MARIVELES, Bataan – So what if they cross a dilapidated and dangerous footbridge and hike more than one kilometer of flooded dirt road in going to and from school.
“Mahirap po ang tumawid sa tulay at maglakad pero kailangang makapagtapos ng pag-aaral para maging mabuti buhay namin.”
This was what children from Sityo Boracay, a fishing area in barangay Townsite here said in an interview during the opening of classes on Monday. They were on their way to the Townsite Elementary School and a public high school.
“Gusto ko pong makatapos ng pag-aaral para makatulong sa magulang ko at mga kapatid,” said a Grade 3 pupil.
Two of the pupils interviewed want to be teachers someday. They are part of about 300 children in both elementary and secondary schools in the fishing village who hiked in going to their school in the opening day of classes.
The children might be unmindful of the dangers they face every time they cross the bridge and walk through flooded road but not their parents.
Aniano Enverso, a sityo official, called on concerned agencies to help them fix the bridge and open the gate of the private property.
“Sana matulungan kami na maiayos ang tulay sa pagka’t mapanganib hindi lamang sa aming mga anak kundi sa lahat ng tumatawid”, the fisherman said.
Enverso also said the gate of the coconut plantation serving as their passage in and out of the village be opened to tricycles.
“This will be of big help to our children who go to school every day, especially now that rainy season is here.”
