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ALS
Aetas who did not finish high school can
now pursue their study without going to the
formal school. Yes! This is because an
alternative learning system (ALS) is already
a reality in Botolan, Zambales.
Last 26 July 2003, alternative learning
system for Aetas was successfully launched
in Botolan. At least one hundred Aeta
learners have registered to undergo the
pilot ALS program which is being implemented
through the partnership of Education for
Life Foundation, Ford Foundation, Municipal
Local Government Unit of Botolan and
Paaralang Bayan ng mga Ayta sa Zambales.
In this alternative system of earning,
Aetas will study what they want to learn or
the things that is important to their lives.
They do need to study the usual academic
subjects being taught in the formal school.
All these subjects are integrated in the
life skills or modules that they will study.
Modules are categorized into five
learning strands: communication, critical
thinking/scientific thinking, sustainable
use of resources/productivity, development
of self and community, and expanding
world-view.
For these learners, the bitter experience
of discrimination in the formal school is
now a history. Because in ALS, they can
study alone or in a learning group composed
of all Aetas in a place best fitted for
them. Their Instructional Manager (IM) who
serves as a learning facilitator will guide
them in their learning journey.
"We dreamed of building a school for the
Aetas. We started constructing a school
building but it was buried when Mt. Pinatubo
erupted. In dreaming a school for the Aetas,
we overlooked a very important thing, that
is, curriculum. Now I see the
realization of our dream in this ALS." This
was the message by Sr. Mengay when she
visited the IM training.
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Biyaheng Ayta (Aeta:
Tracing Roots, Sharing Hopes)
Biyaheng Ayta is an educational and
advocacy project of PBAZ. Ayta leaders,
educators, and artists travel to Ayta
communities in Zambales for a one day
program of workshops, ending with a theater
presentation of Hundang. The main
issues and problems that the project will
address are primarily concerned with the
following:
- Revitalization of Aeta's indigenous
cultures and traditions,
- Recognition of the realm and role of
indigenous governance in the context of
present local governance,
- Redefining a common agenda to answer
the challenges faced by Aetas of
Zambales vis-à-vis
the fast changing situation, and
- Reconstruction of an indigenous
learning system that is appropriate to
their native lifeways.
The issues and problems mentioned
above are considered critical in the
context of Aetas' struggle for
self-determination. For thirteen years
of displacement from their ancestral
home - Mount Pinatubo, the Aetas are
caught in an upheaval due to the
emergence of dominant culture expressed
in politics, economic and media. The
impositions of new system in governance,
education and life style in their daily
lives has affected many changes in their
own indigenous way of life. Most of them
are swallowed by these dominant forces
and their self-expression and
determination of being Aeta have been
slowly eroded. In fact, they experience
discrimination in school, market and
other public places. Worse, even among
themselves they experience the same. The
cumulative effect on them is to remain
silent. Only few Aeta communities and
organizations are assertive and
consciously work for their rights to
self-determination. These communities
and organizations that are active are
those who have leaders trained by local
partners to communicate and negotiate
with power holders in their quest to
build self-determined and empowered
community. The rests are scattered and
dependent on the system they are not
attuned to. It is in this light that the
PBAZ is looking forward to and expand
their initiatives to flourish in other
Aeta communities with the hope of
responding to the issues and problems
affecting fellow Aetas in the province
of Zambales.
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Livelihood The women of
Sitio Bihawo will not be left behind when it
comes to the new way of making traditional
medicine and soap. They can make soap made
from papaya, carrot, acapulco, and guava.
These soap can be used for laundry, skin
whitening, and cleaning of wounds. They can
also make medicine from madre de cacao that
cure skin diseases. In spite of their
sufferings and problems brought by the Mt.
Pinatubo eruption, women's of Bihawo did not
lose hope and confidence. They keep on
dreaming for the future of the community.
Just like withered plants, they started to
sprout leaves with the help of the partner
NGOs who are willing to support and help.
They have decided that women should be part
of the development of their community. They
started health and livelihood projects and
networked with partners NGOs like ELF that
could provide them with skills training.
The women easily learned because of their
self-confidence and determination. Although,
they encountered problems in doing the said
project, their collective effort and
perseverance helped them resolve these
problems. Their soap and medicine production
is now progressing. At present, the medicine
can be bought at a reasonable price of P3.00
per capsule, lagundi syrup is P15.00 and a
bar of soap can be bought at the price of
P25.00.
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Education
for Life Foundation, Inc.
