“Maymayat sin rikna di bumadang. Baken din kaidayawan mi ngem wada sin rikna mi di tumulong. [It feels good when you help. It’s not about being recognized in the public but the heart to help.]”, expressed Bernard Copite, an officer of the Suyoc Taneg Indigenous Livelihood Association (STILA).
On August 23, the Pilando Section of the Halsema Highway in Buguias, Benguet was entirely wiped out which has been a significant issue for some time. This section of the road has been a crucial link for farmers, commuters and traders from Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao and Ilocos Region. The road’s condition threatened a disrupt access to the region, presenting a serious challenge to everyone. When this disaster happened, a group of miners, in the name of STILA, responded to this incident.
Around 270 volunteer miners alternately worked for eight days straight, with some working overtime until 12 midnight while some working for 24 hours. These miners along with their fellow volunteers and workers from other government agencies had faced challenges because of the extreme weather condition brought by the continuous downpour of rain.
However, this group of volunteer miners had received negative comments from the social media to the point of getting bashed. Also, being victims of fake news.
“Sakbay kami inmey ay nan-ubla yan inpakada mi met sin pangpanguan. Maga di binaypasan mi ay ipugaw. Sin abe kakadwak ai minero, maga iman di sweldo da. Baken agpysu din kananda ay sinweldoak kanu si triple tapnu way maibabain si pangpanguan. Talaga ai volunteer da ay inmey tan kanak iman datako metlang amin di mansayaat nu mai-amag din danan.”, pressed Copite.
“Mansakit si rikna din komkoments da ngum pilien mi di guminek tan nalinis di konsensya mi met. Basta et ta inpapati mi ay tinmulong. [From the comments online, it really hurts us. We chose to keep quiet because our consciences were clear. The important thing is, we did our best to render help.]”, conveyed one of miners.
Nonetheless, even faced with these challenges, this group of miners were undaunted. They finished what they had started. As the saying goes, “It’s not about how you start, but how you finish that truly matters.”
This group of miners, in the name of STILA, had been rendering help in terms of financial and manpower assistance to those who are really in need since in 2019. Long before, there is already the word “binnadang” in the said association.
Their endeavours included actively joining the ‘Brigada Eskwela’ of different schools, helping in church constructions, opening of private roads during typhoons, medical assistance to those who are really in need, even bringing tons of vegetable goods to the Taal volcano constituents in 2020 and the so called “sagaok” for the students. These are some of their ventures.
“It is our counterpart to the government, that is, to give back. Ngem din kaya mi lang ay amagen ya maidawat tan mapo sin bulsa mi metlang gamin din udom ay mausar. Wada met di pamilya mi abe ay pakanen mi ngem ipapati mi abe ay tumulong sin gait mi. [But is limited to what we can do or give because we have our own families also to feed, nevertheless, we always try our best to help.]”
Indeed, they may be wearing these muddy boots, weird helmets and hands full of callouses but mind you my friend, they have the hearts of gold. By: Merlinglo C. Tamid-ay