Community

Our initial location here in Puerto Princesa is an area known as “Pulang Lupa”, which means “Red Earth”.

Why work here?

It is located in the barangay (suburb) of Santa Lourdes and is only a few hundred meters from the city’s landfill, which is an old Mercury mine. An added health risk to this already vulnerable population is that Pulang Lupa is quite isolated and is a far distance from the local health center. Residents have some disturbing beliefs regarding maternal and sexual health. They range from believing drinking soap can cure STIs to believing that pregnancies can be avoided by flipping a uterus upside down.

The community consists of roughly 60 households creeping up an excavated hill. Many of the residents make a living off the landfill, either collecting recycleables or creating new products from discarded ones. A number of families also grow fruits and vegetables on a subsistence level. Some also care for animals on the behalf of other people. Eating meat is a luxury that most residents don’t enjoy very often.

As we undertake our work in Pulang Lupa we will explore opportunities to establish programs in other locations. If and when we do implement programming at other sites, we will ensure that we continue to maintain a presence in Pulang Lupa.

Pulang Lupa Photos

Our second location here in Puerto Princesa is an area known as “Little Tondo“. Tondo is known as one of the poorest areas in Manila with many slums. It is one of the most densely populated areas of land in the world. Unlike Manila’s Tondo, this “Little Tondo” in is not very populated, and is peaceful and pastoral. Most of the residents are from the Tagbanua tribe – one of the three main groups of indigenous peoples in Palawan.Pulang Lupa Photos

Why work here?

Although they are indigenous to Palawan the Tagbanua are a marginalized group, who for the most part receive low levels of education and health care. Some of the women have had between 9 and 11 pregnancies. Some residents believe that DMPAs (the injectable contraceptive) causes baldness and that walking over a rope while pregnant will cause the umbilical cord to coil up.

Little Tondo is part of Purok Matiyaga in Barangay San Jose. Many residents make a living removing the shells of cashew nuts and selling them to a wholesaler. The majority of the adults though do not have full time employment.

Little Tondo Photos