Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Nobody’s Irony: Mirror of Reality


JOURNAL: RIZZA © MENDIOLA

Back in February 23, 2011 - a leap worth considering a life time commitment started. It was during these days when a director asked me to work with her on stories about female combatants on two opposing phases - the military and the leftist. At first, I am hesitant to try this luck due to security reasons and time constraint given. It’s totally far from the week long preparations on series specials that I usually work with on environment programs. It was twelve midnight back then. I have to decide within an hour time frame. Later, I found myself equipped with cameras, a director, two cameramen and a driver heading towards a military camp. Permits were already secured. I am about to take another angle of my journey as a journalist.

We went uphill a remote barangay. Realities strike. Apart from the time and directions given to and by the field director and cameramen, I was able to interact with people in this nomad area. Fortunate enough, hearth warming approach leads me to unfolding the stories of individuals that distinctly captured my attention. Aside from the facts written and published on books, life on field could be verified by the voices of the unheard. It was during this day when I tend to understand and re-connect individual ironies between soldiers, leftists, the nomad community, the government, and even those activists who are not in the areas. Life for them has its own claim, my role as a journalist is not to take sides but to understand who these individuals are, their group convictions, and even individual sentiments. Weigh things.

 Crossing in between mountains of Rizal, Dumagat tribes line up to receive medical supplies and relief goods in a sitio that is accessible to heavy vehicles and volunteers.


Children seldom interact with people outside their tribal community in upland Rizal. Thus, seeing soldiers wearing uniforms put apprehensions on their first glance.

In my perspective of having a similar ratio of a soldier and an activist serving and transpiring under what they claim to be as reality, most write-ups about activism dwell on street appearances with placards stating what they want to address, and in rebel attire with long guns uphill. With similar end, much from the military side focuses more on local and international military exercises, trainings and even presidential visits. Both heard less on the real situation in their respective barracks and settlements; individual struggles; and even triumphs. As a wandering journalist, I wish not to take sides on what has been known by the majority, on what media usually plays on radio and television. It’s like unfolding the unknown, understanding the extent of their allegiance, and unveiling what media airtimes cannot accommodate.

Influenced by worn-out second hand clothes donated in their upland community, Dumagat families no longer use their traditional clothing.

Soldiers volunteer and act as barbers in upland communities where basic services including hair cutters cannot be found.

My commitment begins on this phase. Currently, I am working on a personal photo documentary project about the unheard day in a life - lived experience of soldiers who act as front-lines during insurgencies and military operations. A good story cannot be gathered in a quick span of time. It takes a lot of effort in immersing oneself and understanding the real situation under any circumstances. During off from the production seen, I usually travel from the city uphill to their respective base camps observing, listening, documenting and immersing. More to unfold, this article is only a bon voyage on my whereabouts.

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