PRELIMINARY ACTIVITY

 In a general sense, how do you feel during/after watching

the documentary? 

“Tatlong bata ang naghihintay sa tabi ng kaldero at labis

ang pananabik, ano kaya ang laman nito?” these statements
at the start of the video made me desire to know more on
what these children can have once every year or as the
title say “Minsan sa isang taon”. As curiosity invoked my
mind, I cannot help myself but feel misery and sympathetic
for the indigenous people in Sarangani, especially for the
abaca farmers, from how it was filmed and how kara David
describe their situation.
The whole documentary does not only revolve around how
challenging and miserable life can be for numerous
indigenous people in Sarangani, but also how can love and
care for one another mold the indigenous people to live
peaceful and hopeful in life. Aside from being overwhelmed
on how generous their love for one another I have also
been annoyed or questioning; why does a recipe for money
cost less than the value of money? And why should the
indigenous people do all the hard work for the benefit of
the rich? One of Kara David’s statement that has been on
my mind is “Alam kaya niya na ang papel (pera) na hawak
niya ay gawa lang rin sa abaca” funny as it may seem but
do, they? Do they know that the price they receive is
quadruple from how the government sells money?

 What are the developmental concerns faced by the IP

Community in the video? How do you feel about it? 

The developmental concerns faced by the IP Community in

the video are: lack of tenurial security, poverty and
discrimination, these are most of the common issues face
by the IP communities even after having so many laws to
resolve it. In the documentary “minsan sa Isang taon” has
shown the lack of tenurial security. Some of the clips
showed that there are people outside of their land that
has been unlawfully cutting trees that made it hard for
their necessities and livelihood be met which has caused
them more poverty and discrimination.
Despite the fact that Indigenous peoples in the Philippines
constitute 110 diverse ethno-linguistic groups. Many
communities have long lived in an ancestral domain blessed

ANAMARIEL
 with natural beauty and resources. Yet they have limited
access to basic services, socio-economic and political
opportunities in their everyday reality. Many families have
also lost their lands after they became indebted as they
struggle to meet their basic needs.

 Why do you think these developmental concerns continue to

exist in the Philippines? 

If I’m an anarchist I would simply say that it is because

of how poorly planned and implemented are the laws, and
rights by the government. But let us not blame everything
to the government and remember that we are all part of the
community. These developmental concerns wouldn’t have
existed or worsen without us pressing on an open wound.
Though the government that we are expecting to have a lot
of power to resolve these issues are also showing us that
they also have the power on making it worst or taking it
away from us. What I’m really entailing is that these
developmental concerns continue to exist because we are
not fully committed on resolving it.

 Can these problems/concerns be solved? Explain your

answer.

Why don’t they plant their own food or rice? Why don’t
they breed animals and reproduce meat from them? These are
the questions that has been branded in my mind. A bit
discriminating, but why can’t they? Well, the answer lies
from all the unresolved developmental issues by the
government. All of my questions will only be resolved if
planting or breeding animals is as easy as making instant
noodles. If only all the seeds, craps, water supply,
fertilizers and other supply needed are free or provided
it have been easier for indigenous people to live, but is
not and everything has a price, that every penny the abaca
farmers earn is not even enough for their day to day
living what more if they risked it or invest in a more
monetary consuming business.
We can say that humanity never died but it also did not
evolve, if people would care less on putting a price on
their head in every step or action, they make we would
have been rich in different aspects in life.

ANAMARIEL