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Submitted by: Liviana Angela Navarro

URL: https://fb.watch/ngVbh2dvAu/
TITLE: Visiting Badjao Community
AUTHOR: RonRover (Vlogger)
DATE PUBLISHED: June 5,2022
KEY INFO:  He visited The Badjao / Bajau tribe is an indigenous population whose culture and livelihood are tied to the sea. Also widely known as the “Sea Gypsies” of the Sulu and Celebes Seas, the Badjao are scattered along the coastal areas of Tawi Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, and some coastal areas of Zamboanga City.

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Badjao Community | LOOK: Visiting Badjao Community

The Badjao / Bajau tribe is an indigenous population whose culture and livelihood are tied to the sea. Also widely known... | By RonRover | Facebook

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LOOK: Visiting Badjao Community

The Badjao / Bajau tribe is an indigenous population whose culture and livelihood are tied to the sea. Also widely known...

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URL: https://tinyurl.com/82b2u5
TITLE: Fewer Badjaos loiter on streets — CSWDO
AUTHOR: Iona Finlay C. Mendoza (Sunstar)
DATE PUBLISHED: June 5,2023
KEY INFO: The Street beggars especially the Badjaos loitering on the streets lessened .

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THE Davao City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) said fewer street beggars, particularly members of the Badjao community, are loitering around the city now compared to the past.

Jackie Roble, center head of the Quick Response Team for Children's Concerns/Kean Gabriel of CSWDO, said some of the Badjaos have turned to selling or peddling goods and only a few are left loitering the streets begging for change or food.

"Tungod man gud pud na dili na sila makapangisda, mao nang manganha sila sa dalan but actually nag lessen na siya (They cannot fish or find other livelihoods that's why they are begging in the streets. But there are less of them now than before)," Roble said during the iSpeak media forum on June 1.

Roble said Badjaos have no permanent home but those Badjaos peddling and loitering streets in downtown Davao City are from Matina Aplaya and Bucana.

She added that they also encounter challenges wherein the Badjao community sells the government's ayuda or food packs to buy liquor or other vices but the CSWDO addresses this through their Street Education Program.

Through the said program, members of the Badjao community undergo seminars and orientation and are given livelihood assistance. They are also listed under the city government's "masterlist."

"(Under the program), wala gyud sila (the Badjaos) dapat sa streets (we prevent them from going back to the streets). Ginatagaan pud sila og lecture (We provide lectures and seminars) and they are encouraged to be immunized to ensure their health and wellness," Robel said.

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THE Davao City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) said fewer street beggars, particularly members of the Badjao community, are loitering around...

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URL: https://www.philstar.com/nation/2021/06/08/2103807/4-303-trafficked-badjaos-catch-covid-19
TITLE: 4 of 303 trafficked Badjaos catch COVID-19
AUTHOR: Evelyn Macairan (The Philippine Star)
DATE PUBLISHED: June 8, 2021
KEY INFO: Four of the trafficked Badjaos possessed the COVID-19 virus. The virus is known for deteriorating anyone's health.

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4 of 303 trafficked Badjaos catch COVID-19

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At least four of the 303 members of the Badjao tribe who were rescued in Manila tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking reported yesterday.

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URL: https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/05/27/dispatches-philippine-picture-badjao-displacement?fbclid=IwAR3X1OnUbCuD2CmDoQ7-Zft__yUKxHFXoFh_s8pFCKH8hENZTwKSjYO7UvA
TITLE: Dispatches: The Philippine Picture of Badjao Displacement
AUTHOR: Carlos H. Conde (Human Rights Watch)
DATE PUBLISHED: May 27, 2016
KEY INFO:  The city’s ethnic minorities, including the Badjao, were particularly vulnerable to displacement and forced relocation following the fighting. The authorities, with little or no genuine consultation, forcibly moved the Badjao inland from their homes along the coast, despite their traditional occupation as fishermen. To this day, thousands of Badjao and other residents, mostly Muslims, remain homeless, living in dire conditions in evacuation sites.

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The striking image of a Filipino girl - a member of the indigenous Badjao tribe - begging in the streets of Lucban, a town in Quezon province south of Manila, has gone viral in the Philippines and prompted a flood of public concern and support for her and her impoverished family. A photographer spotted the child, later identified as 13-year-old Rita Gaviola from Zamboanga City on the southern island of Mindanao. Tweets and Facebook posts and media coverage celebrated the girl's beauty and her dream to become a teacher.

Those reports don't mention that there are thousands of other residents of Zamboanga City, including many Badjao, who were displaced and forced into destitution following the armed confrontation between government forces and rebels from the Moro National Liberation Front in September 2013. That violence killed nearly 200 people, displaced more than 100,000 residents, and destroyed thousands of homes. The city's ethnic minorities, including the Badjao, were particularly vulnerable to displacement and forced relocation following the fighting. The authorities, with little or no genuine consultation, forcibly moved the Badjao inland from their homes along the coast, despite their traditional occupation as fishermen. To this day, thousands of Badjao and other residents, mostly Muslims, remain homeless, living in dire conditions in evacuation sites.

The Badjao, like many of the Philippines' indigenous peoples, are a neglected tribe. Commonly referred to as " sea gypsies" because they live and fish in coastal areas, the Badjao live in extreme poverty - often beyond the reach of state assistance due to their nomadic existence. The result is that many of them join the ranks of beggars in the Philippines' urban centers or dive for coins thrown by boat passengers.

The public concern for Rita Gaviola is an opportunity for the new Philippine government to strengthen efforts to ensure the rights of livelihood, housing and health to the Badjao and other indigenous peoples who, too often, are denied those rights in the face of discrimination, conflict or displacement. The government should start by providing adequate resettlement based on consultation for the Badjao and the thousands of others who remain in squalid evacuation centers in Zamboanga City. The government should also help ensure the livelihood of the Badjao by relocating them to areas that allow access to the seashore so that they can work as fishermen. Perhaps then Rita Gaviola - and the thousands of Badjao like her - can finally stop begging and return home.

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Dispatches: The Philippine Picture of Badjao Displacement

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The striking image of a Filipino girl - a member of the indigenous Badjao tribe - begging in the streets of Lucban, a town in Quezon province south of Manila, has gone viral in the Philippines and prompted a flood of public concern and support for her and her impoverished family.

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Submitted by: Jeriel Gail Ranao (https://padlet.com/jgranao/mil-smbw0iaizszy74dv)

URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z790bsMMgvg
TITLE: DSWD: Mga Badjao, P5,000 kada araw ang kinikita sa pamamalimos | Frontline Pilipinas
DATE PUBLISHED:  Nov 25, 2022
KEY INFO: It is said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development found out that a house in Tondo Manila is renting out a badjao who is begging in Metro Manila, and that ther badjaos who are begging in the street accumulated atleast 5,000 per day.

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DSWD: Mga Badjao, P5,000 kada araw ang kinikita sa pamamalimos | Frontline Pilipinas

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URL:https://serve.ie/healthcare-and-beliefs-in-the-badjao-tribe/
TITLE: Healthcare and beliefs in the Badjao tribe
Author: Hannah Coady
DATE PUBLISHED: August 14,2019
KEY INFO: Many of the Badjao tribe has experienced lack of basic needs such as food, shelter, water, and clothes and because of this they also are lacking of nutrients which can affect their health.

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We would like to extend our thanks to both Venerva and Janice who sat and told each of us their stories throughout our time spent with the Badjao. Venerva and Janice have both given full permission to share their stories here. By Hannah Coady
In a perfect world, losing a loved one or battling an illness are the most difficult experiences anyone can face. Imagine facing that hardship while struggling to afford basic needs, like food and clean water, on a daily basis. The possibility of being treated for a terminal illness is overshadowed by having to respect the beliefs of your elders or partner for a lot of the Badjao community.

Although many Badjao's attend regular, mainstream doctors visits, they often return home having been told they're fine. In cases like that the Badjao perform healing rituals, believing their soul will be their true healer.

Due to the lack of nutrients and vitamins within the Badjao diet- as well as the constant risk of high fever from consuming dirty water- the Badjao youth have very low immune systems. If they're unwell with a headache, a tape called salonpas is applied to the temples and forehead. If the illness is more severe, Pakansumangat will take place. This is when the healing elders visit the patients and perform a ritual that supposedly heals their soul.

If you happen to be a person that believes in modern medicine but can't afford it, the health centre provides care to the community once a year. Think of all the ups and downs young children go through in a year of life. The Badjao children don't have the luxury of constant self-care. The best option for them is to hope that their parents can take care of them.

With all that being said, the strength and resilience of the Badjao community is like nothing I've ever experienced before. Behind such a fantastic amount of positivity, they deal with heartbreaking tragedies everyday. That's one of the many reasons I'm inspired by people like Venerva and Janice, along with every teacher in the Nano Nagle school.

In 2016, Venerva's life was turned upside down when her daughter, aged 7, was diagnosed with a terminal illness. At first they thought it was a case of tuberculosis but after testing her bone marrow they shortly realised how severe her condition was. Venerva strongly believes in science and modern medicine and of course wanted to do any treatment that would save her little girl. Chemotherapy was suggested by the doctors and they wanted her to start immediately. Of course with such a big decision Venerva discussed everything with her husband and mother so they could decide as a family. Venerva's husband and mother are very traditional Badjao's and decided that treatment wasn't the best thing to do. He didn't think his daughter should lose her hair, become frail and not look like herself when she passed away.

Venerva had no choice but to respect her husband's beliefs. For the last 4 months of her life, her daughter lived at home. She constantly asked her; why can't I go and play with the other children and why can't I eat the food I like? Venerva decided then to give her daughter everything she wanted. They went to Jollybee and ate as much as they could and went to playgrounds, but all of this was overshadowed by the fact that She was always getting sicker. The healing rituals weren't working, nothing was. Venerva felt and still feels responsible. She believes, as many Badjao do, that she didn't struggle enough as a child or teenager. Because she lived a happy life and had a happy marriage, she was being cursed with this heartbreak. After the death of her daughter, Venerva found it difficult to leave the house. Instead of medicating or spiralling into self-hatred, she began helping the other children in the community. She attended seminars on how to deal with the grief, all while feeling like she was to blame.

Venerva says she gets through each day by remembering that she still has so much and so many people that care about her.

I'm so proud to say that I'm one of those people. As she told me; if you are lucky enough to feel love then you will always have to feel pain.

Janice is facing a similar struggle with her husband who has stage five cancer. Janice is also a teacher in the community, and one of the most genuinely happy people I've ever had the privilege of meeting. Janice's husband suffers with diabetes, which is a manageable disease- when you have the means to do so. He needs 2 insulin injections per day in order to live pain free. Having the necessary payments for this is near impossible for their family. Because of this, he was taken into hospital last year and has rarely been out since. He was struggling to breathe and with 2 children under the age of 8, Janice had to send them away from their father's bedside. Of course, her children couldn't understand why Daddy was so sick, all they could do was ask Janice to tell him not to go yet. They weren't ready to lose him, but how can anyone ever be ready for that? During her daily hospital visits, Janice is also taking her children to school, supporting her husband through his trauma and working to pay the weekly 2,600 peso that is needed to pay for the dialysis he's undergoing. Every morning at 3am, she wakes up to begin cooking food to sell at her market stall. Janice works there until 6am and goes home to do the household chores and care for her children. She then goes to work in the school until 4pm before going back to the hospital. This may seem like a lot to us, but for Janice it's nothing new. At 14 after losing her grandparents, Janice began working to provide for her younger sister so she would have the opportunity to finish school. She didn't second guess sacrificing her own education for the good of her sister, just like she didn't second guess giving her life to caring for others. Janice decided at the beginning of her husband's illness that they would make the most of each and every day, because their children need their parents. Having gotten to know her two children, it's clear how much of their mother is in them as they're two of the most spectacular kids I've ever come across.

I asked Janice how she still remains so positive. She told me that her heart is always heavy, but when she's at Nano Nagle teaching, she forgets about everything because all she can feel is love and support from her fellow teachers.

Nano Nagle is so much more than a learning centre of a job for Venerva and Janice. It gives everyone that's involved in it a reason to keep going and find the good in things even in the worst of times. This is all a credit to the amazing staff and students that spend their time making the Badjao community the place it is today.

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Healthcare and beliefs in the Badjao tribe

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We would like to extend our thanks to both Venerva and Janice who sat and told each of us their stories throughout our time spent with the Badjao. Venerva a ...

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URL:https://www.facebook.com/9FAVRE2021/posts/pfbid0wzbg9xPjeVdJpzLYnpEJJ12cTM1RkHqZnmrt2uVfcPQPRSpbcjSbKVrpfeK1CLx4l
TITLE: Share kindness, Lend a hand and Lift a heart - BADJAO
AUTHOR: ADDU JHS Students (9-Favre)
DATE PUBLISHED: January 8, 2021
KEY INFO: The Badjao Community also known as sea gypsies have a population of 700+ with 148 families in 114 households. Their biggest problems are food and education. Also experiences problems in terms of Health.

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🤲 share kindness,... - Padayon Bugsay Sama-Bajau: 9-Favre

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🤲 share kindness, lend a hand and lift a heart - Group 1A Favre 🤲

📚 Goals
Our group would like to solve the common health issues in the Community and we...

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Persons with special needs, Badjao in Davao City get anti-Covid jabs - City Government of Davao

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8. Public Service Message or Promotional Video

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8. Public Service Message or Promotional Video

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URL: https://www.davaocity.gov.ph/covid-19/persons-with-special-needs-badjao-in-davao-city-get-anti-covid-jabs/
TITLE: PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, BADJAO IN DAVAO CITY GET ANTI-COVID JABS
AUTHOR: Administration (Davao City Government )
DATE PUBLISHED: August 31, 2021
KEY INFO: The government of Davao City managed free anti-Covid vaccines on mentally challenged persons, persons with disabilities and members of the Badjao community at the People's Park.

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URL: https://missio.org.uk/philippines-health-and-wellness-for-the-badjao/
TITLE: Philippines: health and wellness for the Badjao
AUTHOR: unspecified or anonymous (labeled as Missio)
DATE PUBLISHED: April 29, 2022
KEY INFO: Vaccination was offered to the Badjaos as part of the preventive measures against COVID-19.

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Philippines: health and wellness for the Badjao - Missio

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We continue to be inspired by the Badjao community and the Nano Nagle Community Centre which supports them. This wonderful community has struggled through COVID-19, dreadful natural disasters, prejudice and disadvantage. But they continue to rise to these challenges and gradually rebuild their lives. Health and COVID-19 awareness Our friends from the Nano Nagle Centre, [...]

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URL: http://lottiethevolunteer.blogspot.com/2018/09/first-badjao-teacher-aims-to-produce.html
TITLE:First Badjao teacher aims to produce more professionals from their tribe
AUTHOR: Lottie Salarda(Lottie the volunteer's BLOG )
KEY INFO: Esmani's mention of "If there’s a storm, it means there will no food available for us. It’s so painful to see my family in that kind of situation, so with the encouragement of my high school teachers, and with the help of my siblings, I pursued my studies and dreamed that one day I will have a job,”  Esmani's experience of bullying due to being Badjao and  ALS Badjao Coordinator Llarita Salilit mention of sanitation problems that will get better with berter education

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The pride of Brgy Dolho, Bato Leyte, Jesus Menjani Esmani, the first Badjao teacher in their community, is committed to produce more Badjao professionals by helping his nephews to get education.

In his 22 years of working as a high school teacher, Esmani has produced two Electrical Engineers, one graduate of Bachelor of Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Bachelor of Science in Fisheries.

Esmani, as the youngest child in the family, witnessed the hardships of his parents raising them by fishing as their means of livelihood.

" If there's a storm, it means there will no food available for us. It's so painful to see my family in that kind of situation, so with the encouragement of my high school teachers, and with the help of my siblings, I pursued my studies and dreamed that one day I will have a job," said Esmani.

He sells beauty and food products with his teachers, classmates and friends in school to help sustain his finances.

He graduated at Saint Joseph of Maasin City with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Commerce and took one and half year course for Education Major in English.

"At first, it was so difficult because during exams, I used to give promissory notes because my parents weren't able to raise the money. Aside from selling beauty and food products, I clean our classrooms, windows, offices and comfort rooms for a fee to support my studies. My motivation at that time was when I remember my father and I encountered a storm in the sea, which I told myself that I will study hard no matter what happened. Our situation was so difficult."

In 1996, he started his teaching career at Bato Academy, and from 2009 to present he teaches high school at Bato National High School.

"I am so happy that I witness the fruit of my efforts. My two nephews, Enrique and Dindo Esmani are already licensed Electrical Engineers. And as of now, I am helping 6 high schools, 2 elementary and one college," Esmani added.

Like any member of the minority, Esmani also experienced bullying in school because of him being a Badjao.

But these treatments never hinder his dreams to finish his studies. Esmani believes that education is the only thing in life that would level them with the majority.

"I want Badjao children to pursue their studies; I don't want seeing them in the streets begging for alms. The school is the right place for them, not the streets. And I wanted to change the image of my tribe from being beggars."

Esmani believes that education is the best tool to eliminate racial discrimination especially his tribe (Badjao) is known for begging alms in the streets.

He encouraged the children of his tribe to continue their studies and reach their dreams.

Meanwhile, Esmani, as we celebrate the World Teacher's Month, has called on his fellow teachers to continue shaping the minds of their students and become their life-long inspiration.

Salvador Lampinigan, 40, was one of Esmani's nephews who graduated Bachelor of Science in Education. He was the second Badjao in the community who attained a highest education.

Because of financial difficulties he faced, Lampinigan hasn't able to take a proper review class for the Licensed Teacher Examination for him to be ready for the exam.

But he knows that someday, he will be able to teach the young generations of his tribe in their community.

It was seven decades ago when a dozen of Bajao families left Jolo and sail to different islands of Visayas to avoid the hostilities in Mindanao.

There are known to be nomads.

Their ancestors who sail from Sulu finally found fish and peace in Brgy Dolho, Bato, Leyte, and settle there since 1950.

Around 700 individuals (105 families) were now living in that coastal community where the local government of Bato accepts them and allow them to settle there.

There are around 145,000 Sea Gypsies or Badjao all over the Philippines that some of them are scattered living along the coastal areas of Tawi Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, and some coastal municipalities of Zamboanga del Sur in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

The Department of Education in the Province of Leyte introduced the Alternative Learning System (ALS) for older Badjaos who weren't able to get their elementary education.

One of the 31 enrollees of the ALS in the Badjao community is the 45 year-old Masijah Bansale. She didn't finish her fifth grade in Cebu City because her family used to transfer places.

Because of the ALS, Bansale knows now how to write, read and count.

"I am happy because I was able to learn how to write, read and count. They also taught us English language," Bansale said.

Meanwhile, ALS Badjao Coordinator Llarita Salilit admits that the sanitation issue remains a challenge for her. But because of her tireless efforts in educating them, the sanitation problem in the community has been lessened.

Though, their kind of lifestyle has been part of their culture, with proper education and cooperation, tribe members slowly learned the effects of poor sanitation especially to their children's health.

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First Badjao teacher aims to produce more professionals from their tribe

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By: Lottie Salarda The pride of Brgy Dolho, Bato Leyte, Jesus Menjani Esmani, the first Badjao teacher in their community, i...

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Submitted by: Jeriel Gail Ranao (https://padlet.com/jgranao/mil-smbw0iaizszy74dv)

URL :
https://www.dmsf.edu.ph/the-badjao-concepts-of-health-and-health-service-utilization/

TITLE: The Badjao concepts of Health and Health Service Utilation
AUTHOR: Jessievilita C. Fabian, MD, MCH (Davao Medical School Foundation, Inc.)
KEY INFO: Social health issues of badjaos who lives in Matina Aplaya Davao City

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The Official Davao Medical School Foundation, Inc. Website

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The Badjao Concepts of Health and Health Service Utilization - The Official Davao Medical School Foundation, Inc. Website

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The Badjao Concepts of Health and Health Service Utilization - The Official Davao Medical School Foundation, Inc. Website

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URL:https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/725667/badjao-sea-tribe-poses-census-problem#:~:text=Foreign%20nongovernment%20organizations%20have%20placed,increase%20of%20300–500%20yearly.
TITLE: Badjao sea tribe poses census problem
AUTHOR: Nash B. Maulana
DATE PUBLISHED: September 27, 2015
KEY INFO: The badjao tribe titled as the “Endangered Tribe”

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How would you count boat-dwelling families belonging to an indigenous sea tribe in a "house-to-house" government census?

The monthlong nationwide census undertaken by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) ended on Sept. 8, but there is little assurance that the Badjao people of Mindanao and the Sulu Sea and the rest of the country's territorial waters were all counted, according to the PSA in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Enumerators in daily pursuit did the counting rigorously and were able to include seafaring Badjao families, but only "when their boats get to the shore," said Hadji Abdul Hakeem Suod Barodi, acting PSA regional chief.

Island residents have raised concerns that the government hardly counted the seafaring Badjao, which they describe as an "endangered transnational tribe," for inclusive demographic Philippine development plans.

The Badjao are part of the "transnational" Sama-Bajaw that have flourished among the Sama Moro tribe in Tawi-Tawi, said education development worker Noor Saada, a Tausug native of the province.

They are called "Sama Abaknon" in Western Samar, "Sissano" in Papua New Guinea, "Orang Laut" in northern Indonesia, Singapore and mainland Malaysia; and "Bajaw" in Maluku (Indonesia) and beyond territorial waters of Indonesia.

The families of sea gypsies are also found in Mindanao and the Sulu Sea, the Moro Gulf, Davao Gulf and Illana Bay.

"Within the frame of the transnational Sama-Bajaw configuration are scattered numerous Sama-Badjao communities united by a set of intertwined histories, core cultural values and practices, and a maritime ecology," Saada said.

Saada, who heads the ARMM Integrated Project Management Office, said Gov. Mujiv Hataman wanted the ARMM government to share its development resources with at least the Badjao communities of the region. But even if the region had resources and means to spur on social development efforts on the seafaring tribe, initiatives would have to start with accurate data on their numbers, population distribution and development concerns.
'Endangered tribe'
Foreign nongovernment organizations have placed at 26,400 the population of the Philippine Badjao (monolingual) in Eastern Visayas, Northern Samar, San Bernardino Strait, Capul Island, San Isidro Island and Manila. From the same unofficial record, their population has had a moderate increase of 300-500 yearly.

Datu Habib Maulana, a Tausug-Maguindanaon resident of Tawi-Tawi, said poor living conditions and lack of access to social services in urban areas-where some have turned to begging for a living-had exposed the land-transient Badjao families to poverty and killer diseases.

But Tawi-Tawi Rep. Ruby Sahali-Tan said the Badjao in her province were better off. Their children have been given priority in her congressional study-grant slots. One of the scholars recently graduated magna cum laude from the College of Education of Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi.

"Under threat of extinction, they will be out of the national consciousness ... some, for instance, have been altered, with a new name-label, 'Isma,' in the Davao Gulf," Saada said of the transient sea tribe.

Their traditional fishing grounds are now being dominated by corporate fishing, he said. For instance, Palawan province's Tubbataha Reef is an ancestral sea territory of the Badjao, he said. Foreign colonial powers apparently corrupted the term "tabba-taha," which, in Badjao, means, "shallow water."

On Bongo Island in Parang, Maguindanao province, a few families of fishing Badjao were said to have experienced indifference in the treatment of some native Iranun, who controlled the fishnets of the municipal waters.

In some cases, their boats capsized to big waves generated by fast foreign vessels, anywhere from the Mindanao Sea and Sibutu Strait to the Sulu and Celebes seas.

Malaysian authorities used to allow Badjao people to fish in Tanjung Labian, a rich fishing ground some 10 nautical miles from Sibutu, Tawi-Tawi. But a government restriction came after the bloody skirmish in Lahad Datu, Sabah, in March 2013, said Alexander Bonajal, president of a local people's organization in Sibutu.

"There is high mortality rate, although undocumented, especially women, and children, ages 5 and below, among the land-transient Badjaos," Maulana said.

Extreme poverty and the changes in their environment are turning the Badjao into an endangered tribe, Saada and Maulana said.
Studies
The families of Liasan Abbay and Maaji Harnain are among the few Badjao integrated into a small community in Sanga-Sanga village, a few meters from the blue waters of Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.

Mothers among them were given an education program through a World Bank-ARMM-designed alternative learning system composed of literacy and livelihood programs, Abbay and Harnain said in Sanga-Sanga.

But Harnain, president of Kasambulan sin Kauman Pagasinan Tribal Groups (Federation for Livelihood of Pagasinan Tribal Groups), said the "integration" with other tribes, such as the Tausug in the community, had often been "unstable," that a slightest sign of indifference could send a Badjao family back to sea dwelling.

Few Philippine anthropologists have devoted time to study the characteristics and social makeup of the Badjao. But by long experience in practically learning their ways, island residents said young members of the sea tribe tend to get corrupted the farther they go from the sea as land-based transients. They have become vulnerable to human trafficking, prostitution, and child and women abuse.

Saada said some studies showed that the Badjao were aloof with other larger tribes. "That is why one venue seen by Governor Hataman to break that barrier is to involve them more closely in ARMM development dialogues, making them and their way of life a major part of the culturally illustrative convergence of tribes at the mock villages (on the grounds of the Regional Government Center in Cotabato City)," Saada said.

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How would you count boat-dwelling families belonging to an indigenous sea tribe in a "house-to-house" government census?

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URL:https://www.dswd.gov.ph/from-houseboats-to-tents-badjaos-welcome-the-change-2/
TITLE: From houseboats to tents: Badjaos welcome the change
AUTHOR:SMD (DSWD Website)
DATE PUBLISHED: September 26,2013
KEY INFO: DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said that these Shelter Box tents will significantly improve the dwelling condition of the Badjao evacuees particularly the women, children, elderly, and persons with disability in anticipation of the rainy days.

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Badjao families spent their first night in Shelter Box tents last night after the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in partnership with International Organization for Migration (IOM) completed the installation of tents along Cawa Cawa Boulevard in Zamboanga City. The Rotary Club of Zamboanga facilitated and helped in the installation of the tents.

Popularly known as sea gypsies, Badjao families who live on houseboats, describe that living in tents amid the crisis is, indeed, a new comfy experience for them.

For more than two weeks, Badjao and Samal evacuees from the villages of Rio Hondo and Mariki established their temporary shelters along the coastline of Cawa Cawa Boulevard, a place where they can easily move with the wind and the tide on their small houseboats called "vintas."

Used tarpaulin sheets, sacks, leatherette, and blankets shielded them from the scorching heat of the sun, but not enough to cover them when heavy rain pours.

Rex Tabao, 35, a Badjao evacuee and a Pantawid Pamilya beneficiary, said that his family had a good sleep all throughout the night. His wife, Indaya, 30 and pregnant with their 8th child would no longer worry waking up every now and then to check on the children.

The family of Rex is among the first Badjao families provided with a tent donated by Shelter Box International. They are from Rio Hondo and were forced to evacuate and set-up their small makeshift tent along the coastline to escape being caught in the crossfire between government troops and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)-Misuari faction in Rio Hondo. "The Shelter Box tent is much better than our previous makeshift home," Rex said.

Rex's family was among the priority recipients of tents because he has small children and his wife is pregnant. Families with senior citizens, persons with disabilities, lactating mothers, and sick family members were also prioritized.

The DSWD in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and Shelter Box International will continue to install 380 Shelter Box tents and 300 laminated plastic sheets for the Badjao and other evacuees in different evacuation centers.

Each tent measures 8 feet in diameter and can accommodate one family. Every tent is equipped with solar lights that will provide lighting at night.

DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said that these Shelter Box tents will significantly improve the dwelling condition of the Badjao evacuees particularly the women, children, elderly, and persons with disability in anticipation of the rainy days.

" The Shelter Box tent also serves as a Family-Friendly Space where Badjao families can spend family bonding," Secretary Soliman added.

For Indaya, the Shelter Box tent is a big help to her family. "Meron na po kaming masisilungan lalo na po pag umuulan (We now have a roof over our heads especially when raining)," Indaya said while feeding her two small kids with a hot porridge mixed with malungay leaves supplied by the DSWD.

Rex credits his wife for keeping their tent clean. "Kailangan po malinis ang aming tent dahil eto po ang tirahan namin hanggang sa susunod na mga araw (We have to keep our tent clean because this will be our home in the coming days)," Rex pointed out.

Rex hopes that the fighting will be over soon so the could already work. Back home in Rio Hondo, Rex and Indaya help each other in earning for a living. Rex would fish while Indaya would sell his catch.

While at the evacuation center, Rex said that he accepts menial jobs from a relative and earns 200 pesos a day that he gives to her wife to buy food for their kids. He recognizes that the DSWD continues to provide them with food.

Like Rex, Risma Jani, 19, said that she, together with her husband, siblings and mother, felt comfortable at the tent. They also felt some privacy as they can eat, lie down, and chat without being watched by other people.

Risma said that they also have a house in Rio Hondo, but for now, they are thankful that they are staying in a real tent which is far better than their makeshift tent made of blankets tied together.

Meanwhile, Lola Kiblatiyan Nurkani, 60, looked contented with her new found home. She was seen cooking their native Badjao delicacy, "Shanglag" or toasted cassava with dried fish, beside their newly-installed Shelter Box tent. Inside their tent, her grandchildren are patiently waiting for her to serve lunch. With temporary homes like these tents, children can freely live normally.

In the other tents, Badjao families were seen already exchanging pleasantries, relaxing, eating or resting. Most children are no longer playing along the streets because they already have safer tents to stay and play. ### Zamboanga City, September 25

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From houseboats to tents: Badjaos welcome the change

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Badjao families spent their first night in Shelter Box tents last night after the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in partnership with International Organization for Migration (IOM) completed the installation of tents along Cawa Cawa Boulevard in Zamboanga City. The Rotary Club of Zamboanga facilitated and helped in the installation of the tents.

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PH Navy, Ateneo distribute food packs to Badjao communities

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14. Non-Government Organization or Academic Institution Article

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14. Non-Government Organization or Academic Institution Article

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URL: https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1101161
TITLE: PH Navy, Ateneo distribute food packs to Badjao communities
AUTHOR: Priam Nepomucemo
DATE PUBLISHED: April 27, 2020
KEY INFO: The Philippine Navy and the Ateneo de Manila University distributed 1,000 food packs to Badajao communities in Cavite City. It was distributed for the less fortunate Badjao families affected by the enhance community quarantine.

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URL: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2pFNCFFs1abyZVE8kzJhmj?si=43d16c9ac03a4fdb&nd=1
TITLE: MEMEpisode 31: Badjao Conspiracy Theory
AUTHOR: Pinoy Memeology Podcast
DATE PUBLISHED: August 22, 2023
KEY INFO: This is the most ridiculous podcast, yet it is the only one I can find. Despite its satirical topic, one essential piece of info on this podcast is that it dives into the abilities of the Badjaos, specifically their ability to last longer in water.

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MEMEpisode 31 : ATLANTIS Badjao Invasion

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Listen to this episode from Pinoy Memeology Podcast on Spotify. Welcome sa unang kabanata ng Betrogan Conspirasy Theory kung saan papanindigan namin ang stigma na "Wirdo ang pinag-uusapan sa Podcast." Kaya naman sa memepisode na ito napili naming pag-usapan ang tungkol sa Atlantis, ang lumubog na lumang sibilisasyon.

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URL:https://youtu.be/D6ND6iEM4eY?si=COifhh1BcKbo3Ah0
TITLE:EARTH DAY DIARY – Badjao Spearfishermen, Spearfishing in Bohol, Philippines
DATE PUBLISHED:Aug 7, 2017
KEY INFO: this entire documentary documents the culture and livelyhood of Badjao people from their way of hunting in the seas with how the sea also infulences their culture

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EARTH DAY DIARY – Badjao Spearfishermen, Spearfishing in Bohol, Philippines

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Submitted by: Jeriel Gail Ranao (https://padlet.com/jgranao/mil-smbw0iaizszy74dv)

URL: https://serve.ie/the-story-of-the-badjao-tribe/#:~:text=The people of the Badjao,to fulfil their fishing requirements.
TITLE: The Story of the Badjao Tribe
AUTHOR: Miriam O’Callaghan
DATE PUBLISHED: August 9, 2018
KEY INFO: The people of the Badjao tribe are a nomadic sea faring tribe and they are also called sea gypsies.

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Having just returned from the most amazing experience of my life working in solidarity with the Badjao Tribe, I would like to tell you a little about these incredible people; their history, cultures and values.

The people of the Badjao tribe are a nomadic sea faring tribe. The men of the tribe are skilled fishermen specifically the art of pantana fishing (spear fishing). They traditionally lived on house boats moving through the sea wherever was needed, to fulfil their fishing requirements. The Badjao are also talented divers - diving for pearls. To this day, these activities still play a major part in the lives of the Badjao people. They collect the fish and pearls and sell them at the main markets in Cebu City. These activities are traditionally their main source of income.

However, due to increasing piracy around the 1960's the Badjao people were forced off the water and onto land. They found a new home at Alaska Beach, Mambaling in Cebu City. They built wooden houses suspended over water in which they could tie their boats to. This style of house suited the tribe's people very well as it provided easy access to their boats.

The tribe has a very rich culture. They are known for their non-confrontational nature and values of respect. They are governed by a Chieftan and a group of elders. In 1997, when Sister Evelyn - a presentation nun from Galway - stumbled upon these wonderful people; it was the Chieftain whom she met. The Badjao tribe had developed an unsavory reputation in Cebu, owing to their participation in begging within the markets and city. The Chieftan recognized that it was only through education this chain of poverty, which his people faced, would be broken.

Sr Evelyn began educating the members of this tribe. At this early stage, 97% of the tribe were illiterate. The Presentation Sisters purchased one of the Badjao houses to use for the school. In 2003, current teachers, Annie and Edwina, were employed by the Presentation Nuns. The impact these two wonderful teachers would have, was beyond anything one could imagine. This is also the year SERVE began working with the tribe; the strong Irish-Badjao connection which continues to grow to this day, was born.

In 2005, a devastating fire destroyed the entire Badjao community. Another challenge was added to the very long list they already faced, but the spirit of this tribe far outweighs any obstacle they encounter. Both the people and school moved into tents situated along a slip road. Annie and Edwina carried any classroom supplies needed on their backs with them each morning and evening. They understood the importance of education and so they ensured the school would continue no matter what.

Sr Evelyn among others, faught tirelessly to precure land for the Badjao to rebuild their lives. With the help of SERVE volunteers, the Badjao people built brick, quad style houses which now house 140 families. Their traditional suspended wooden houses were also rebuilt and still house over half the tribe's population today.

Sr Evelyn also gathered sponsorship, solely from Irish people, which was used to build the "Nano Nagle Childcare and Learning Centre" inside the community. This was officially opened in 2008 and is the home of education inside the Badjao community. This building has been the foundation for their success. It's clear to see with 315 High School Graduates and 23 University graduates that education is now at the fore front of their community. Inside the Nano Nagle Centre, three of the five teachers are themselves Badjao, a clear display of the success to all whom enter.

As is typical of the SERVE programme; we ran workshops in art, music, dance and drama during the past month. The majority of us are education students, yet, from day 1 to day 29 we were shocked at the level of enthusiasm, participation and genuine eagerness to learn; the scale of which we have never encountered before. This is across the board. We, as SERVE volunteers, assisted in the 6 Montessori sessions, the adult literacy and adult development classes, computers class as well as working in solidarity with the Badjao on a community development project. This year's project was the painting and refurbishment of the 8 market stalls. We also ran a gender equality workshop for the Montessori parents, an anti-bulling workshop for the high school students, held a cultural bonding day and a sports day. Through every single activity, every single one of them showed their outstanding character. We built relationships and friendships which will last a lifetime. The positive impact these relationships have on both parties is indescribable.

My lasting impression of the Badjao people is of their welcoming nature. They welcomed us each and every day into their community with open arms. As we entered the community gates, people both young and old would warmly greet us; smiling, waving, hugging or high fiving; we loved it all. They welcomed us into their homes too, but most incredibly, they welcomed us into their way of life. They showed us their traditional method of building boats. They taught us to speak bindajao; their language. We got the opportunity to witness the dowry for a marriage being given as well as being included in their cultural dance at the pre-wedding celebration.

They are a testimony to the human race and how we should be. At no point did they show any distaste or hostility towards us, at no point did they refuse our engagement or their own participation. Everyday their smiles are what greeted us and sent us on our way. They grasp any chance to grow and learn with both hands, making the most of every moment and opportunity. Despite the challenges they face with regards to both living standards and receiving their deserved respect from their peers, they continue to hold the most positive and beautiful outlook on life. Everything they do

they do for each other, with the goal of creating a better future for their family and community. I've never experienced a more interconnected community, they can only be described as one big family, all looking out for each other as you would expect only family would. A family which they wholly made us feel a part of.

The link between SERVE volunteers and the Badjao community is a special one. It's indescribable to be honest, the impact which this partnership has on both parties. All I can say is I left not only feeling welcome, I left feeling as though I was part of the Badjao family.

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By Miriam O'Callaghan Having just returned from the most amazing experience of my life working in solidarity with the Badjao Tribe, I would like to tel ...

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URL: https://books.google.com.ph/books/about/Among_the_Sea_Gypsies.html?id=B6NAnwEACAAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y
TITLE: Among The Sea Gypsies
AUTHOR: Joseph Zanetti, Rochelle Rubio
DATE PUBLISHED : December 2, 2013
KEY INFO: To be the voices of these marginalized, discriminated, and oppressed tribe in the Philippines.

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Everyone has a story to tell. But not all have voices. That’s what drove me to write this book --- to serve as a small voice to a marginalized, discriminated against and oppressed tribe in the Philippines; the Badjao. My experiences take place on the island of Mindanao. Mindanao is the Southern most…

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URL:https://munin.uit.no/bitstream/handle/10037/9844/thesis.pdf?sequence=1
TITLE:Living by the Day: A Study of the Badjaos in TawiTawi, Southwest Philippines
AUTHOR:Erwin Rapiz Navarro
DATE PUBLISHED: November 2015
KEY INFO:This study examines the impacts of sedentarization processes to the Badjaos in Tawi-Tawi, southwest of the Philippines. The study focuses on the means of sedentarizing the Badjaos, which are; the housing program and conditional cash transfer fund system. This study looks into the conditionalities, perceptions and experiences of the Badjaos who are beneficiaries of the mentioned programs. To realize this objective, this study draws on six qualitative interviews matching with participant-observation in three different localities in Tawi-Tawi. Furthermore, as a conceptual tool of analysis, the study uses sedentarization, social change, human development and ethnic identity.

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URL: https://fineartamerica.com/featured/badjao-siblings-bong-perez.html
TITLE: Badjao Siblings
AUTHOR: Bong Perez
DATE PUBLISHED: July 31, 2019
KEY INFO: The mother and her son are asking money in the streets