Christmas had always been an ordinary day for Rogelina de San Juan, a mother of eight children, who lives at the Iram Resettlement Area in Olongapo. For Rogelina and the hundreds of Aetas living in the area, celebrating Christmas is next to impossible because of their dire situation.

Rogelina has been living in a small hut made of cogon and bamboo in the resettlement site for nearly two decades now. She earns a living by planting and selling crops or doing laundry in nearby barangays.

Located in Barangay New Cabalan, Northeast of Olongapo which is about eight kilometers from the City proper, the Iram Resettlement Area served as the relocation site of the Aetas after the Mt. Pinatubo eruption ravaged their homes in San Marcelino and Botolan Zambales in 1991. The 74-hectare area has provided the more than 3,000 Aetas several sources of income like planting of crops, gathering and selling of cogon grass, and charcoal production. Sometimes, the local officials would conduct medical and dental missions and livelihood programs which somehow aid the Aetas like Rogelina.

This year, Christmas became merrier and more meaningful for Rogelina and some 600 Aetas in Olongapo after the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) chose them as the 20th day beneficiary of the “Pamaskong Handog ng PAGCOR 2011: 25 Days of Christmas, 25 Years of PAGCOR” nationwide gift-giving activity.

PAGCOR’s gift-giving program also benefited the Aetas who were temporarily evacuated in a resettlement area in San Felipe, Zambales, after they lost their homes to typhoons Pedring and Quiel last October. They have been staying at Sindol Elementary School for the past two months.

The beneficiaries received gifts packs of grocery and food items, toiletries and rice. The children were also given toys and candies. PAGCOR was the first institution that staged a Christmas party for the Aetas in Iram this year. The agency also conducted a feeding program during the event, which was graced by PAGCOR officials and Casino Filipino Olongapo personnel.

“Kung may nagbibigay ng tulong ay malaking bagay na sa amin iyon dahil talagang mahirap ang buhay namin. Itong biyayang natanggap namin mula sa PAGCOR, ipinagpapasalamat talaga namin dahil kahit paano, ipinaramdam sa amin na naalala kami at binigyan ng kasiyahan ngayong kapaskuhan,” Rogelina shared.

Iram Tribal Chieftain Trolie Romualdo said the help they get from the local government and the assistance from donors lessen the everyday burden of his fellow cultural minorities. “Simula noong pumutok ang Pinatubo at inilikas kami dito hanggang ngayon, nabibigyan naman kami ng lokal na pamahalaan ng tulong. Minsan may ilang grupo din na nagbibigay ng donasyon sa amin,” he shared.

Romulado also thanked PAGCOR for bringing help to the Aetas of Iram. “Malaking bagay ang mga regalong natanggap namin ngayong kapaskuhan dahil napasaya nito ang maraming mga ka-tribu ko, lalo na ang mga bata. Salamat din dahil nabigyang pansin nyo kami kahit malayo ang aming lugar.”

The chieftain added that PAGCOR’s gift-giving event is a good way of encouraging various government agencies and non-government organizations to help cultural minorities, especially those in neglected regions and do not receive any assistance.

“Hiling din sana namin ay yung pang-habambuhay na tulong ang maipagkaloob sa amin. Mahanapan o magawan ng paraan na magkaroon ng maayos na hanapbuhay ang mga katulad namin dahil talagang napakahirap para sa amin ang walang stable na ikinabubuhay,” he said.

89-year old Salvador Santos, one of the Aetas evacuated in San Felipe, Zambales, expressed his deep sorrow at not being able to celebrate Christmas in his own house for the first time. “Napakahirap ng kalagayan namin dito. Wala kaming tirahan, ang mga bata nagkakasakit na, hindi din kami makapagtanim man lang kaya wala kaming kinikita,” he said.

Santos lived in the hilltop of Sitio Lalec in Zambales for 20 years until they were forced to leave the area when the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Association (PAGASA) declared that the site was in imminent danger when two super typhoons hit the country in October. “Wala kaming magawa noon pero kailangan talagang iwanan ang lugar. Mahirap para sa akin dahil matanda na ako. Pero dito sa lugar namin ngayon ay mas nahihirapan kami dahil umaasa kami sa tulong ng ibang tao,” Santos said.

Santos added that his sadness was lessened after knowing that PAGCOR included them in its gift-giving project. “Tanging ang taos-pusong pasasalamat lang ang maipapaabot ko sa PAGCOR para sa pamaskong regalong ito. Salamat sa pagbigay-pansin ninyo sa amin. Ipinaramdam nyo sa amin na naalala nyo kami, lalo na ngayong darating na kapaskuhan,” he said.

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