“Maka lahutay baya gihapon, kaloy-an sa Ginoo”The City PORTERS

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INTRODUCTION

Cagayan de Oro City have been announced as the second most

competetive city of the Philippines this year. This is an indication that the city

practiced urban policies for progression. Along this victory, there are people who

are still deprived and are socially excluded from the city’s flying

colors. One of which are the people employed in various government

agencies but have not received equal salary from what they are doing in the field. Presenting this photo essay that highlights the life of porters or locally

named “Kargador”. This book showcase stories of porters: the life inside and

outside the Pier, relationship to family and children and the reasons why they

have become porters.

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Table of Contents

Introduction 4

Purpose of the Photo Essay 5

What is a Porter? 6

Why Porter? 13

Life outside the Port 18

How are the Porters 24

No passenger, no Porter 29

Acknowledgment 41

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PURPOSE

The purpose of chosing the subject is to primarily feature their life and to make a call to the

government that there are still issues along areas of the city that needs to be addressed. There are stories of individuals striving for survival yet could not attain optimom satisfaction because of the scarcity of job

resulting to poverty and crime. May this photo essay be a gate for people, those who travel via vessel, to see how uneasy the job of porters. We may be irritated by how

they convince us in return of a tip or so, they sometimes grab our bags without asking permission, they stare us with hunger or need. Through this stories, we may find

patience and understanding on how they become aggressive . They do just have families they love most. What is a PORTER?

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“Tig-karga”

“Tig-alsa”

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“Tig tuklod”

“Tig bitbit”

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A Porter or “Kargador” in the local dialect is an employed man who

assist passenger to or from the vessel in exchange of a tip. They do not receive

monthly salary from agency. They only rely on the passengers’ payment when

they carry baggages. They do not follow hour schedules. They do not track

absences or late. What they have to do is wear the yellow uniform and find passengers who carry heavy load.

Their uniforms has number representing themeselves. This is intended for identity purposes. To ensure that each

porters will have cash at the end of the day, they will write using chalks in a small

board. When you write your number, it means that you have assisted a passenger

and you have to wait until all other porters has written their codes, then you

assist again. Regardless if you have given a tip or not.

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Why PORTER?

“Wa man gud ko nakahumag skwela”, says Albert

Albert, 26 years old, started working as a Porter in the age of 21 when his

girlfriend got pregnant in the age of 20. As the eldest of the family, he has to

look for a job to support his parents and his pregnant wife.

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“Gapamaligya akong asawa og kahoy pangsugnod para makadugang”, says Albert. He knew porters could not rely

on their job because their income depends on the passengers. There are seasons of less passengers like school days where people stays in the city. Best seasons, according

to Albert, are Christmas, all souls day, first class, and summer vacation.

Albert interviewed by Mark

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“Kaning dili lage mag skwela og tarong sa batan-on pa. Ubanan pa og mga binugoy

na binuhatan”, says Albert. “Tungod siguro sa kapobrihon mao ng wala koy gana mag

skwela saona”, he added. It is indeed true that education plays a vital

role in securing the future of young Filipinos. Though parents comprise almost

hundred percent of the responsibilities, there is also a shot for the governement to

take the lead and offer education, especially to those who are underserved. To

this moment, education becomes a priviledge and not a human right. The story

of Albert is a proof that there are people who settle less because that is what they

could only afford.

Life outside the Port

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Oliver Flores, 47 years old with 3 children residing near the port, car-rys his nephew, Ian Ceasar. “Mingaw ang pier karon pero daghan gihapon me ga agad og pasahero”, says Oliver when asked why he is at home.

“Kung di ko ga bantay sa akong apo, usahay ako ga bantay sa tindahan.

Mao lang sad ni ang usa sa mga side line namo ni misis. Dili nimo masaligan ang port”, Oliver added. Oliver sees how his

family needs extra income for unexpected expenses. With this, aside from being a porter, he got himself into tracking. He is an on-call driver who delivers things (vegetables, furnitures, aplliances) from

the city up until Davao. “Pananglitan naay tawag sa agalon, biyaan sa nako ang pier. Wala man sad me absent o late”, he said.

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When both jobs are not available, he decides to stay home and help his wife Julieta do household choirs.

He sometimes update his son’s school status.

“Makig hagwa na lang sa bata kung wa gyuy trabaho”, Oliver said. There are no week ends for

porters, so when Oliver have the chance to spend time with his family, he maximize it.

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Porters become more flexible than what they are inside the port. Some of them do find ways to support the daily necessities of the family. They sell ice and beverages at home, they have second job. Some of them spends time with family while waiting for a call.

Oliver ensures that his children could go study even though rocks of trials may come along his way. “Dili ko gusto nga sapiton sakong mga anak ang kalisod nga akong na agi-an. Pa-it kaayo kung wa kay nahoman, high school man lang”. Oliver’s eldest son is enrolled in one of the city’s university while his daughter goes schooling in the nearest high school.

The life of Oliver Flores is one common story for all porters. In our eyes, they may seem aggressive towards our baggage but for their sight, those loads of each passengers are pot of gold they may carry home to feed their family. This is a good sign of perseverance and hope. This is a symbol of true faith. Filipinos are courageous in each of their fields. There are just times that they have to undergo process which we call as CHALLENGES.

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“Mas taas ang oras nga mag hulat kaysa mag trabaho kay gamay ra

pasahero”, Miss Beth says. She is the female guard of the port who

watches the second entrance. She sees everyday the life of porters: how they

do their job, how they lift loads of bags, their faces while

carrying, their life when passengers are too little or too many.

“Gikan sa entrance paingon sa barko, alsahon na nila”, Miss Beth said pointing to bags of load.

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“Kung daghan pasahero, mag dali-dali na sila mo gawas sa barko”, she added

“Daghan baya sila diri unya naay uban pasahero dili magpa-alsa sa ilang bagahe kay gakahadlok. Ang uban naay kauban

lalaki”, Miss Beth said.

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No passenger, no PORTER

When passengers are plenty yet almost of them could carry their

own baggages, porters find something else to stimulate and become less impatient.

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These photos show porters waiting patiently.

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There are more than 20 porters a day. Vessels from other places

landed in the city port by 6 am. From that time up to 8 am, all porters become busy. The next chance of earning is when vessels are ready to

accept passengers. It takes place during 3 o’clock up to 9 pm.

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w

Some are spending their time talking with the “Pajak” drivers or outside vendors. There are porters who entertain

passengers. Some gets their mobile phones, read news paper or light cigarettes. But most of the times, they talk with each

other.

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Porters are the first people we will encounter the first time we take our step in the port. Each faces has different needs, different stories and experiences but they live with one aim: to EARN.

This photo essay does not only feaure the life of the subject. These stories aim to remind the readers that education must come as a need and not merely a want. Our country may not be able to supplement our need but we can find ways to support ourselves. Poverty can be scratched off in our fate if we work hard in the present.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This photo essay would not be possible without the help of the following people and agencies:*Port, Cagayan de Oro City and staff for allowing us to shoot and document the life of porters*The Porters themselves for sharing their experiences, their stories that made this photo essay possible*To the families we have interviewed, Mr and Mrs. Oliver Flores, Mr. Albert and Mr. Richmond. As well as the lady guard of the Port, Ms. Beth. *To our mentor who guided and motivated us, we owe you Sir Jet Torres the thoeries we put into practice*To our families for providing us the things we needed. We could not attain success without their support.*To our Almight Father for keeping us safe and securedTo you all, THANK YOU!

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The City PORTERS

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