Pillar of Our Community,
Light of Our Home
August 12, 2021
Martina Go
As the West Philippine Sea issue heats up, the popular media has pointed their cameras to politicians and global negotiations to understand how such a conflict will be resolved. Oftentimes, the big names overshadow the people directly affected by the issue: the Filipino fisherfolk. These honest workers - who have no say in the negotiations nor are given enough power to express their needs - are suffering the brunt of this conflict and it is threatening not only their way of life, but their capacity to improve.
It is not only the local fisherfolk that deserve a platform, but also the unspoken heroes who have become pillars of their communities: the wives. Empowerment can truly be found in the most unlikely places as when the call is raised, it will surely be met even by the most unlikely individual.
Maria Fe Cavite is the wife of Mang Teodoro, a long-time fisherman from Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan. The couple met in high school and have been together ever since. In the 29 years of their marriage, they have raised six children between them and continued on the fishing path despite multiple hindrances along the way. When the kids were much younger, Ate Fe expressed how she would “fiercely” watch over her children as Mang Teodoro was gone for weeks at a time to earn a living.
I thought this was where the story would end. Most Filipina women are portrayed to be shy or meek in comparison to their strong-willed husbands that work to provide for their families; this is the patriarchal reality that has been fostered in our country. However, Ate Fe greatly surprised me when she said, “Nakakasawa na mag-alaga ng bata! (It gets so tiring to raise children!)”, Ate Fe laughs. “Binibigyan ko na rin ang sarili ko magpahinga. Ano, buhay nanay nalang ako? Nung nag-aaral na yung mga anak ko, ayun, nag-volunteer worker ako dito saamin (I decided to take a break from child-rearing. What will I have to say for myself? That I was just a stay-at-home mom? When my children started going to school, I went into volunteer service) ”.
With the full support of her husband, she has been serving as a public servant in her local barangay since 2013. Ate Fe speaks proudly of her work as she describes that it has always been her passion to serve the people, she expresses how grateful she is that the people have given their trust to her for the past 8 years. Her willingness to serve comes from a deep compassion towards the plight of others, and the ache in her heart caused by seeing others go through hardship. Using her position in their local government, she hopes to become the bridge between the people and the help that they need despite monetary constraints.
Aside from her multiple responsibilities in service of the people, Ate Fe is also the wife of a fisherman, a dangerous profession in today’s political climate. She shares multiple stories of the emotional strain she had to go through because of the nature of Mang Teodoro’s work. Back in 2004, she recalls how Typhoon olly destroyed everything in its wake with its violent winds and tremulous rainfall. It was at this time that her husband went missing in the middle of a fishing voyage for 38 hours.
Ate Fe recalls these terrors and up to today, the rain still brings her back to that time.
This experience was already devastating in its own way, but Ate Fe unpacked a story that tugged at my heartstrings. Back in August of 2020, her husband went to get his boat repaired. As he was revving up the engine, it exploded with Mang Teodoro being the only casualty.
Mang Teodoro acquired 3rd degree burns that covered 70% of his body. It was this story that Ate Fe had the most difficult time recalling because of how it still brought her to tears. It was due to this incident that her husband had to stop fishing for almost a year after doing it for his entire life.
She confided in me that the medical expenses had piled up during this time. Without the sustenance that Mang Teodoro’s fishing could bring in, she had to take in most of the expenses. The multiple doctors’ appointments, follow-up surgeries, and home medications had taken a toll on their household’s budget. She told me that most of the time, she didn’t know where to get the needed amount to provide for her family and her husband’s condition. It was at this time that one of her children had to stop college because they could no longer afford the tuition required. That son is now working in the fishing industry as well, aiding his family financially as they get through these difficult times.
Despite fishing being a core part of her life and her family’s main source of income, it is also the cross she carries as a wife and mother. Ate Fe recalls fearfully the time when her husband’s boat was chased by a foreign vessel. As the population continues to increase in Puerto Prinsesa, the available fishing spots have significantly decreased in number. Local fishermen are then forced to travel farther away, inching even closer to politically charged zones. In this incident, Ate Fe shares how her husband was not only pursued, but he was also threatened by gun shots. Mang Teodoro’s small fishing boat was chased till the end of the Philippine border. This threat continues to worry Ate Fe as she has to deal with the fact that not only her husband but also two of her children are currently working alongside Mang Teodoro, being exposed to the same risks and dangers.
Ate Fe has gone through an emotional rollercoaster as a fisherman’s wife that I couldn’t help but ask, “Ano ang naramdaman mo nang malaman mo yung mga iyon, yung marinig mo ang mga nangyayari? (What did you feel when you found out or heard about these incidents)”.
She told me, “Hanggang sa ngayon mga di nakakakilala sa akin, di nila akalain na may pinagdaanan akong ganito dahil hindi ko pinapakita na mahina ako, pinapakita ko na masaya ako. Sa loob talaga ay puputok na ang aking dibdib pero kailangan talagang tanggapin. Alam ko naman na makakaraos ako dahil pagsubok lang ito hindi naman ito ibibigay sa akin ng Diyos kung hindi ko kaya eh (To this day, the people who don’t really know me, they can’t believe that I’ve gone through something like this because I don’t like showing others my weaknesses. In truth, my heart would have given out because of everything, but there really is nothing to do but accept what has happened. I believe that all these trials wouldn’t have been given to me if the Lord thought I couldn’t get through it)”.
Ate Fe has become the light of her family in these troubling times. She expresses to me that though she doesn’t show it, her heart aches and her spirit has been shaken at everything that has happened.
There is a tendency to generalize wives under the shadow of their husbands, Ate Fe completely flips the narrative on this cliche. She proves that a Filipino woman’s story can stand on its own, and it’s a story worth hearing. Ate Fe is everything she claims to be and more; her spirit and strength shines through our short phone conversation. Rather than being greeted by just a wife and mother, I was greeted by a fierce public servant that was the pillar of both worlds. An empowered woman who loved fully, cared deeply, and served wholeheartedly.
I promised Ate Fe after hearing her story that I would write it justice. To all the readers, she tells me that she hopes this story will bring light to the plight of the unheard and unseen small-time fishermen, and inspire people to extend aid.
She says, “Mabuti ang mga fisherman na ito at marangal ang hanapbuhay. Hanggang ngayon ay lumalaban pa rin sa matuwid na daan. (These fishermen are good people with honest livelihoods. Despite the odds, they have decided to stay on the right avenues)”.
Here’s to Ate Fe Cavite, the pillar of her community and the light of her family. Though suffering will always exist, the fight for a better future continues. I hope her story has empowered you as it has me.
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Pillar of Our Community,
Light of Our Home
August 12, 2021
Martina Go
Habang umiinit ang usapin tungkol sa West Philippine Sea, nakatutok ang medyang popular sa mga politiko at pandaigdigang negosasyon upang mas mainam na maintindihan kung paano ba masosolusyunan ang hindi pagkakasundo. Linilimliman ng mga sikat at tanyag na mga pangalan na ito ang mga direktang naapektuhan ng isyu: ang mga mangingisdang Pilipino. Ang mga marangal na trabahador na ito ay walang papel sa kasunduan ng mga politiko at di nabibigyan ng plataporma upang maipahayag ang kanilang mga pangangailangan. Ang mga mangingisdang Pilipino ang higit na naaapektuhan habang hindi nareresolbahan ang usapin, at ito rin ay nagbabanta hindi lamang sa kanilang pang-araw araw na buhay, kundi na rin sa kanilang kakayahang umunlad.
Hindi lamang ang mga lokal na mangingisda ang may karapatang pakinggan, kasama na rin dito ang kanilang mga asawa na naging haligi ng kanilang mga komunidad. Tunay na ang lakas ng loob ay nagmumula sa hindi inaasahang lugar pagkat ang pangangailangan ay matutugunan sa paraan at tao na hindi mo akalain.
Si Maria Fe Cavite ay ang asawa ni Mang Teodoro, isang mangingisda na nagmula sa Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan. Nagkakilala ang dalawa noong sila ay high school at sila ay nagsama na mula noon. Sa 29 na taon na silang nagsasama bilang mag-asawa, nagpalaki sila ng anim na mga anak at ipinagpatuloy ang pangingisda sa kabila ng mga pagsubok dito. Noong maliliit pa ang kanilang mga anak, kwento ni Ate Fe na nakatutok siya sa mga ito pagkat aalis si Mang Teodoro ng iilang linggo upang mangisda.
Akala ko na dito na matatapos ang kwento ni Ate Fe. Karamihan sa mga kababaihang Pilipino ay linalarawan bilang mahiyain at maamo kumpara sa kanilang matatapang na mga asawa na nagtatrabaho para sa kanilang mga pamilya; ito ang realidad ng patriarka na tuluyang pinapausbong sa ating bansa. Bagkus, nagulat ako nang sinabi ni Ate Fe, “Nakakasawa na mag-alaga ng bata!”, natawa siya, “Binibigyan ko na ang sarili ko magpahinga. Ano, buhay nanay na lang ako? Nung nag-aaral na yung mga anak ko, ayun, nag-volunteer worker ako dito sa amin”.
Kaakibat ang suporta ni Mang Teodoro, si Ate Fe ay naglingkod sa pampublikong sektor ng kanyang barangay mula noong 2013 hanggang sa ngayon. Ipinagmamalaki ni Ate Fe sa akin ang kanyang trabaho dahil ang paglilingkod sa sambayanan ay ang kanyang adhikain sa buhay, lubos siyang nagpapasalamat sa mga taong nagbigay-tiwala sa kanya itong nakaraang 8 taon ng kanyang serbisyo. Ang kanyang kagustuhan maglingkod ay nagmumula sa isang pusong napupuno ng pagmamalasakit sa mga dinaranas ng ibang tao, siya’y nabibigo tuwing nakikita na nagdurusa o naghihirap ang mamamayan. Gamit ang papel ng kanyang posisyon sa gobyerno, umaasa si Ate Fe na maging tulay ng mga taong maabot ang tulong na kinakailangan nila pero hindi nila alam paano tugunan dahil na rin sa kakulangan sa buhay.
Sa kabila ng kanyang mga responsibilidad bilang lingkod-bayan, si Ate Fe ay isang ring asawa ng mangingisdang Pilipino, isang mapanganib na trabaho sa kasalukuyang panahon. Binahagi ni Ate Fe ang mga kwentong nag-papaantig sa kanyang damdamin dahil sa klase ng trabaho meron ang asawa niya. Noong 2004, naalala niya noong dumating si Bagyong Rolly na may kasamang malakas na hangin at mabagsik na ulan at kung paano nitong winasak ang kabuhayan ng nakararami. Sa gitna ng bagyong ito, nangisda si Mang Teodoro at nawala sa gitna ng karagatan. Siya ay hindi mahanap ng 38 hours at nang makita ay uhaw na uhaw at gutom na gutom na.
Naalala pa rin ni Ate Fe ang takot na ito. Hanggang ngayon, binabalik pa rin siya ng malakas na ulan sa pangyayaring iyon.
Habang binabahagi ni Ate Fe ang kanyang karanasan, naantig ang aking damdamin. Ngunit hindi dito natatapos ang kanyang kwento dahil ang susunod pa niyang kwento ay labis na nagpabahala at nagpakirot sa aking puso. Sa nakaraang taon ng Agosto, pinaayos ni Mang Teodoro ang kanyang bangka. Habang ito ay pinapatakbo niya, bigla nalang sumabog ang makina kay Mang Teodoro.
Siya ay nasabugan at nagdanas ng 3rd degree burns sa 70% ng kanyang katawan. Nahirapan si Ate Fe na ikuwento ang karanasang ito pagkat hanggang ngayon ay naiiyak pa rin siya tuwing naaalala. Sa buong buhay ni Mang Teodoro wala siyang ibang nakagisnan kundi mangisda at sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon, hindi niya ito magagawa.
Inamin sa akin ni Ate Fe na lumaki ang kanilang mga utang dahil sa gastusing pang-medikal. Dahil hindi na maasahan ang kita ni Mang Teodoro sa pangingisda, si Ate Fe ang kumarga ng mga utang at babayarin. Naubos ang kanilang ipon sa mga doctor’s appointments, follow-up na surgeries, at gamot. Sinabi sa akin ni Ate Fe na kadalasan ay hindi na niya alam kung saan siya makakalikom ng kinakailangang pera upang mapakain ang kanyang pamilya at mapagamot ang kondisyon ng kanyang asawa. Sa gitna nito, nahinto na rin ang pag-aaral ng isa niyang anak ‘pagkat hindi na nila kayang bayaran ang tuition nito. Ang anak niyang ito ay nagtatrabaho na rin sa sektor ng pangingisda upang makatulong sa kanyang pamilya.
Ang pangingisda na nagbibigay kabiguan at kahirapan kay Ate Fe bilang isang asawa at ina, ito rin ay ang sentro ng kanyang buhay at pinagkukunan ng kanyang pamilya ng kabuhayan. Kwento ni Ate Fe sa akin ang isang nakakakilabot na pangyayari kung saan hinabol ng isang malaking banyagang barko sina Mang Teodoro noong sila ay nangingisda. Sa tuluyang paglago ng populasyon sa Puerto Prinsesa, kumukonti na rin ang mga lugar pangisda. Napipilitang lumayo sa laot ang mga lokal na mangingisda, palapit sa mga lugar kung saan mayroong isyung politikal na hindi pa nareresolba. Ipinahayag ni Ate Fe na hindi lamang hinabol sina Mang Teodoro kundi sila rin ay pinaputukan ng armas. Sila ay hinabol hanggang sa dulo ng border ng Pilipinas. Tuloy ang pag-aalala ni Ate Fe dahil hindi lamang ang kanyang asawa ang lumalayo sa laot upang mangisda, kundi kasama na rin ang dalawa nilang anak na nakataya sa mapanganib at delikadong mga sitwasyon.
Sa dami ng pinagdaanan ni Ate bilang isang asawa ng mangingisda, hindi ko mapigilang itanong, “Ano ang naramdaman mo nang malaman mo yung mga iyon, yung marinig mo ang mga nangyayari?”.
Sabi niya sa akin, “Hanggang sa ngayon mga di nakakakilala sa akin, di nila akalain na may pinagdaanan akong ganito dahil hindi ko pinapakita na mahina ako, pinapakita ko na masaya ako. Sa loob talaga ay puputok na ang aking dibdib pero kailangan talagang tanggapin. Alam ko naman na makakaraos ako dahil pagsubok lang ito, hindi naman ito ibibigay sa akin ng Diyos kung hindi ko kaya”.
Si Ate Fe ang naging ilaw ng kanyang tahanan sa gitna ng mga pagsubok na dala ng panahon Ipinagtapat niya sa akin na kahit hindi niya pinapakita, matindi ang pighati sa kanyang loob looban at nayanig na rin ang kanyang diwa sa lahat na nangyari sa kanyang pamilya.
Karaniwan dito sa Pilipinas na ang mga babae ay sumasailalim sa anino ng kanilang mga asawa. Napatunayan ni Ate Fe na may natatanging kuwento siya, at ito ay mahalagang maibahagi at mapakinggan ng lahat. Sa maikling pag-uusap namin, pinakita sa akin ni Ate Fe ang kanyang tanyag na katapangan at likas na katibayan. Higit pa sa isang asawa ng mangingisda at nanay ang makausap ko, nakilala ko rin ang isang pampublikong lingkod-bayan na haligi ng tahanan at komunidad. Isang mulat na kababaihang malalim ang pagmamahal, malawak ang pagmamalasakit, at buong puso ang serbisyo.
Pagkatapos marinig ang buhay ni Ate Fe, ipinangako ko kanya na bibigyan kong hustisya ang kanyang kuwento. Sa lahat ng mga mambabasa, inaasahan ni Ate Fe na kayo ay namulat sa kalagayan ng mga hindi nabibigyang pansin na mga maliliit na mangingisda, at sana ma-enganyo kayong mag-abot ng tulong.
Sinabi niya, “Mabuti ang mga fisherman na ito at marangal ang hanapbuhay. Hanggang ngayon ay lumalaban pa rin sa matuwid na daan”.
Pagpupugay kay Ate Fe Cavite, ang haligi ng kanyang komunidad at ilaw ng kanyang tahanan. Patuloy ang pakikibaka hanggang sa tagumpay at kaginhawaan ng karamihan. Kagaya ko, sana nagbigay inspirasyon sa inyo ang kwento ni Ate Fe.
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