The Philippine Seaweed Capital: Beliefs, attitudes, and customs
By Abel Omar
Tawi-Tawi province, earning the nickname “the seaweed capital of the Philippines,” serves as the trademark and pamana of their ancestors and continues to live up to the title of their homeland, traditions, and social culture. In this social schema, children work because their survival, training, and that of their families depend on it. In many cases, unscrupulous adults take advantage of their vulnerability. It is also due to inadequacies, lack of accessibility, and weaknesses in national educational system that bereft them of their rights. Many people did not go to school by choice. It is deeply ingrained in cultural and social attitudes and traditions.
Poverty, culture, and tradition are certainly the greatest forces and choices driving children into the workplace. Income from a child’s work is felt to be crucial for his or her own experience and survival of the household. Child labor in the family is a contested concept and role, especially in the context of cultures which traditionally require children to perform domestic duties and support their parents as part of their childhood training and experience.
The children are encouraged to help out by collecting seaweeds or small parts of seaweed plants that have been broken from the main branch due to wave action or predation by sea creatures. At a very young age, they are able to receive and earn money from their efforts, which helps their family meet their daily needs. good money indeed. Some people in the province of Tawi-Tawi choose to live a simple life and do not want to enter themselves into a world full of competitions. the world of great minds to exploit others. They choose to work with the seaweed cultivation industry, as people refer to it, rather than deceive others because they also believe that living a normal life is much better because there is less competition and frustration. working with the seaweeds by patronizing the natural resources on their land. proud to show the pride of being content with lessened toxicity and a labored but peaceful mind.
Thereafter, the prosperity of the seaweeds industry in Tawi-Tawi have caught wide attention and been labeled “Seaweeds Capital of the Philippines” because it represents the name not only in one nation but also the worldwide. In honor of this livelihood, the “Agal-Agal Festival” has been held since 1988 during the provincial founding anniversary, which attracts visitors and tourists from around the country. The culture and tradition of the people of this island will remain, as they lived a peaceful environment and led a colorful normal life in a coastal region. As a testimony to its abundance, prevalence of culture and nature, and contribution to supporting the local and national economies, it is one of the most important annual events in the province of Tawi-Tawi.
Lastly, the Bangsamoro Government must continue to support and accompany such efforts as to bring flourishing and progress to their land. By providing project research and machines that support the processing of resources, and preserve the culture, and tradition of the community and vice versa, the community will provide the greatest products from their own creativity to boost the prosperity of the community and the government. We, the Bangsamoro, would work collaboratively to provide our efforts for the greatest output from our home land. Putting our heads together helps others by thinking about the future that our family will step into. And it would result in the best outputs that benefit the Bangsamoro people and their surroundings. These are also recognized as efforts under
separate moral governance under presidential rule and would be rewarded by the creator of all mankind. InshaAllah! Allah blessed us all.