Southern Exposure

For a lttle less than two weeks, I went on a trip with a Video Journalist Aaron Goodman, s canadian based in Bangkok. I was fixing for him. This means I have to be the assistant cameraman, gadder, PA, researcher,translator ,etc.I don't remember the last time O did this sort of thing. It was hard work for me coz' we had to work 8-15 hours a day and in the evenings, I spent a lot of time brainstorming the next day's shoot. There was no time to shoot stills for myself. Most importantly though,,, I had witnessed a lot of real things, Mothers losing their beloved husbands by extra-judicial killing, very old farmers with bent-backs toiling their landm peaceful villagers tacing the impending land-grabbing of their titled lands. human rights workers teaching the masses their basic human rights, daughters and children facing up to the loss and grief of losing their fathers and grandparents whoo were summarily killed, simple folk and sof being communists, intelligence agents swarmiaround us while we were doing doc were also the sights of dally life. Sights of hope and optimism. Here are just simple snippets of life in Southern Tagalog region as witnessed them.

Macapagal Tenement Building in Tondo

Aura and Chris, a couple of really good artists give the dilapidated and condemned building a fresh coat of hope and vigor by painting the whole central area of the buildings 4th floor with heroes abd other characters. They were helped by supportive young residents.