in their place. They are an example of traditional Filipinos

who are naturally hospitable.

Going back to the theoretical framework used by the researchers in this study, it has been found

out that majority of the people in Punta Tarawal does not invest in education, thus, this greatly affects

them in a way that opportunities become scarce to them since they lack knowledge. It is, however, not

considerable to be their fault also as they are not provided enough financial support by their parents due

to their status.

The following struggles that they face, according to what the researchers have gathered, are listed

the bellow:

 Healthcare Problem - in a manner that they don’t have proper medication towards

sickness and other health complications.

 Food Scarcity - They struggle in terms of food provision since income is a bit harsh.

 Vulnerability – Animals in their area are vulnerable to different viruses and are

sometimes unable to be traded.

- Their location being surrounded by waters make them vulnerable to flood

They have animals which can be traded for food and consumed and that has helped them in their

daily lives. But because of the African swine flu, bringing animals to and from the mainland is prohibited

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which shorten their income. Some of the residents only depend on their simple livelihood such as trading

animals but because of the crisis, they’re source of profit is compromised. They can not do anything about

the matter since they fully understand the situation and they are not able to explain themselves so they

just abide. However, they feel saddened about it.

In terms of officials, the officials work based on their type of division. They are in charge of

everything that needs to be done in order to maintain the stability of the barangay. In this struggles, the

citizens of Punta Tarawal remain positive because they know to themselves that in terms of survival,

they’ll make it since starting from they were young, they were already trained for such kind of scenarios.

It’s natural for them to have a situation like that unlike the people in the mainland where if they are short

on money, they are distressed – thinking that they can’t survive without money. The citizens are lively

and cheerful despite the struggles mentioned.

So in conclusion, despite the life in Punta Tarawal being tranquil and peaceful, if given a deeper

analysis and observation, it can be revealed that citizens of the barangay experience poverty. They

struggle even with the most basic needs. Compared to a citizen living in an urban community, they don’t

have access to technology or the convenience of life. Their lifestyle is simple yet pitiful compared to

those who live in a well off community as they lack of the basic education, cozy houses, adequate

necessities, sustainable jobs and etc which any person in a well off community have access to.

Although the residents were able to adapt up to a certain extent, the help of the government would

be very beneficial. This act would lead to other improvements in the system that runs the community,

such as needed infrastructures like concrete roads connecting them to the mainland, educational buildings

or school, and healthcare facilities.

Recommendations

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 On this basis on from the results of the study, the researchers have some recommendations for the

residents of a remote and isolated village, barangay Punta Tarawal.

RESIDENTS

 The researchers observed that in order to obtain food, residents must travel to distant community,

Balonggay, therefore having to spend money for transportation. The researchers recommend that

the residents can plant vegetations instead.

BARANGAY OFFICIALS

Give workshops about different subject or aspect that will guide the residents to their daily lives such as:

a. Nutrition – the researchers observed that the children from the said barangay have

features that of a malnourished child. Most of the adults are also suffering from lifestyle

related illness such as Diabetes.

b. Livelihood - the income in Fishing depends on season and weather, therefore alternative

income sources must be learned by the residents from simple handicrafts to planting.

c. Family Planning – most of the respondents have poor family planning observed due to

them, mostly having numbers of children despite poor income.

d. Proper money handling- By teaching the residents how to save money in a proper and

effective way to help them invest in greater opportunities.

e. Cultivating plants- having the knowledge to grow own plant will benefit the residents

because doing so will lessen the expenses for transportation and foods.

GOVERNMENT

Give funds for investment for basic necessities such:

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  Education- Education in the barangay is only limited to elementary, for those who are taking high

school up until college, they need to at least migrate to distant land to pursue education.

 healthcare facilities – the health care facility in the barangay is only one located in the plaza. The

researchers also observed that there is no sufficient healthcare equipment that can be used.

 security. Observed due to most of the children of the interviewed residents migrate to other

places obtain education or to look for greater opportunities of work.

 Fishing equipment- the researchers observed that the equipment that are used by the residents in

fishing are already old specially the boats that are poorly constructed and that don’t have the

capacities to withstand stronger currents for greater catches.

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Project, B. (2019, October 24). The Extreme Effects of Poverty in the Philippines. Retrieved from

https://borgenproject.org/effects-of-poverty-in-the-philippines/.

Jr., J. E. (n.d.). Poor village draws national attention. Retrieved from

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Inquirer Southern Luzon. (n.d.). PROFILE: Punta Tarawal. Retrieved from

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Punta Tarawal, Municipality of Calabanga, Province of Camarines Sur. (n.d.). Retrieved from

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(2019, December 6). Retrieved from https://psa.gov.ph/poverty-press-releases/nid/144752.

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