Email: Ted Hamilton

Friends,

Our orientation in Manila was outstanding. I am aware that some interns in other countries had short initial exposures before embarking for their placements for the remainder of the year. However, given the complex economic and political situation here in the Philippines, it was important to have an extended orientation period. Over the course of two months we were able to experience many facets of the Filipino struggle, and I was better prepared for the challenges that I now face in my placement.

Having studied economic and political history of Latin America in college is a great asset to absorbing and assessing issues here. Chronic, detrimental effects of Spanish colonialism and U.S. imperialism are felt here in many of the same ways as in South and Central America. Struggles for genuine land reform, elimination of rampant corruption, and alarming human rights violations are all common elements between the two regions. It has been a continuous learning process here in the Philippines, and I have had the chance to make many profound connections between the concepts I studied in school and the society I am now living in.

One aspect of the Filipino struggle that impressed me from the first few weeks in Manila was how the church (the United Church of Christ in the Philippines, or UCCP, in particular) participates and coordinates with progressive secular groups to work for positive change. There are many issues facing the United States now, from the war in Iraq to immigration to social security reform. Yet never have I seen cooperation between the church and other organizations as I have witnessed here in the Philippines. Such an alliance has strengthened opposition to elements of the government that are particularly responsible for oppressing the people. Although around 90 percent of Filipinos are Roman Catholic (product of Spanish colonialism), the Protestant church is far more progressive in its work as an advocate for the people. The UCCP is currently facing certain internal divisions over whether it should continue its role as an outspoken institution for social change. However, it is clear that the heart and spirit of the church remains grounded in the mission and love of Jesus Christ, which when translated into the Filipino context demands opposition to the status quo.

There is no question that I will be permanently changed as a human being after my year of service here in the Philippines. I can surely say that even after the first month in Manila I was experiencing significant shifts in my “worldview.” After all, it is one thing to study the global South in books and learn facts and figures from lectures in school. However, it is something else entirely to live with the people and hear their stories of struggle. I will never forget the first immersion in Manila, which took place in an urban-poor community near the ocean.

Basecho

Basecho is essentially a squatter’s area on a Manila “beach,” which is really a landfill that the government no longer uses. There is as much trash and human waste on the ground as there is sand. My first night was spent with a family of four. The parents spoke little English, but I was able to converse with them on a basic level. Their first son died of malnutrition, so the two young boys, ages 5 and 2, were their pride and joy.

The houses in Basecho were all constructed of scrap wood and metal. My host’s was about the size of an average bathroom in the United States. I will never forget lying on my back that night, staring up through the mosquito netting and knowing that I could never be the same after living with these people. I could never live a life of excess and keep my conscience intact. Yet, amidst such oppressive living conditions, the true Filipino spirit came shining through—the smiling faces of the parents and kids constantly cracking jokes as if they had no care in the world. They had nothing to speak of in terms of material wealth, but there was still a fire in their hearts that nothing could extinguish, and this left a lasting impression on me.

Other immersions in Manila were outstanding, and each one taught me something new about life in the Philippines.

Now that I have been in General Santos City for two months, I have also had many chances to learn and gain new outlooks on Filipino life. Before leaving for Mindanao, I asked many Filipinos from Manila about Mindanao.  I’m not exaggerating when I say that most people I spoke to seemed to view it as a foreign country. The media of the Philippines (as well as the United States) are successful at portraying the region as “lawless” and “infested with terrorists.” I am glad to have the opportunity to live here and learn the truth about the history and current realities of Mindanao, which are in stark opposition to what the government and media sources convey. That is not to say I am unaware of the dangers that do exist here, but experiences I have had thus far have indeed given me a more realistic understanding of the region. I look forward to expressing this to everyone in the United States, as it is important to become educated about a part of the world that is widely misunderstood.