Adult Literacy Program

MERCY P. CUARTELON

Last January 2014, one of the barangays in Porac encountered a big problem. Our Aeta ALP students wanted to help change the culture and belief of their adults. According to their culture and Aeta tribe law, if someone killed their fellow men, they should also pay it by killing the one who took the life of their fellow.

One of the villagers bought a native pig and tied it under the tree. One woman passed by and attacked by the pig and was killed due to internal hemorrhage. In their tradition, they must kill the owner of the native pig. Pastor Junior King and some of our ALP students went to the place and convinced the relatives of the victim not to kill the owner of the animal and they decided to kill the native pig and burry it beside the tomb of the victim.

In February 2014, another problem happened in the nearby barangay. Two persons were accidently killed by the uneducated and uncivilized Aeta. The police men from Porac went to the place, but they did not surrender the suspect because of their tradition. The people in the village gathered and wanted to fight the policemen if they force to get the killer. The policemen handed over the suspect to the hands of the relatives of the two victims and went back to Porac. The Aeta elders wanted to take and kill two persons to settle up the lives of the two victims but Pastor Junior and some of our ALP students mediated and advised them to get the life of the killer and do not take any life of his nearest relative. So, instead of killing two lives, they only killed the suspect and buried him beside the two tombs of the victims.

This is the effect of our Adult Literacy Program in Villa Maria, Porac, Pampanga. The old students are now teaching their fellow Aetas and to their nearby barangays and served as their adviser particularly Pastor Junior King as Barangay Captain in Inararo. They are hoping to change and reform their culture which is not advisable to preserve. Last March, they were taught by the volunteer teacher to learn simple accounting in their church. They commented that they really need it and now they appreciate the importance of proper way of financial recording. They decided to open an account in the bank to save their money. However, we had problem in gathering the students back to the class after December. After a long vacation in Christmas season, the people were busy preparing their fields for the planting activities of their crops. They stayed in their farms until they finished cleaning and preparing their farms for planting. Now we need to visit and encourage them to attend the class.