Blessing of the Sea

By: James Sebastian Bendijo

Most of the people of Barangay Pugad, Hagonoy, Bulacan relies on the sea for their livelihood knowing that their Barangay is surrounded by saltwater. The sea is very important to them because they get their blessings here like Mang Angelito.

Angelito Celso, 59 years old, operates ‘Tuyo’ business in Barangay Pugad. He stressed that the sea is his important source of livelihood and income.

He explained that after catching small fishes using his own boat, they will remove the inside of the fish, submerge it in salt and will proceed to drying of the fish outside their house.

They sell one pack of ‘tuyo’ for P20-25 and they receive an estimated amount of P4,000 per 500 packs.

His wife, Sonia Celso sells the ‘tuyo’ in Pampanga while they send other packs to Bicol through Bus.

What if they only generated small income? “Pagka kikita lang kami dalawangdaan (200) may pambigas na kami, hindi na problema ulam dyan, lulusong ka na lang sa dagat,” he explained.

“Ito na ang kinabubuhay namin, pag ito nawala pa, wala na kami, dito lang kami kumukuha sa dagat,” quoted Celso.

He knows that the sea is vital not only to him but to the residents of Barangay Pugad that when the sea is raged during bad weather, they don’t know where will they get their source of income.

“Pag masama panahon andito lang kami, hindi pwede, walang kita, naghihintay lang sa rasyon,” said Celso.

When asked about the issue that the sea as their blessing provider is slowly dying due to pollution, he answered, “dapat talaga dyan, maka-isip naman ang gobyerno ng iba pang pangkabuhayan para yung mga tao hindi magutom, kung ako lang gobyerno eh.”

But as of now, the sea is their main provider of livelihood, not unless they find any alternative in a Barangay surrounded by saltwater.