Montalban's beauty and out-of-school kids

I’ve realized lately how important it is to be part of the community that has been built all these years through the internet that I have missed largely all this time.

But I know I that we have to communicate our publication’s vision to more people if we have to harness and consolidate resources that have ever been present in the Philippines.

I have loved covering agriculture, and covering this sector made me more aware of poverty in the Philippines specially in remote provinces.

Of course the picture of poverty in the country is anywhere.

I live in a Manila suburb, in Montalban, where poverty is just so odious, children aged seven or younger roam around to hawk various goods just to survive. I admire the industry of these children, and I often buy from them when I see them. That’s even if I may not need not the vegetables they’re selling at the time. I tell some of them I’ll see them through even after that day, check on what’s happening to them. The bad thing is not that they’re learning a trade early—that must be excellent. I learned hard work early too when I was 11 when I had to wash large pots and carry heavy goods from the market as I became a helper at my grandmother’s place.

The worst is several of these kids that I’ve met are not studying. That, everyone of us knows, spells how the future of the Philippines will be charted.
Montalban is a wonderful place.

I always say maybe it’s called Montalban because it has many mountains. And that’s exactly what lured me and my husband to it when we took a lot there in year 2000. Its greens do not fail to make me sigh in awe specially when I’m driving-- when I take a glimpse of the hills on my side mirror.

A driver exposed to Metro Manila does not expect to see greeneries on his side mirror. So when I see green hills on them as I drive through Montalban’s hilly roads, I just thank God in wonder over his creation that I still enjoy up to now. One time I heard my son say that Montalban is beautiful. I was happy, and I thought somehow maybe he was saying something that he heard his mother say.

But I regret Montalban’s beauty may not be forever. In a short while, they may just be lost to kaingin and quarrying, without me noticing it. Many older folks in the town say Montalban has already lost much of its glory.

And that obviously arises from abject poverty in the country.

The kids that hawk goods in our neighborhood and the waning beauty around my home are just two of the things that prompted me to go and write about ways for us improve on our economic lot.

Having covered agriculture for eight years and having seen the significant impact of science and technology on people’s livelihood, I know it can be a truly powerful instrument in our economic progress. How I hope we can all contribute to it.