Uuwi na si Udong by kara David

Title: Uuwi na si Udong
Author: Kara David
Characters: Udong

SYNOPSIS

This episode features how a ten
year old boy (Udong), sacrifices
his hours of playful childhood
with 6 months of physical hard
work as a sugarcane cutter.
Udong, like the other hundreds
of migrant workers from an
island of Aklan chose to work in
the sugar plantations also called
“ Sakada” in Batangas in order to
support their families back
home.
At his early age, you will hardly
notice the juvenile spirit in
Udong. He acts and talks like a
young man in his 20 ’s, very
much determined to shed off
sweat and hardships just to feed
his family. Though with his
father, Udong still works just like
others, he forcefully grips and
cuts the sugarcanes without
uncertainty, ignoring the
tormenting pain on his small and
innocent body. He would even
exchange an hour of sleep
during periods of break than
play around with other kids of
his age. The scenario of all day
work has been a daily routine
for Udong and for other workers
as well, enduring all the physical
agony and longing for their
families had become their
driving force to bear hardship.
But contrary to Udong, these
hardships and sufferings are
already unbearable for Toto, a
14 year old boy, who was forced
by his father to replace him to
work and pay for their debt. If
given a chance Toto would
rather work in Aklan with his
family. The tough work in the
sugar plantation was even made
harder by the fact that he is
several miles away from home.
But to stop working is not an
option, and so Toto was left to
endure all the pain for several
months. He only then looks
forward for the end of Sakada to
finally go back home.
Until the six months of laborious
work has finally come to an end,
the two boys along with other
migrant workers eagerly wait to
claim their salary. With several
computations, and deductions,
the two kids ended up with P600
each at hand. Not enough for
Toto to buy a television set, toys
and food for his waiting siblings.
While other workers, turned out
to go home empty handed.
Sadly, the six months of Sakada
didn ’t’ paid off for their
tremendous hard work.
According to the owner of the
plantation, this is because the
workers had their commodities,
vices such as cigarettes and
alcoholic drinks and family debts
that were finally deducted to
their wages. And so, these
workers had to make another
debt just to bring some food and
toys for their families. No
wonder, if there ’s another
Udong or Toto in the next batch
of Sakada. And even if, the
turnout of the wages for some
seemed disappointing, the
workers ignored the thought for
a moment; excitement to go
back to their homeland appeared
to outweigh the reality that their
families will hardly be eating
again.p



COMMENTARIES

Just like other documentaries i have watched, Babalik na si Udong also made me feel pity. It tackles the life of Udong who is a young boy forced to work as a sugarcane cutter that was happen because of the indebtedness of his father from his boss. As a payment for that, udong will work at his innocent body just to help his family. This a kind of child labor that destroy his right to enjoy his childhood by playing with other children and sending him to school to be educated. The documentary reveals the sufferings of a young boy nod made by circumstance but by human. This is a kind of maltreatment and to children. I just hope that this issue will be given actions and the future children will not suffer same to Udong.