Local volunteers gave school supplies to the children of Maporak

Sitio Maporak, Barangay New San Juan, Cabangan, Zambales Philippines – sitio Maporak is a Aeta community in Zambales recently visited by volunteers lead by Ubit Aguilar to distribute school supplies for the local children (Grade 1 – second year high school).Assisted also by the Chieftain and the Elders of the village, they helped to distribute school supplies required for the current school year.

Education is one of the main concerns on the community as the children don’t usually have school supplies and they often cross river to their neighboring towns just to attend classes.The group of Ubit (mostly from Ateneo de Manila) yearly visits the area to give supplies need by the children and also listening to some concerns of the elders.
As the young generation of Maporak, their parent wants their children to enhance their knowledge and skills thru education that they can use to uplift their status and to help their own community. Sitio Maporak has a number of families ranging approximately from 100 to 150.
Maporak was derived from the 10-unpleasant or bad experiences that happened to the community since the early 1900's up to the present time.(mt. Pinatubo eruption, lahar, illegal mining, illegal logging, land grabbing etc.)
The tribe is being lead by a chieftain or kapitan (Salvador Dimain) and assisted by the tribal council and tribal elders when it comes to decision-making. The chieftain also has a seat at the local barangay unit (Brgy. New San Juan). The Maporak Aeta Organization (MAO), Pederasyon ng Aytang Samahan sa Zambales (PASS) are the another source of authority at the area.
The main source of income is farming. Crop rotation system is being applied. Some are into charcoal-making, others survives by gathering cogon grass and buho. The rest strive on blue-collar jobs (e.g. day jobs like carpentry, plumbing, etc.). Livestock and seasonal hunting are also other forms or source of income for aeta families in Maporak.
Common dialect spoken is Zambal, Kapampangan, Ilocano and Tagalog.
Current Issues the community encounter is Education, Health facilities, concern with illegal Mining and illegal logging and concern with the land area where they can call it as their ancestral domain.