Buto't Balat (Kara David)

Published December 31, 2006 6:52pm

Episode on June 6, 2005 In a country that boasts of rich natural resources, there's a shocking reality that
still needs government and citizens’ attention. Kara David finds extreme cases of malnutrition and
reveals its shocking extent in the country. The Philippines ranks second to the African average in terms
of malnutrition, and first in the Asia-Pacific region. United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) studies show
29% of African children are malnourished, while Filipino kids follow closely at 27%. I-Witness finds one of
the worst manifestations of this problem in a town in the Bicol region. Mercedes is Bicol’s seafood
capital. Each day, bountiful catch of fish arrives on its shores. Ironically, although blessed with rich
marine resources, there are extreme cases of starvation among some locals. Angela’s family relies on
fishing for a living. If her father gets no catch, they would not have anything to eat. At 19 years old,
Angela was reduced to skin and bones and was bed-ridden for more than three months. Soon after this
documentary was made, the girl succumbed to death because of severe malnutrition. According to
surveys, with four in 10 children considered malnourished. Bicol has the worst case of malnutrition
among the country’s regions. Not far from Angela’s house, one may indeed find some other kids who
have suffered the same fate. It pains Mang Ciriaco, a market stevedore, that abundant catch of expensive
fish pass through his hands but he never gets the chance to actually serve them to his own children.
Forhis work, he earns an average of 30 pesos a day — money that can hardly afford him to buy the sub-
standard fish sold in the market at very cheap prices. Mang Ciriaco carries the heavy burden of feeding
nine children. The constant lack of decent meals has greatly manifested on his children. His six-year old
son Joey weighs only that of a three-month old baby, while his 14-year old son Jeremy weighs only that
of a two-year old boy. When examined by the local health workers, it was found out that Jeremy's lungs,
due to severe malnutrition, struggles to use his lungs to breathe. Kara David also encounters babies
whose stomachs have never known milk, with their parents resorting to instead giving them coffee.
Malnutrition also exists among children in the National Capital Region. Instant noodles have become
today’s poor man’s diet. Not only are these affordable to families, who only get by with 30 pesos a day,
but it can also makes them feel full easily. The estimate of five million Filipino children suffering from
severe malnutrition proves to be largely alarming. Finding a long-term solution to the problem can never
be realized if we refuse to acknowledge that this issue exists. Dr. Cecilia Florencio of the University of the
Philippines sums up what may become its repercussions: "Malnutrition can be passed on to generations.
Right now, these kids are the only ones affected. But if your really think about it, these kids will be our
future generation…and they are malnourished."

Boy Pusit (Squid catcher)--- (Sandra Aguinaldo)

Published April 3, 2006 1:00pm

Episode on April 3, 2006 , The day starts early for a group of children at a remote coastal village in
Masbate, an island province in the central Philippines. Even before dawn breaks, several children and
a few adults line the seashore, busily preparing their boats and nets for a day of squid fishing. I-
Witness' Sandra Aguinaldo meets three boys -- Jameson, Estoy, and Jason -- who at a very young age
were taught by their fathers to dive for squids. The residents largely depend on the sea to make a living.
There are no concrete roads, water comes from deep wells, and there is no electricity. Everyday, they set
out to sea. A boat’s crew is comprised mostly of children. The adult stays in the boat while the
children do the diving. The kids wear improvised goggles and fins made of wood that are fastened to
their feet by strips of rubber. pic3Diving in with the children, reporter Sandra Aguinaldo experiences just
how exhausting the job is. The kids lure the squids into the nets by making noise �" hitting the
water’s surface hard with their arms or getting rocks underwater and throwing them hard at the
water’s surface. They then dive as the net closes in to secure the squids that were trapped in the net.
Children are considered important in these diving operations because they work fast and don’t tire
easily. In a day, they make an average of 20 dives. Most of the time however, they catch just a few �"
not even enough to shoulder their families’ expenses in a day. pic4The children say they still have
time to go to their classes, walking for hours through tall grasses along hilly landscapes to reach school.
Their elementary school teacher, Melchor Rojas, though, says most squid catchers report to school only
once or twice each week. Squid fishing takes up the kids’ time and when it’s harvest or planting
season, there are the teacher reports even fewer students. Of the few squid divers who are his students,
Rojas expects less than half would be able to pursue higher education. The kids parents themselves
seem resigned to the fact that they would never be able to send their children to school. For these
children, education remains uncertain, but they maintain high hopes. Given a choice, they prefer to
attend school in order to finish their education rather than spend their time at work. Every summer, the
number of child squid catchers rises because they are also saving for the coming school year.

Juan Tanga (Mike Enriquez)

Published June 6, 2007 1:21pm

Episode on June 9, 2007 Saturday, 11:45 p.m. Has the Philippines become the land of “Juan Tanga?"
(dumb Juan). Find out this Saturday, as Sine Totoo presents “Juan Tanga?", the Imbestigador education
special that was a finalist at the 2006 US International Film and Video Festival and recently given a
Special Citation by Globe Telecom and Innove Communications. In this episode, Mike Enriquez hosts a
game show to gauge how well ordinary citizens know basic math, science and facts about Philippine
history. Their answers will likely astound you. Imbestigador visits several public schools around the
Philippines and find that classes are held along corridors, on the stairs, under the trees and in a
converted basketball court – with makeshift walls to divide the court into nine different classes. A 17-
year old student divides his time between school and work, and still cannot read. And then there are the
teachers who lack skills – producing students who hardly pass the National Achievement Tests. On the
set with Sine Totoo host Howie Severino, Mike Enriquez says the funny answers he got from fairly simple
questions reflect the critical state of Philippine education. He notes the players knew who played Darna
on television, but not who the first President of the country was. Imbestigador’s Executive Producer Juni
Castillo relates why they chose the gameshow format to present such a serious issue. Discover just how
bad our educational system has become on Sine Totoo’s back to school offering, “Juan Tanga?" airing
Saturday midnight over GMA-7. Juan Tanga’ Ang Pilipinas ba ay naging bayan na ni “Juan Tanga?"
Ngayong Sabado sa Sine Totoo, abangan ang Juan Tanga?", isang espesyal na pagtatanghal ng
Imbestigador tungkol sa edukasyon. Tinanghal na Finalist ang “Juan Tanga?" sa 2006 US International
Film and Video Festival. Kamakailan naman, ginawaran ito ng Special Citation ng Globe Telecom at
Innove Communications. Sa pamamagitan ng isang game show, inalam ni Mike Enriquez kung masasagot
pa ng mga ordinaryong mamamayan ang mga simpleng tanong tungkol sa math, science at kasaysayan
ng Pilipinas. Binisita rin ng Imbestigador ang ilang pampublikong paaralan sa bansa. Ang mga klase,
ginagawa na sa mga corridor, sa hagdan, sa ilalim ng puno pati na sa mga basketball court! Nakilala ng
Imbestigador ang isang 17 anyos na estudyante na hanggang ngayon ay nasa elementarya pa at hindi pa
rin marunong magbasa! Natuklasan din ng Imbestigador na marami sa ating mga guro ang kulang sa
kaalaman at training. Nakapanayam ni Howie Severino ng Sine Totoo sina Mike Enriquez at Imbestigador
Executive Producer Juni Castillo. Binigyang-diin ni Enriquez na bagama’t nakatatawa ang mga sagot ng
ating mga kababayan sa mga simpleng tanong, nakababahala naman ang implikasyon nito sa lebel ng
kaalaman ng mga Pilipino. Ipinaliwanag naman ni Castillo kung paanong naging epektibo ang pagtalakay
sa isyung ito sa pamamagitan ng isang nakaaaliw na gameshow. Gaano na nga ba kalala ang kalagayan ng
edukasyon sa ating bansa? Alamin sa back to school na handog ng Sine Totoo ngayong Sabado ng
hatinggabi sa GMA.

Gulong ng Buhay (Jay Taruc)

Published July 10, 2008 12:55pm

Episode on July 13, 2008 Saturday, 11:15 p.m. Jay Taruc - who has made a name for himself by
journeying throughout the countryside on two wheels in his motorcycle documentaries - travels Metro
Manila on a very different set of wheels in "Gulong ng Buhay", airing this Saturday night on Sine Totoo.
To expose the plight of persons with disabilities or PWDs in the country, Jay rolls through the streets of
Metro Manila on a wheelchair. Jay meets Carlito, a student who lost his leg during an accident right
before his college graduation and Atty. Jessica Siquijor, a wheelchair-bound lawyer who fights for her
clients' rights as well as her own when she confronts MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando about the lack
of facilities for persons with disabilities. Together with Kuya Obet of Tahanang Walang Hagdan, Jay
attempts to commute, only to discover that even when flagged down, many jeeps and buses will not
stop for those on wheelchairs. Jay himself discovers that the buildings of key government agencies are
still not complying with BP 344 or the Accessibility Law. Some do not have elevators or railings attached
to the comfort rooms, some have very steep ramps and no parking slots for persons with disabilities. In
one City Hall, he finds the mayors' car in the disabled parking space! In a mini-segment before this
feature airs, Sine Totoo host Howie Severino gives pointers on how the different camera angles used by
Taruc's team helped illustrate the problems of persons with disabilities.

Isang matinding imersyon ang hinarap ni Jay Taruc para sa dokumentaryong "Gulong ng Buhay" - na
muling mapapanood ngayong Sabado ng gabi sa Sine Totoo. Para ipakita ang mga pagsubok na hinaharap
ng mga persons with disabilities o PWD sa ating bansa, isinabak ni Jay ang sarili sa buhay-wheelchair at
buong tapang na nilakbay ang mundo ng mga hindi nakakalakad. Kasama sa kanyang nakasalamuha sina
Atty. Jessica Siquijor, na pursigidong itinataguyod ang karapatan ng kanyang mga kliyente sa korte kahit
na siya ay naka-wheelchair; at si Carlito na naputulan ng binti bago lang makapagtapos ng kolehiyo.
Kasama ni Kuya Obet ng Tahanang Walang Hagdan, sinubukan ni Jay na sumakay ng jeep. Dito niya
naranasang karamihan sa mga ito ay hindi nagsasakay ng mga naka-wheelchair. Sakay ng wheelchair,
binisita ni Jay ang ilan sa pinakamahahalagang opisina ng pamahalaan. Natuklasan niyang marami sa
mga ito ang hindi pa rin nakakasunod sa BP 344 o Accessibility Law. Marami ang walang rampa, CR o
parking space para sa mga PWD. Sa isang City Hall na kanyang binisita, mismong sasakyan ng mayor ang
nakasiksik sa disabled parking space! Sa isang maiksing segment, ipaliliwanag ni Howie Severino, host ng
Sine Totoo ang mga anggulo ng camera na ginamit ng grupo ni Jay sa paggawa ng dokumentaryong ito.

Black Sand Mining and Illegal Logging Trail Special (Ulat nina Maki Pulido at Jiggy Manicad)

Sa isang natatanging ulat, maglalakbay sina Maki Pulido at Jiggy Manicad patungo sa iba’t ibang lugar sa
pulo ng Luzon upang ibunyag ang mga ilegal na kalakarang nagaganap rito.Mayaman ang ilang bayan
ng lalawigan ng Cagayan sa black sand o magnetite, isang uri ng mineral na ginagamit sa paggawa ng
bakal. Kaya naman, iba’t ibang mining company na pagmamay-ari ng mga banyaga ang binigyan ng
permisong magmina rito. Ipinagbabawal naman ang paghuhukay at pagkuha ng anumang buhangin sa
mismong dalampasigan o shoreline. Pero nang tinungo ng Reporter’s Notebook ang Cagayan, tumambad
sa amin ang mga back hoe at iba pang heavy equipment na ginagamit sa pagmimina sa mismong
dalampasigan. Kitang kita rin sa video ng Reporter’s Notebook ang aktwal na pagkuha ng magnetite o
black sand mula sa tabing-dagat. Napagalaman ng Reporter’s Notebook na ang ilan sa mga kumpanyang
ito, nahainan na ng stoppage order ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources o DENR at ng
Office of the Provincial Governor matapos ngang mapatunayang lumabag sa batas at nagmina sa mga
prohibited area gaya ng dalampasigan. Pero sa pagbisita ng Reporter’s Notebook sa ilang bayan sa
Cagayan, natuklasan namin na ang ilang kumpanyang ito ay patuloy sa operasyon sa mismong tabing-
dagat ng ilang bayan sa Cagayan.Sa kabundukan ng Sierra Madre sinasabing matatagpuan ang isa sa
pinakamalawak na forest cover sa buong bansa. Katunayan, mahigit apatnapung watershed ang dito
matatagpuan. Pero ang nakababahala, ilan sa mga idineklarang watershed, kinalbo na ang kagubatan. Sa
pagpunta namin sa Dingalan, Aurora, tumambad sa amin ang isang malaking bahagi ng Sierra Madre na
putol na ang mga puno. Nagkalat din sa dinaanan ng Reporter’s Notebook ang mga naputol nang
punongkahoy. Kasama naman ang isang grupo mula sa Philippine Army, Philippine National Police at
DENR, sinuyod namin ang bahagi ng Sierra Madre sa Rodriguez, Rizal. Dito ilang putol na punungkahoy
rin ang na-retrieve ng grupo. Sa kabila ng mga batas na poprotekta sa kalikasan, bakit tila hindi natitigil
ang pang-aabuso rito?

UPUAN (Education Special Report) (Jiggy Manicad and Maki Pulido)

Published June 21, 2011 10:22am

In “Upuan,” a finalist in the Japan Prize 2012, Manicad and Pulido tackle the pressing problem faced by
many of our country's students—the lack of school chairs. Most students bring their bags and books to
school. However, some bring something they shouldn’t, even though equally important – chairs. Despite
the weight and distance of their travel, students carry their own chairs to school, adding more burdens
to their student life already riddled with problems. Students, teachers and parents face the same old
problems every year that besiege the educational system of the country. The lack of books, classrooms,
buildings, facilities and chairs appear more and more difficult to solve. According to data obtained by the
Department of Education, elementary and high schools in the entire country lack more than two million
chairs. The result – some students, if they are not sitting on the floor, sit with another on a chair than
could fit only one. Some choose to stand up while others bring their own chair from their home. What
have been done to solve this problem? How long will the government allow students to endure this
difficulty? Jiggy Manicad and Maki Pulido tackle this pressing problem faced by many of our country's
students on Reporter's Notebook, Tuesday night after Saksi!

Kung ang maraming mag-aaral, bitbit ay bag sa pagpasok sa eskuwela, may ibang pasan ang ilan sa
kanila: ang upuan na kahit mabigat at malayo ang kailangan nilang baybayin, hindi nila ito iniinda. Taun-
taon, sumasalubong sa mga pampublikong eskuwelahan ang samu’t saring problemang umaanay sa
sistema ng edukasyon. Iba’t-ibang kakulangan at kasalatan na paulit-ulit at patuloy na nagpapahirap at
tila pahirapan ding matugunan. Isa na rito ang kakulangan ng mga upuan sa mga paaralan. Sa datos ng
Department of Education, nasa mahigit dalawang milyon ang kulang sa elementarya at high school sa
buong bansa. Kaya ang maraming estudyante, kundi man sa sahig nakaupo, pilit nilang pinagkakasya ang
mga sarili sa upuang dapat sana ay para sa isa lamang. Ang iba nama’y nakatayo, samantalang ang iba’y
pinagtitiyagaan ang mga sira-sirang upuan at ang ilan nama’y nagdadala na lang ng sariling upuan mula
sa kanilang tahanan. Ano nga ba ang mga ginagawang hakbang ng pamahalaan para ito ay tugunan?
Hanggang kailan hahayaang magtiis ang mga mag-aaral sa ganitong kalagayan?

Kapit sa Patalim- Jay Taruc--- yung napanood natin about sa kalikasan yung pagtotroso…

Boses Upos--- (Howie Severino)--- effects of cigarettes PS--- NAPANOOD NA NATIN TO!

Ambulansyang de paa---(Kara David, 2002)--- mindoro oriental at sa villa pag-asa (7 km) naganap.

-lowen 912 years old na may tuberculosis at si Jan Loi naman ay may sakit na Pneumonia, tb at
malnourish. SIGURO NAAALALA NIYO NARIN YUN.

Don’t English Me--- (Howie Severino)

Starring, Jason. Naganap sa bagong silang, labuagan at sa baguio city. MGA LODI SIGURO ALAM
NIYO NA ‘TO