Children of the Sand

Rina, Christine and Rina–
The Children of the Sand
A purple hue was scattered all throughout the skyline of Balas in Bacolor, Pampanga as the sun stained the clouds with orange light just before it set itself in total banishment on Friday. 

It was twilight. The stars started to peek one by one. On this same time of the day, three sisters were heading home carrying the collected twigs on their shoulders; each of them put them in a sack. They all seemed to walk down towards a spot, a house which can hardly be seen, on my vantage point while taking snap shots.

Rina, Christine and Rica collected the dried twigs to take them to their home located in a virtual seclusion on the navel of the Mega dike in this deserted area of Bacolor. The twigs serve a double purpose: fuel to cook their food, and as their source of illumination in their house as soon as evening arrives.

“Every time we run out of twigs during the night, my sisters and I get out and run around the bushes and weeds to play. We love the moon. The moon is our sun to reveal the beauty of the night,” said Rina, the eldest of the three sisters.

My presence in the place is more of a chance encounter. I was in there to take some pictures of a setting sun until I noticed a guy in his early 40s coming out of the bush with his dogs, ascending on the walls of the concrete dike. A smile on his face as he got closer became apparent which made me comfortable as I extended my hand in greeting. In less than a minute, the supposed stranger turned into a potential subject of interest.

Luisito, the father of the three siblings, was waiting for his wife, Gemalyn, who was arriving late and was expected to carry her own sack of twigs. The four went out an hour ago in preparation for their dinner.

“I work in a quarry site. It’s been a year since we moved here because we can no longer sustain a regular payment of monthly rentals. In here, we are allowed to put a make shift house since this is the place where I also work. It has all the convenience,” narrated Luisito when asked about their situation in Balas.

While Luisito and I talked about his job in the quarry, one of his children came closer to us and asked what time they will be descending to their house. The three were conspicuously looking at me all the time while talking to their dad, throwing smiles every time Luisito points his hand to them as a sign of gesture. Luisito said that all of them are studying in elementary. And all of them know their obligations of helping their mother every time they go home in the afternoon to look for twigs.

When his wife, Gemalyn, arrived, I was also welcomed with a great smile, greeting me with “Komusta kayu pu?” which made me feel I’ve known this family for a long time.

As I was relaying my reason for being in this place, the three sisters, now, together with their parents conversing with me, even suggested that I should be there between 4 to 5 pm, as, they observed, it’s the golden hour of the day where everything is sharp and crystal clear starting from the sands of lahar, to the tall weeds, to Mount Arayat; such a pretty defined observation, from people who were never photographers, but very much familiar how the beauty of a place can best be captured by a camera.

Gemalyn relayed to me that her children do great in school. One of them, Rina, got accelerated from grade 3 to grade 6 because of her wit and familiarity with numbers. But, because they cannot afford the added expense of high school, Gemalyn retrenched back and just decided not to pursue the supposed advantage and let her daughter stay with her current grade. Due to financial issues, she’s still in 5th grade, although she’s supposed to be a sophomore in high school.

As I bid farewell to the family, my goodbye is just a start of another comeback, which I promised. I saw their gladness of meeting me, a stranger no more.

“If you know someone, anyone who has a good heart willing to help my daughters get scholarships, please come back to us,” Gemalyn said as we parted our ways. ●

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Philippines Clark Freeport offers attractive investment opportunities. Assistance in law, taxes and other business and investment matters can be obtained from Clark Business and Investment Assistance.

Clark Philippines operates under a slightly set of rules from the rest of the country.  There are many advantages but as usual, there are also areas that investors need to be well apprised to avoid unnecessary problems.

Clark Freeport Zone offers many attractive incentives that collectively make it a good business investment opportunity as well as a wonderful choice for semi- or full-retirement.   In addition to the tax incentives of a Freeport Zone, Clark has a remarkably good record in terms of crime rate.  In fact, there is no recollection of any major crimes inside Clark Freeport Zone at all and even minor crimes are rare and far between. Whereas traffic and pollution are two major deterrents to retiring, living or setting up a business in major cities in the Philippines such as Manila and Cebu, Clark Freeport are not marred by these problems.  Clark is blessed by good infra structures left behind by the Americans built when Clark was their largest foreign airbase.

Investors are well advised to obtain legal counseling as the first step of their exploration of investment opportunities in Clark Freeport.  Clark Business and Investment Assistance is well experienced to offer this service to would-be investors – called locators.  This outfit can also address tax concerns but more importantly helps investors navigate the tricky waters of finalizing a deal.  Clark Pampanga is a fast growing city and businesses in Manila are making their move to either expand into or relocate to Clark Philippines.

Where to go in Clark? Hotel Clark Philippines is a De Luxe Hotel in Clark and Subic, a risk free place to stay, cozy and nice ambience, a nice function place for special occasion

You might want to check also the Yats Restaurant is the best restaurant for special dinner, best restaurant for dinner with friends near Manila, also the best place to celebrate special events.

Famous Restaurant in Pampanga, a place to dine with friends in Clark, cozy restaurant with a nice ambience, a nice function place for special occasions. Looking for a restaurant in Clark for a Business meeting? Or a place to eat with friends? Yats Restaurant offers exclusive dinner venue for groups, a good place to celebrate special occasions, it can be a party venue in town. Yats Restaurant is a recommended restaurant for private dinner in Philippines, a well-recognized restaurant that serves good food and good wines for dinner.

Are you looking for an attractive restaurant or a nice place to eat with friends in Clark, Angeles City Pampanga? Yats Restaurant and Wine Bar is a restaurant with good food and good wines  for dinner located at Clark Angeles City Pampanga. Perfect for exclusive dinner venues for groups, recommended for private dinner in Philippines. A Restaurant in Clark for business dinner meeting. Private dinner place or dinner restaurant in Clark Subic Near Manila Angeles City Pampanga. Yats Restaurant is one of the Good Restaurant in Pampanga Angeles City Clark near Manila.

This web site contains articles and information that will be helpful to visitors, residents and tourists traveling out of town from Manila on a short getaway to Subic, Angeles City, Pampanga and Clark Philippines.  There are several web sites that contain information that might also be pertinent to what is happening in North Luzon, Subic, Tarlac, Pampanga, Clark Freeport Philippines.

Looking for a party venue in town?

Clearwater Resort and Country Club is one of the ideal venues for birthday party because it is a risk free venue. Not only Birthday Parties but also a good place to enjoy family reunion. A good place to celebrate special occasions. Clearwater Resort and Country Club is one of the resorts in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga or near Manila with activity amenities, place that are nice for celebration.

Looking for interesting hotels near Manila Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga?

Trouble free hotels and well recognized hotels in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga

Clearwater Resort and Country Club offers a good place to stay in Subic Clark Angeles City Pampanga. In offers nice place to have rest in Subic Pampanga outside Manila.

One of the Philippines top hotels in north Luzon.

Wedding couples looking for wedding reception venues and beach wedding venues can log on to this Philippines Wedding Venue web site for free information and assistance:

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For assistance with lodgings, accommodations, hotels and resorts near Manila in Subic, Pampanga, Angels City and Clark Philippines log on to <a http://www.HotelClarkPhilippines.com

While in Clark, one might as well add to the itinerary a visit to the famous Clark Wine Center, the largest wine shop in Philippines which offers over 2000 selections of fine vintage wine from all wine regions, vintages spanning over 50 years covering all price ranges.

http://www.ClarkWineCenter.com