In Victorias City, Negros Occidental in the Philippines, the Malihaw River separates two of its barangays, 6A (Villa Miranda) and 9 (Daan Banwa) The latter is closer to the public transport terminal, a mall, and the fruit and vegetable market.
Instead of taking the longer route, the residents of Barangay 6A take the banca ride to cross the river, and the crossing only takes a couple of minutes.
Each passenger pays P5 for the crossing, and the boat men earn a living by using the banca to ferry passengers. During classes, students would prefer crossing the river instead of taking the longer route to school.
One day, as we visited Daan Banwa to have snacks at a restaurant near the bank of the Malihaw River, I watched a kid take a banca to cross to our side. He then took passengers and ferried them to the other side. I thought his family owned the boat.
But after talking to the kid and to the owner of the restaurant, we found out that the kid, Justin, only 15 years old, borrows the banca and pays P50 to the owner as rent.
Justin then ferries people across the river. His earnings would help his mother, a laundry woman raising nine kids on her own.
We asked the restaurant owner to help us find a carpenter to build us a banca that he kid could use when he's off from school.
Nonong, a 54-year old carpenter who builds banca for a living, would build our ANGAT VICTORIAS banca that will be blessed by our parish priest once it is ready for use.
We, the ANGAT VICTORIAS volunteers, endeavor to help our fellow Victoriahanon in our own little way.😊
#AngatVictorias #AngatBuhay #banca #boats #Daan Banwa #volunteerism
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