Zambales Connection (an introduction to part 1) by Zara Jane Juan

Luscious waves, powerful sunrise, attractive sunsets, calm community, playful birds, kids, and chickens... And on top of it all, the most awesome view of the stars along the dark and quiet shoreline as the neighborhood sleeps in harmony night after night... ... What a paradise!

Where on earth can you find that locked doors are not a requirement to live. Everyone seems to trust anybody... I was able to sleep soundly without worry in my rented humble nipa hut fronting the sea, though that was my first night, alone! I mean literally without a companion! The community respects each and everyone because every member of the community believes that no one who visits the shoreline of  Zambales is a plain stranger. They believe that each one comes back to Zambales, because they belong there... a relative... of the 1st degree, 2nd degree, 3rd degree, 4th degree... or, simply, just an old friend way back who traveled once and had the longing to come back again... and again...

I came here to prepare myself for my chosen peace mission in the Southern Philippines affected by recent typhoons. However due to my allergies, I need to first ready my health in order for me to survive. Doctors advised me to have a vacation in the beach for natural healing. And what a practical way to do it as fast as I can but to go back to my Grandma's hometown, San Isidro, Cabangan, Zambales. In fact, I long for this, to travel alone, live alone, incognito! Just me and the sea, my pen, my notebook and my quiet private time to pray and meditate. The only problem is, it needs to be safe! And Zambales has it, a wish come true! A very simple life away from the city!

Along the way, however, I got inspired to write about my Grandma's place, not just San Isidro, but the whole Zambales. I find it amazing, how their culture remains so simple... the simple meal... the simple celebrations... the simple smiles that enlightens the crowd... and how they manage to keep it for years with a very dry land, not too much to expect, no flares, no fuzz, nothing. I am practically amazed how they survive without, in my observation, a typical competitive spirit of the city dwellers.

So I made a decision to stay longer because my missionary peace work covers the preparation of the community to the effects of changing climate as part of my worldwide advocacy work on Climate Change Peace Building Adaptation Campaign. Zambales is a good start, I guess for my behavioral study of people living near the sea.

This is the first draft of my behavioral study, I aptly call it the Zambales Connection....

Everything seems beautiful until one night, I've learned that vote-buying is rampant in the place. It completely slips my mind that a special congressional election will take place and I happened to be there, what a vacation! I thought I can forget my work and concentrate on the goodness of life but here am I face with the conflict if I will write what I saw, heard and experience. How naive am I to know that vote buying is an organized activity where the voters have to signed their names in order for them to get their money ranging from P500 to P1,000 per voter. I refrained from knowing further and resorted to meditative prayer to compose myself, however my conscience bothers me, especially when I saw how "malicious" money can turn a peaceful community to a "mob". I need to write it especially when in the course of my investigation, I have found out that vote buying is just a new trend in the 2nd District of Zambales. I've learned that before, people vote their leader because it is their personal choice and they believe in their leader as a matter of principle. Now, with the introduction of the malice that votes can be bought, people vote out of "kahihiyan" that they already accepted some money that "bought their votes". Is there a logic in here?

It is my vocation to teach and promote good culture. And I believe, it is the responsibility of a leader or any politician to lead people to peace by introducing them the proper culture. Vote buying is a malicious intention designed to corrupt even the most innocent ones. Making it part of the people's life is prelude to poverty.

As I said to the community, you deserve more than that! You are the protectors of the sea, you are not beggars! You actually deserve to be given a dignified life through an Environmental Fund which can be allocated by your elected politician to every household living in the shoreline.

People do not know their rights and will remain silent, quiet until numb.That is how corruption works in cycle. Until someone stood up and do something, corruption of the mind will remain a trend.

When do we stop it? When we share what we know to those who don't know. Education, more orientation, and more empowerment will liberate our mind.

Good thing, I still see the kids playing, praying & hoping.... unmindful and innocent.

With this, I am still inspired to work on this further, not just as an advocacy, but as a responsibility to save what remains for the proper culture to survive in this changing climate.

So help me God.