Seriously, what have I been up to...

One of my new year's resolutions this year was to stay connected--- meaning, trying to blog as often as I can. I havn't been doing that as often as I want to or intended to.... I apologize! So, allow me to take you through a visual trip of a couple of things I been up to....

One of the things I did was revisit Jerry, the man I photographed in Kawit, Cavite, whose house got demolished because of the road widening and development of the city.







It felt really good to see him and his family again. I have this thing where I don't forget about the people I photograph---i don't think any one can really forget, but I mean, I try to at least see how they are doing... call it attachment, but I call it being a human being. I didn't go there with intentions to further my photo piece of them, but merely just to say hello and see if there was any progress with their situation. I wanted to see if, by any chance, did the publishing of their story, help them at all... I met them in August, and saw them this past December before Christmas. Jerry doesn't fish anymore, but sorts through trash and is a barber as a part-time gig. Their situation hasn't changed much. His two kids still go to school without wearing any shoes...

Jerry's story is one of many throughout the Philippines. I went to Baseco, one of the poorest areas in Manila, where I met up with the "Nanays" who are fighting to keep their homes. Like Jerry, residents living in Baseco are told to leave their squatters.

This is a home of one of the Nanay's. During the stormy season's, since their homes are not on solid ground but built atop land fill, their homes are torn down and rebuilt. Their homes move around, literally.


The purpose driven woman...






A sea full of garbage that makes up the shore of the beach these residents live right next to. Yes, those are my red boots...


This is a white-sanded beach that was supposed to be a resort a long time ago. But instead garbage and waste line the shore of this beach.


I found these kids digging up dirt for work.

It took me a while to upload these photos and to write about it... I'm not quite sure why. I guess its my process of processing... I admire these Nanays for showing us around and sharing their stories of everyday struggle. I look forward to continue to work with them.

I actually ran into them while I was shooting a protest last week. Two weeks ago was Social Action Week, and one of the events I covered was the Anti-war, Anti-American Occupation in Mindanao protest. Click here to watch a piece Aisha, a talented writer and poet, and I made:
Social Action in the RP.

Well, besides all that, I've been reading a lot, soul searching, fact finding, learning a lot, and I finally got a bike, so I look forward to waking up 6am just to ride to the bakery and pick up some fresh pan de sal, a Filipino bread. mmmmmm.....

And on that note, I will leave with a quote...

"The heart in its purity knows no boundaries.
Its only longing is to connect with other hearts.
Samples of tissues taken from live hearts beat in their own rhythms.
Laid together touching in a petri dish, they instantly begin to beat together.
This is alchemy. The transformation from separation to wholeness."

-text found by Perry Argel in Melbourne on the seat of a citytrain
(from Katrin de Guia's "Kapwa: The Self in the Other.")