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<strong>PAMANA</strong> STORIES<br />
STAIRS BY THE CLIFF<br />
Even before Ethel Elizalde was born, the people of Barangay Maduroto have been used to climb on improvised<br />
stairs on the side of a cliff just to get to the river.<br />
“Mahirap yung pag-akyat at pagbaba doon. Lalo na kung may karga-karga at lalo na yung mga bata.”<br />
At 39, Ethel is a resident of Barangay Maduroto, Matuguinao, Samar for almost four decades now and the routine<br />
had always been like that.<br />
Every day, it takes her 15 minutes to walk from home to the river. It is easy for her to describe how important<br />
the river is to their lives, “Lahat ng pangangailangan namin (nasa ilog).” It is where her family bathe, wash their<br />
clothes, and the likes.<br />
But as integral as the river is, it also poses occassional danger to their family.<br />
“May nahuhulog na mga bata doon. Yung mga matatanda nahuhulog doon na may daladalang palanggana.”<br />
Ethel recalled that around three years ago, an armed encounter in their area forced some kids to panic and run<br />
towards the river.<br />
“Minsan nga noong may mga putukan, doon na nagtatakbuhan yung mga bata galing ilog. Nahuhulog din doon<br />
dahil bangin kasi yun.”<br />
At some point, even the children who brave the cliff every day just to take a bath, felt discouraged to go to the river<br />
anymore-- accounting to fewer kids attending school.<br />
“Minsan di na pumapayag yung mga bata pumunta (sa ilog). Tinatamad na. Di na pumapasok ng school. Lalo<br />
nang tinatamad pag walang tubig (Once in a while, the children refuse to go to school).”<br />
Living with this problem her entire life, Ethel thought the government did not care for their community.<br />
“Parang wala kaming nakikita dahil wala kasing pinagbago noon e. Mahirap talaga noon (We didn’t see any<br />
changes in our lives).”<br />
With the help of PAyapa at MAsaganang PamayaNAn (<strong>PAMANA</strong>), a pathway with a handrail, was built to keep<br />
the residents safe when going to the river.<br />
Now it’s easier for them attend to their daily needs, without having to worry the consequences of one small<br />
misstep or one wrong slip that might cause their life.<br />
“Nakikita na kasi namin ngayon na may pagbabago. Napakadali na ng pagbaba sa amin (We have seen the<br />
changes, now our lives are better).”<br />
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