The Lengths People Go To for Their Families

Last night, we attended the voice recital of a friend of my son's in UP. He sang beautifully, his main accompanist on the piano was excellent. So were the violinist and the cellist. As I watched and listened to them make wonderful music, it dawned on me, especially for the person having his recital, "What next?" Will he be able to make a living out of singing? Is there a way for him to earn his keep from merely singing? Or would he have to go the route and teach just so he can survive without having to beg, steal or borrow -- not that he is the type, but simply to live?

As we drove home, I shared my anxiety in his behalf with my husband and son, but they were quiet. I also expressed how seeing scientists on TV always impressed me, because generally, these individuals are not moneymakers even if they are doing so much for the world in general. Only last week, in the TODAY show, I saw this young lady who said she goes to the South Pole at least once a year to measure the ozone layer or something. WoW. Then of course, I also saw the chemical engineers from UP talking about the Glorietta blast, the astronomers looking at yet another comet, etc. With their brains, they could be making millions in the right company, maybe NASA, a pharmaceutical firm, etc. I recall how the Mr. Punongbayan of PhiVolcs was eulogized and written about shortly after his death. One article on him showed the sofa where he slept on, night after night, in a small apartment he rented for his family. That made me cry because here was one man warning the Filipinos about dangers to their lives from an oncoming volcanic eruption and yet he had no home he could call his own. He died in a copter crash while at work. I was sad for him but I'm almost sure he was a happy man.

Last night, possibly because of the euphoria of attending the voice recital, I couldn't sleep right away, allowing me the chance to watch the I-Witness Report on GMA 7. The topic was "Black Gold." At first, I thought the topic might be on oil in the waters of Ilocos, but no, the black gold being referred to was black seaweeds which are rather expensive being so rare-- they are available only from November till March. But what caught my attention and made me pray was the danger to which those gathering these seaweeds exposed themselves. I think the site was Burgos town in Ilocos where the people would go to the rocky shore to get the seaweeds perched upon stones. What's the big deal, you might wonder? Well, aside from the sharp edges of these stones, a bigger hurdle was avoiding the huge waves from the South China Sea, waves so huge that many have perished as a result of their wrath, some victims never ever seen again. And for what? One man risked his life so he could pay for his daughter's education. Isn't there an easier job available? And get this. The seaweeds are dried after they are collected but it's not every time those who gather them are able to sell the same immediately. Customers are usually the balikbayan who could afford it so that if there's no such person around, those who gather the seaweeds have to keep their dried product until such time that such a person comes around. In the meantime, the seller borrows money, most likely at a cost to him. Oh boy...

One last "career" or livelihood I'd like to write about is the manufacture of firecrackers. While the end product has cost the life and/or limb of several, it spells income for others. In 2010, hopefully, the Department of Health will succeed in imposing a total ban on fireworks, but pray tell, what will those who manufacture it do to earn their keep? Or change that question -- what will those working for the manufacturer do instead? yes, several have perished in firecracker factories, several fires have resulted, but what about the livelihood of this people? On the other hand, maybe they can and should find another job. Yes, maybe they should, and their employers could invest on something less destructive.