Last Monday, I showed up a few minutes before 8am to the DTI office. The last office I worked in was actually a Japanese public school, where the day began with everyone standing up and a loud, in unison “OHAYOU GOZAIMASU” followed by very important announcements I could never understand. So I was expecting sort of expecting that here. But no, everyone just chika-chika (small talk, gossip) for a while and then eventually the work begins, interspersed by much more chika-chika.
My new mustached supervisor, Blair (named for the U.S. Ambassador at the time of his birth, thirty-something years ago,) standing tall for a Filipino at 5”10, brought me to the conference room for orientation. He told me I’d live in Tagbilaran City, (the provincial capital, where I am now) sit at a desk 8 to 5, and go out in the field when I have to. I told him I’d been told (by the wonderful Stella in the Peace Corps office) that it would be the other way around. He looked at me incredulously…Do you want to live out in the sticks? Mahimo . (That’s possible.) Simple as that. No need to argue. I was scared there for a second. I guess he just figured coming from New York, I’d prefer the city life.
Then as he was explaining to me my role, a rat scurried by. I shrieked. Just kidding. I didn’t bat an eyelash. It made the air-conditioned office (with a nostalgic 28.8 kbps internet connection) seem a little more Peace Corps-like.
At half past four, everyone packed up and left their desks. I figured it was time to go home. But no, just time to crowd around the time clock and chika-chika. Then at 5:01, a commotion ensued as everyone battled to punch out first. Fun to watch but sure glad I don’t have to do that every day for the next two years.
On Tuesday morning, Blair and I (along with Rey, Blair’s assistant) took a van a hundred miles up the coast to Inabanga, my primary site. It is a simple town with pleasant people. They fish and farm and have market day every Tuesday.
It was raining when we arrived. Not much goes on in The Philippines when it’s raining. People just sit around and wait for it to stop. We sought shelter and once the rain subsided, we walked over to visit the mayor. There was a long line of citizens waiting to solicit all sorts of things, from financial assistance for funerals to job recommendations for overseas work. We skipped right over the line. I hope those waiting in line don’t take it against me. I’d have been glad to hang around and chat for a few hours.
The mayor is a jolly lady, whose husband was mayor for the maximum three terms prior to her election. She’s just completing her 2nd term, about to begin campaigning for her 3rd. She seems thrilled to have a Peace Corps volunteer here. We didn’t stay long cuz the long line was growing longer.
DTI chose to send me to Inabanga to better organize the loom weaving project in large part because the mayor is very cooperative with DTI projects.
Next stop was a courtesy call to the police chief. I promised him I have no criminal record and that I plan to behave myself. Then down the block to the market (remember, Tuesday is market day.) Many fresh produce are sold there, as well as piles and piles of second-hand clothing, which I’ve heard is often surplus from the massive Hong Kong Salvation Army. I don’t know if tofu is available, but it’s doubtful. I’ll try to make friends with someone who can ferry it in from Cebu. (Inabanga is the closest point in Bohol to Cebu, the second largest city in The Philippines. There is tofu there, as well as a decent Mexican joint and even a vegetarian restaurant.)
Wednesday we had two meetings with barangay weavers. Blair outlined the current system. They routinely weave 8 or 9 meters when the order states 10. They figure if someone orders blue, the customer won’t mind green or even pink. An order due by this Friday means next Thursday. Blair politely explained to them that these are not good marketing practices.
They all understand marketing and its powers. Everyone drinks coca-cola here. After all, you can’t go fifty feet without some sort of coca-cola promotion reminding you to drink it. There are even coca-cola brand red schoolhouses here. There is a great Philippine myth that coca-cola aids digestion of meat and fish. So the trick will be to help them believe marketing applies to them, and aid them in developing good practices.
Actually, a more basic challenge will be meeting attendance. Of the six meetings we had scheduled in a three day period: the first barangay didn’t know we were coming, the second had only 25% of the weavers show up, the third had only barangay officials and zero weavers show up, and the fourth took an hour to rally everyone together. The fifth and sixth barangay cancelled due to a more important meeting with the governor.
After days of expressing my concerns about short-term profit motives compromising the environment in the long-term, Blair promised me he will contact the PTRI (Philippine Textile Research Institute) to ask their assistance in setting up an experimental vegetable dye farm in Inabanga. (There’s a second factor which will come in handy: All-natural handicrafts can command a premium.)
Vegetable dye extraction could also create a new local support industry. And it turns out, back in the day, vegetable dyes were used by loom weavers in Inabanga. Some of the older folk waxed nostalgic discussing which plants they used to extract various colors. Somewhere along the way, chemical dyes became cheaper and simplified the process.
In our meetings, Blair gave me the opportunity to explain vaguely the hazards of chemical dyes and express our shared concern for an environmentally friendly Inabanga, Bohol, Philippines, Planet Earth. (At one meeting, I spaced out a little and watched the women gather their harvested rice after it had finished drying on the basketball court.) Treating the earth right will ensure a fertile crop in years to come.
Sorry if this seems garbled or confusing or even idealistic. I usually just type as I go, and rarely have the time or patience to edit much. I feel I’m off to a great start with my supervisor and the good people of Inabanga.
Now, back to training with the rest of the gang for a few more weeks. By the way, one of my fellow trainees stays with a family whose pet dogs are named Bush and Saddam.
Posted by dbs at March 16, 2004 01:09 PM