This is Tagbacan River in Lambunao Iloilo in the Philippines.On normal days, the water looks sparkling emerald, shallow, calm and tranquil.This river is considered as an important part of my childhood days.We used to wash our clothes, bathe, and play in this river which is just a few meters away from our house.
Our house is located on the steep part.So before reaching the river, you need to walk down the hill, cross by our orchard of bananas, mangoes, rice fields, and coconut plantation and some bamboo trees before you can reach this river.When we were kids, we usually play in this river before lunchtime.When the sun is almost scorching hot. Our neighbors are mostly our cousins and distant relatives, the children who are the same age as us would gather together to bathe and play catch-me-if-you-can while swimming.All of us know how to swim.Children who can't swim just play on the sand , building something with rocks, sand, and stone.
In summer, it's already our routine to bathe in the river, play with our cousins and friends.As for me, this river has been my secret hiding place.There was a bamboo tree adjacent to the caimito tree which serves as my shade when I read some books.I love how the smooth breeze touches my face when I read books and listening to the gushing sound of the river.When it was noisy at home because my siblings are playing, I'd usually escape and read my favorite book on a shade of the bamboo tree which my father has put a bench on.
The river's purpose is not only for us to bathe in, or serves as our playground. People in nearby barangays and us as well, catch fishes in that river.Constructions supplies businessmen load their trucks with sand and gravel they dig from there.We could count how many loads every day.They just don't care.Local politicians don't care at all.
We just noticed that it's getting father from us. The soil on the other side was eroded thus making that part smaller and the land on our part gets wider.Since my grandfather planted trees and bamboos on the part of the land that belongs to us, the water couldn't erode the soil because of the tree's roots.
They built a bridge but it's useless.The water is not crossing that bridge anymore
.So the bridge was left unfinished.The budget, just like the soil, was eroded to an unknown place.Now that unfinished bridge is just there, serving as a playground for children.
During the rainy season, students, pupils, parents, and teachers have to endure this dilemma.Whether they will go to school soaked or be absent.I was one of those students who sacrificed just to go to school.When there's flood.I can't go to school.But, if we are already in school and flood happens in the afternoon, we need to wait for the water to become shallow.Our parents are on the other side waiting for us.And we are on the other side just waiting for the muddy and furious water to calm again for the enraging water is something we couldn't fathom.
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It's already 2018.The bridge is still unfinished, businessmen are getting richer, politicians have completed their terms, teachers who taught us, already retired from the service, and students passing by that river are mostly professionals.Tagbakan River had been my friend and worst companion .
PICTURES WERE SENT BY MY SISTER.
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