Parish Immersion

About the sitio:

This sitio is a small but overpopulated area that faces challenges in rising water levels and drug abuse. Lots of changes occurred over the years as different leaders took over, which has had positive and negative impacts on the community. Despite this, residents show strong commitment. Their collaborative efforts and shared determination tackled the environmental threats, addressed social issues and supported one another in times of crisis. The community's resilience shines through in their dedication to overcoming adversity.

Nanay Neliza has lived in this community for over 28 years. She chose to live in this area as it is near her children’s school and near a chapel. The most significant change in her life occurred when the construction of the chapel began.

One of her biggest challenges would be the pandemic, as not only her family was affected, but the entire community. It mainly affected her small business and her children’s education.

One of the biggest problems in the community she encountered was the lack of attention given by the parents to their children in regards to their livelihood and especially their education.
She emphasized the importance of education, especially among the youth, in regards to the prosperity of the community.

Summary of the information gathered:

Integrating the Experience with the Lessons in Philo 01:

Our experiences, if related to our lessons in Philo 01, have helped emphasize the concept of intersubjectivity, highlighting the importance of understanding one another and the shared human experience. Leaving an impact on us students on the different lifestyles we share and helped us be more appreciative of what we have now.

When it comes to the human person in society, our interactions in the form of the parish immersion alongside different games and activities involving the interview and exchanges with the members of the community allowed us to connect and engage with them in a wholesome manner.

The human person in his/her environment relates well to the experience we had in interviewing the different community members as they all talked about how they live and do things in their respective communities/environment giving us a whole new perspective of how many people go through life which is completely different from ours.

Reflection:

Avila - "This event helped me understand the differences in the lifestyle and livelihood of the people in that community and is very different from what I am normally used to and I have gained respect for them making the most out of their lives while being happy despite the downsides."

Solon - "I realized that most of these people live how they want to, I mean it isn’t how they wanted to live, but they make the best of it, from what I can tell."

Evardone - "I found myself in awe when I found out about the drug situation in this sitio, yet the people still manage to live in such an environment smiling."

Luna - "Amidst poverty in this sitio, the unwavering determination to survive reflects a resilient human spirit. This collective effort underscores the need for systemic changes to create lasting opportunities."