..

THEBADJAOCOMMUNITIESINMETROCEBU

ANDBANTAYANISLANDS:SOMEF;mNOGRAPHICDATA

ANDOBSERVAnONS

ZenaidaR.~andMaryEvelynD.Neri

Thispaperisapreliminaryethnographicreport.Itdescribesclearly,we

hope,somecharacteristicfeaturesofBadjaoslumdwellersinthecityand
provinceofCebu.ThefirstpartdescribestheBadjaoslivingintheslumsof
Alaska,Mambaling,whilethesecondpartisonanothersettlementinthe
BantayanIslandsinthenorthernpartofCebuprovince.CebuCity,second
largestinthecountry,isthecapitalofCebuinCentralVisayas.

Thedatauponwhichthedescriptionischieflybasedwereobtained
duringfieldobservationsundertakenin'thesummerof1979.Acolleague,
NestorHorfillaandfouranthropologymajors(HomerBana,ValentinaInoc,
VictorVillameraandBascoFernandez)constitutedourresearchteam.The
Bantayansettlements,ontheotherhand,werecloselystudiedbyMary
EvelynNeriwhoispresentlyundertakinganindepthstudyoftheirmoni

tiledeconomyforhermaster'sthesis.

TheBadjaosconstitutethelowestclassamongthenineMuslimgroups

ofSulu.Theybelongtoatribeofnomadicboatdwellerscommonlyfoundabouttheislandsof
SiasiandSitankaiintheSuluarchipelago.SomelanddwellingandsedentaryMuslimsdonot
considerthemasMuslimsandhesitatetoincludethemintheirpoliticalorganizations.

An interestinggroupoftheseshyandgentlefishermannomadsofthe Sulusea
presentlyconstitutesanidentifiablecomponentofslumdwellersalongtheshorelineof
MambalinginCebuCity.Thepurposeofthisintroductoryethnographyistotrigger
the acquisition of contemporary and accurate information concerning the Badjao
"squatters"whichcouldformthebasisofanindepthstudyofthesepeoplebythe
juniorauthor.

*Weacknowledgewiththanks,basicvaluableinformationderivedwithpermissionfrom
adocumentarypaperontheCebuBadjaosreadbyProf.MohammadKuraisIIoftheTawiTawi
InstituteofTechnologyduringtheXthICAESinIndia as well as recentsocioeconomicfacts
from the Slum and Resettlement Office of Cebu City. Entry into the Badjao settlement in
MambalingwasmadepossiblethroughtheassistanceofMr.Tino,presidentofthe AlaskaBeach
ResidentsAssociation(ABRA).Mostimportantof all,ocular inspectionandphotographyof
most households (we have over a hundred slide films) and lengthy casual interviews were
actualizedwiththepermissionofJamani,sonofImanDaomaniAmansa.
**Chainnanandfacultymemberrespectively,DepartmentofSociologyandAnthropology,
UniversityofSanCarlos.

185

MAMBALINGSHORELINE:THESETTLEMENTOFTHEBADJAOS

Alaska Beach, which forms the Marnbaling shoreline, lies about one
kilometerfromtheLudofactorynearPasilMarket.Thebeach,whichformsa
bay,issandyinsomepartsandmuddyinothersandiscoveredwithmangroves.
Presently,thebeachholdsmoreorless1,000squatterhouseholds,allofwhich
belongtotheAlaskaBeachResidentsAssociation(ABRA).Thehousesofthe
BadjaosarelocatedalongthebayandarepresentlyclassifiedasBlock9bythe
SlumsImprovementandResettlementOffice(SIR).

TheName
RelatedliteraturereferstothesepeopleasBadjaoorSarnal.Theycallthemselves
Orang taut, which the Spaniards changed to Lutao. Professor Kurais of the Tawitawi
InstituteofTechnologycallsthemSarnaDelaut.
Among the squatters in Mambaling, Cebu City, they are generally known as
Badjaos.However,theyarealsooftencalled''Muklo.''

Arrival in Cebu City

Generally, the Badjaos cannot give an exact date of their arrival in Cebu.
However,anephewofthe Imam (highpriest)statedthatthefirstsettlerscamein
1963,whentwoboatscalledpilang,landedontheshoresofDulho.Thiswasfollowed
byaseriesofmigrationstowardsthenewlyfoundedsettlement.Themaritimelanes
characterizingCebuislandhavefacilitatedtheflowofcontinuousseatravel.
It isinterestingtonotethattheseseafaringethnicminoritieshavemigratednot
onlytoCebubutalsotoLeyte,Sarnar,MasbateandotherpartsoftheVisayasaswell.

PushAndPullFactorsOfMigration
ThesocioeconomicsurveyquestionnairesoftheSIRindicatepracticallyonly
one"push"factorawayfromRichondo,Zamboangaandthisistheabsenceofpeace
andorderinthatarea. On theotherhand,therichftshinggroundssurroundingthe
Visayasconstitutethe"pull"variable.However,weknowverylittleabouthowthese
BadjaomigrantsviewthecityandtowhatdegreetheyareattractedtoMetroCebu's
variedactivitiesandopportunities.
Thesepeoplearenomadic,buttheaccompanying romantic notion isdifficultto
accept.Theirpatternsofmigratorybehaviorrathersuggestseconomicpressures,suchas
lesseningfishsupply.

'.

'.

TheSlumCommunity
Thecompactsettlementpersonally,seenbytheauthorsnestlesalongtheshoreline
ofAlaskaBeach.Itiscomposedoffortynineinterlinkedhouseholds.Thelandhouses(not
boathouses)arebuiltrightovertheshorelinewhichisrelativelywetduringebbtideandat
hightidethewaterlevelisfrom

)86

..

threetosixfeet.Sixmotorboatsareanchoredatthebackandalongsidethehouses,
whicharebuiltonstilts.Fromaninlandapproach,theleftendofthesettlementis
inhabitedbycompletefamiliesoforientationandprocreation.Attherightendare
familiesleftbythebreadwinners.

The community members claim blood ties among each other. In addition, the
proportion of adult men to women is fairly equal; thus, it is difficult for a widow to
remarry.
Christian Cebuanospeaking slum neighbors in "Alaska Beach maintain good
relationswiththeBadjaos.Thereareasofthiswriting,threecasesofBadjaoChristian
intermarriages. Cebuanowives, however, become assimilated to Badjao lifestyle rather
thanviceversa.

Dwellings

Allthefortyninedwellingsareidenticalinformandstructure.Theyare
builtontallpostsrisingfromthewaterandarerectangularinplan.Thelargest
housewhichisconstructedoftimberbelongstoDoamaniAmansa,theimam.It
has a room and a separate corner for the comfort room, reflecting a strong
Cebuanoinfluence.Allthedwellingsweobservedhadoneroomwhichservesas
sleepingunitandkitchen.Thematerialsareverylightandnondurable.Nailsare
notpredominantbutwoodandbambooaretiedwithrattan.Theygenerallylook
asiftheywereonthepointofcollapsing.However,thelightbuildofthesmall
andslenderBadjaosmayexplainhowthesedwellingunitscanlastforquitea
time.

Material CUlture
Oneisstruckbyanextremedeprivationofmaterialculture.Afewhouseholds
haveasmalltrunk.Themajoritypossesscheapeatingutensils,afryingpan (carajay),
severalpots,andagrater.Theyhavegenerallyscantyclothesbutthewomenwear
malong. During our visit, one adult female wore a wristwatch, the rest had no
adornment.

EconomicActivities

As anomadicandmarginalpeople,theBadjaosintheslumsinMamba. ling
engageintwomajoractivitiesfromdaytodaythewholeyearthrough,namely: (1)
fishing(2)andbarteringormarketingtheircatchoffish, seaweeds and seashells.
Duringtheweekdays,mostifnotall,maleheadsofthehouseholdsgoouttotheopen
seatofishwithoutcompetingwiththeCebuanospeakingfishermen.Theyclaimtouse
traditionaltoolslikehandarrows,hookandline,netsandtrapsbutnotdynamite.The
boatsusedfordeepseafishingarepoweredbyenginesandaresaidtoberegistered
officially.
Thebestfishcaughtaresoldimmediatelyandaccordingtoinformants,partofthe
salesisusedtopurchasesmallandevenrancidfishbecausetheseareextremelycheap.
Theirstaplefood,whichiscamoteorcassava,islikewiseboughtimmediatelyfromtheir
proceeds.

..
"

187

Women of advanced age including. children, go to the central business

districttobegfromthepeopleandinreturnreceiveloosechange.Theseadults
beg from market vendors while children go scavenging for fruits and other
foodstuff.Thisisacopingmechanism.reflectingpooreconomicconditionsand
depression.

Widows,withtheassistanceoftheirchildren,meetincomingvesselswhichdockat
theCebuwaterfront.Aboardtheirboats,theywouldawaitpassengerswhowouldthrow
coinsforthemtoretreiveunderwater.

TWOBADJAOCOMMUNITIESINBANTAYANISLAND
.

BantayanIslandliesoffthenortherncoastoftheprovinceofCebu.
Theislandbeinghostiletomanyformsofvegetationexceptforcoconutsarid.afewothers,themainformof

economicsubsistenceofitsinhabitantsisfish

ing.Itsstrategiclocationissuchthatitstraditionallyrichfishinggroundslead
naturallytootherequallyrichfishinggroundsinSamarandLeyte,Negrosand
Masbate.Itisperhaps'forthisreasonthattheislandhasattractedtheBadjaos,a
peoplewhoseentirelifeandritualhasalwaysbeendominatedbytheseaandits
resources.

'ThetwoBadjaocommunitiesarefoundinthemunicipalityofMadridejos,oneof
thethreemunicipalitiesintheisland,specificallyinthetwobarrios

ofLawisandMalbago.AlltheBadjaosinthesecommunitiesoriginallycame,.
fromZamboanga.TheMalbagoBadjaocommunitywasformedbetween1970
1971byBadjaoswhotransferredfromtheslumsofAlaskaandSanRoque,
Mambaling,CebuCity.TheLawiscommunitywasformedasrecentlyasFeb
ruary,1979,barelysevenmonthsago,withBadjaosmigratingdirectlyfrom
ZarnboangaandsettlinginLawis.

Alltold,thetwocommunitiesnumberbetween5060families:The

averagenumberofchildrenforeachfamilyisfive:butthemortalityrateis
highestamonginfantsandchildrenduetomalnutritionandinsanitation.

Economy

TheBadjaohasknownnoothermeansofsubsistenceapartfromfish

'.

ing,andthesetwocommunitiesarenoexception.Themengoouttoseain

motorboatsinsearchforanyorallofthefollowing:
1. aspecifictypeofshell(goldleafoyster)whoseshellalone,minus

themeat,sellsatPI5'P20perkilo
2.:seacucumbers
3.biggameflsh

TheseresourcesareobtainedbyvirtueoftheBadjao'sdivingskilland
then soldtomiddlemen(eitherChristianorChinese)whointurnsellthes~
intheexport~arketforJapan,thusearninganeatsumintheprocess.

188

..
Buttheseamaynotalwaysbebountifulortheweathermaynotpermitgoing
outtosea,aseveryBadjaoknows.ItisthenthattheBadjaoispracticallyforcedto
borrowfrommiddlemenwhoareonlytoowillingtooffermoneyinreturnforthe
promiseofmorethingstosell.Beggingisrarelyreosortedto.However,somewomen
doitduringChristmas.

Religion
The Badjaos have been referred to as the least Islamized of all the Mus lim
ethnolinguisticgroups,andassuch,practiceareligionwhichisasyncretisticblendof
Islamandnativefolkreligion.
AmongtheBadjaosinBantayan,theplaceofworshipineachhouseisindicatedby
apieceofwoodplacedhorizontallyacrosstwowoodensupports.
This"altar"iscoveredbyapieceofclothwhichisremovedduringtimesofprayer.Prayersare
alwayssung.

'

FurtherstudywillmakeitpossibletopinpointtheIslamicfeaturesin
thereligionoftheBadjaosinBantayan.Thisinitialreport will onlyventuretosay
thatIslamicfeaturesseemtobemostpronouncedintheareaofdeathandburial
practices.

Housing

Eachhouseholdlivesinasimpleoneroomhousemadeofnipaandbamboo.Some
interestingfeaturesofBadjaohousesare:

I.

2.

3.

house located by the seashore and is always raised on stilts, an ac

commodationtothetide'srisingandfalling.

theabsenceofwindows;

the house interior is very simple, with the kitchen area designated by the
presenceofaclaypot(kaJan).

RelationsWiththeOuistianMajority
l.

2.

Thereisoccasionalbarter,withtheBadiaosexchangingtheirfish
forthecoconutsandriceofthetowncitizens.
As a whole, the group's presence is tolerated by the predominantly
Christianpopulationofthetown,buttherehavebeenmanyinstancesof
discriminationwiththeBadjaosaccusedofpettytheft.Manyalsofeelthat
theBadjaosareanuisanceonlywhentheygoaroundbeggingandthat
althoughthey"maybepotentiallydanger.ous,theyareratherwise,meek
anduseful."
CONCLUDINGNOTES

Wearehearing,rightlyofcourse,acrescendoofvoicesfromanthropologists
andothersocialscientistsinthePhilippinesthatdeveloprnentalistsandplanners,both
inthenationalandregionallevelspaymoreattentionto

189

thegrassroots,theslumdwellers,scavengers,andtheethnicminorities. In ad
dition,ruralurbanmigrationshouldbeundercontroltoraisethe"levelofliving
oftheurbandwellersaswellasharnessregionaldevelopment.Alltheseconcerns
necessitate complete ethnographic data to warrant analytic studies and
consequentlyproposetherequiredpolicychanges.
Bywayofconcluding,thispreliminaryreportisintendedtoachieve
suchagoal.

INDICATIONOFAVAILABLELITERATURE
ATTHEUNIVERSITYOFSANCARLOS

Arong,Jose
1962

BadjaoofSulu.PhilippineSociologicalReview10(34):134.

Cabalquinto,Luis

1965BajawBurial.SundayTimesMagazine(Sept.19,1965),1415.Kurais,
MohammadII

1978SarnaDelautintheCityofCebu.PaperreadduringtheXthInternational
CongressofAnthropologicalandEthnologicalSciences.NewDelhi,
India,December1030,1978.'

Nance,John
1968 TheBadjaos:SeaGypsies.SundayTimesMagazine(August4,
1968),5455.
Stone,Richard

1962 IntergroupRelationsAmongTausugs,SamalsandBadjaosof
Sulu.PhilippineSociologicalReview10(34):107.
.Taylor,CarlN.

1930 TheBadjaoChildrenoftheSea.PhilippineMagazine27(3):
158159.,

1931 SeaGypsiesofSulu.Asia31(8):477484;534535.

190